2. A Short History of American Prisons
William Penn’s “Great Law.”
Pennsylvania, 1682.
Forbade corporal punishment, and envisioned prisons as
workhouses.
The Walnut Street Jail
Philadelphia, 1890
Silence and labor are the keys to rehabilitation.
Suffered from overcrowding and excessive costs.
3. A Short History of American Prisons
The Pennsylvania System The New York System
Silence and in-cell Solitary confinement
labor leads to insanity in
Constant solitary inmates
confinement (the Inmates are allowed to
separate system) work together, while
Only human contact is maintaining silence
with visiting clergy (the congregate
system)
4.
5. A Short History of American Prisons
Reform:
The “new penology”
Imposed silence and separation abolished
Inmates offered early release for good behavior.
All inmates begin at level 2, and through good behavior
be assigned a level 1 and released. Misbehavior sees an
inmate demoted to level 3 and the sentence is extended.
The treatment philosophy is consistent with the medical
model.
6. A Short History of American Prisons
Martinson’s “What Works?” is published in
1974, reporting that inmate rehabilitation
efforts have been largely unsuccessful.
In the 1980’s the “get tough on crime”
movement is in full swing, bringing harsher
sentences and booming prison populations.
7. The Prison Population Bomb
Factors in prison growth:
Enhancement and stricter enforcement of drug
laws
Increased probability of incarceration
Inmates are serving more time for each crime
Federal prison growth
8.
9. Types of Prisons
Maximum-Security Prisons:
Violent and repeat offenders, those with
conduct disorders (16% of prisoners)
Fortresses, watchtowers, armed guards
Cell blocks/wings
Standard uniforms and dress codes
Inmate’s lives are security-based
10. Types of Prisons
Supermax:
Prisons reserved for the “worst of the worst”
Controlled environment
Advantages and disadvantages of supermax
environment
11. Types of Prisons
Medium-Security Prisons:
House less dangerous inmates than maximum
security (35% if prisoners)
Less restrictive security than maximum
security, usually fences instead of walls
Rehabilitative programming is available
12. Types of Prisons
Minimum-Security Prison:
Designed for inmates who are a low-security risk,
such as non-violent and first-time offenders (about
49% of prisoners)
Inmates have more freedom to move about the
facility
Security is more relaxed, there are no armed guards
Rehabilitative programming and privileges are
available
13.
14. Prison Administration
Formal Prison Management:
Chain of command (a strong hierarchy is
vital)
May lack continuity of purpose (rehabilitation
versus punishment)
15.
16. Prison Administration
Governing Prison Populations:
Order
The absence of misconduct, such as murder, assault and
rape
Amenities
Comforts that make life “livable,” such as clean living
conditions, and good food
Services
Programs designed to improve inmates’ prospects upon
release
17. The Emergence of Private Prisons
Private prisons are correctional facilities
operated by private corporations instead of
the government.
Private prisons are often reliant on profit for
survival.
Private prison populations are forecasted to
continue to grow over the near future.
18. The Emergence of Private Prisons
Why Privatize? Arguments Against
Cost efficiency Privatization:
Competitive bidding Safety concerns
Labor costs
Overcrowding and Philosophical concerns
outsourcing
19. Jails
The Purposes of Jails:
To hold those convicted of misdemeanors
To hold individuals pre-trial
Temporarily hold juveniles awaiting transfer
To hold the mentally ill pending transfer
To detain those who have violated probation of parole, or
have “jumped-bail”
To house inmates awaiting transfer to prison
To operate community-based corrections programs such as
home confinement and electronic monitoring
20. Jails
The Jail Population:
88% of jail inmates are male
30% are pretrial detainees
38% have been convicted of their current
charge
Some will receive credit for time served.
The remainder of inmates housed include the
mentally ill and those awaiting transfer.
21.
22. Jails
Jail Administration:
The burden of jail management
Sheriff’s may view the jail as a lower priority
than crime prevention and control
The challenge of overcrowding
Living conditions are often miserable
The wide variety of persons incarcerated in jails
makes management difficult
23. The Consequences of High Rates of
Incarceration
Positive consequences include a correlation
with a drop in the crime rate.
Negative consequences include social
consequences for families and communities,
and disenfranchisement of inmates who lose
their right to vote.
