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Insight into American Prison System: Challenges and Solutions

Explore the complex and fragmented American correctional system with over 5000 facilities and understand the autonomy and challenges faced by inmates in state and federal prisons. Learn about rehabilitation programs and the ongoing debate on their effectiveness.

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Insight into American Prison System: Challenges and Solutions

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  1. Understanding the Criminal Justice System CJUS 101 Chapter 12: A Look Inside the American Prison

  2. Inmates • The American correctional system - a misnomer - fragmented - over 5000 correctional facilities - no central authority a. Federal / 50 states - autonomy - segmented by age / gender / type of crime b. Probation / parole / diversion: autonomous

  3. Inmates • State system - bulk of corrections - over 700 facilities - 600,000 inmates a. California / Texas / Illinois - ten or more prisons b. Montana / Wyoming - one state prison - both for male / female

  4. Inmates (1) Contract / industrial prisons abolished - task of “making work” - giving menial tasks (2) Establishing smaller prisons - honor farms - work camps • Federal system - lease space from state prisons / local jails

  5. Inmates a. Five regions - California / Missouri / Texas / Georgia / Pennsylvania - 41 institutions / 12 community facilities b. Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons - regional directors - prison directors (1) Large prisons - Leavenworth / Atlanta

  6. Inmates (2) Small facilities - Marion, Illinois (3) Metropolitan Correctional Centers - Burien, Washington • Primary problem - opportunity to become more antisocial - exposure to more hardened criminal - problem inmates segregated - maximum / medium / minimum / close custody

  7. Inmates a. Maximum - reflect revenge - high walls / floodlights / armed guards - holds 44% of adult offenders - emphasis is custody b. Close custody - Washington state - isolated cells - monitor activities more readily - “program” inmate’s activities

  8. Inmates c. Medium - more popular - replacing maximum security institutions - hold 44% of adult offenders - can resemble maximum, but allow: (1) More freedom of movement (2) Younger inmates, less dangerous (3) More emphasis on rehabilitation

  9. Inmates d. Minimum - nonviolent / nontraditional offender - dormitory style - correctional officers = counselors - hold 12% of adult population (1) Allow work / educational release (2) Home furlough (3) can be community-based

  10. Inmates • Jails - most important part due to sheer numbers - 3,500 jails in US - 50% not convicted / awaiting trial a. First real contact - difficult to provide reform measures b. Money controlled at local level - local politics - 40-to-1 ratio: inmates to correctional officers

  11. Inmates • Rehabilitation programs - do they work? - law enforcement studies: 50 – 75% re-offend - traditionalists: 35% re-offend a. Successful rehabilitation - needs two things - qualified staff in sufficient numbers - atmosphere conducive to rehabilitation b. Rehabilitation vs. total institution

  12. Inmates - total institution demeaning - strip away identity - staff make decisions - peer group pressure c. Rehabilitation vs. custody - conflicts between staff - rehab feels superior - see inmate 1 to 2 hours per week - custodial has rest of time - inmates use this tension between staff

  13. Inmates d. Recent trends - privatization / boot camps - causes concerns (1) Legal questions (2) Quality of care (3) How to monitor

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