Prisons and Jails
Chapter 13
Introduction to Criminal Justice 2003:
A Microsoft® PowerPoint® Tool
Slides prepared by:
Larry Bassi
SUNY Brockport
© 2002 Wadsworth Publishing Co.
William Penn
• New, more humane system
introduced forbidding torture
• Imprisonment at hard labor &
moderate flogging with restitution
• All lands and goods were to be
forfeited
• Ordered houses of corrections to be
built
Pennsylvania Prison
System Characteristics
• Solitary confinement with in-cell labor
• Cells large by existing standards
• Modestly appointed:
– bed, table, chair, bucket & bible
• A place to reflect on wrong doings and improve
one’s moral character - to get right with God
Eastern State Penitentiary
Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia was
considered one of the most progressive designs.
It was studied and replicated throughout the world.
The New York (Auburn
System): An Alternative to the
Pennsylvania System
• Sometimes called the “tier system”
• Based on fear of punishment &
silent confinement
• Congregate work conditions
• Separate & silent conditions at night
• Enforced silence was the key to
discipline
Reforms & Reformers:
The Elmira Reformatory
People like
Zebulon
Brockway
• End corporal
punishment
• Education
• Meaningful
industries and
vocational training
• Focus on
reintegration
The Inmate Population of the United
States
2,000 Total
Inmates
In
Custody
(x 1,000)
1,500 -
1,000 -
500
|
1985
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Year
Why Have Prison Populations
Grown?
Stricter enforcement of drug laws
Increased probability of incarceration
Inmates serve more time for each crime
Revocation of community-based sanctions
Rise in incarceration rates of women
Models of Prison Organization
Custodial
Model
Rehabilitative
Model
Reintegration
Model
State Prison Organization
Basic classifications:
Gender
Age
Security
Male
Super Max
Max
Med
Min
State
Prison Dept.
Female
Juvenile
Male
Female
Organization Chart for a
Typical Correctional Facility
•
•
•
•
Maximum Security
Prisons
Fortresses
Cells / Blocks / Wings
Standard uniform & dress codes
Everything based on security (lock
psychosis)
Security Levels in Virginia
Medium Security Prisons
• Similar appearance to maximum
security
• Security is less intense
• More privileges
• More treatment effort
Minimum Security
Prisons
• No armed guards or walls
• House most trustworthy
& least violent offenders
• Dormitory style housing
or small rooms
• Critics complain they
are “country clubs”
in a prison setting
Prison Mission
The mission of a prison is to keep prisoners
- to keep them in, keep them safe, keep
them in line, keep them healthy, and keep
them busy - and to do it with
fairness, without
undue suffering
and as efficiently
as possible.
Two Models of Prison
Management
• CONTROL MODEL
Inmates forced to
abide by stringent
prison rules infractions
summarily punished.
• PARTICIPATION
MODEL
Programs established
that allowed inmates
to govern some aspects
of their prison lives
Private Prisons
Save money through:
•Less labor costs
•Competitive bidding
•Less red-tape
Arguments Against Private
Prisons
 Punishment is sanctioned by the
government, therefore it should be carried
out by the government
 “Corner cutting” to save costs
 Manipulation of inmate behavior to insure
that maximum sentences will be served
(thereby creating its own supply and demand
relationship.
Purpose of Jails
in America
•
•
•
•
•
•
A branch of local government - county
Pre-trial detention
Detain offenders awaiting sentencing
Confine misdemeanants
Hold probation & parole violators
Relieve prison overcrowding through
contracts with the state
The Characteristics of America’s Jail
Population
Profile of Jail Inmates 1996
Jail Conditions
• Operated under concept of custodial
convenience
• Understaffed, underpaid
• Lack of basic programs and services
• Suicides common
Jail Populations
Jail populations have
been increasing
‘84
•
•
•
•
“00
Arrests increased
Increase in admissions to jail
Increase in felons sentenced to local jails
Increase in the number of inmates charged or convicted
of drug offenses
• More held in jail because of crowded prisons
Consequences of High Rates
of Incarceration
• A significant number of criminal acts are
prevented by repeat offenders
• Severe social and psychological
consequences for prisoners and their
families
• Loss of public dollars for other worthy
projects