Chapter 10
Incarceration
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
Incarceration
 Links to The Past
 The Goals of Incarceration
 Organization for Incarceration
 Federal Bureau of Prisons
 State Prison Systems
 The Design and Classification of
 Today's Designs
 The Location of Prisons
 Private Prisons
 Who is in Prison?
 Elderly Prisoners
 Prisoners with HIV/AIDS
 Mentally ill Prisoners
Prisons
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
The Goals of Incarceration
Three models of incarceration have predominated since the early
1940s: custodial, rehabilitation, and reintegration. Each is associated
with one style of institutional organization.



Custodial model
 A model of correctional institutions that emphasizes
security, discipline and order
Rehabilitation model
 A model of correctional institutions that emphasizes
the provision of treatment programs designed to
reform the offender.
Reintegration model
 A model of correctional institutions that emphasizes
maintenance of the offender’s ties to family and the
community as a method of reform, in recognition of
the fact that the offender will be returning to the
community.
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
Characteristics of Federal Prison Inmates in 2005
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
“classification”
 process
by which prisoner is categorized
regarding security & treatment needs & is
assigned to custody level (i.e., prison),
supervision level (within prison), &
treatment programs
 Ideally, based on psychology, education,
vocational, health, other needs
 classification determines:
 prison site
 housing assignment
 work assignment
 availability of treatment programs
 good time available (e.g., Colorado)
 today:
classification = f (RISK)!
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
3 models of incarceration
 custodial


emphasizes security, discipline, order
dominates maximum security prisons
 rehabilitation
emphasizes provision of treatment programs
designed to reform the offender
 developed in 1950s; out of favor today

 reintegration
emphasizes maintenance of the offender’s ties
to family & community as a method of reform,
recognizing that the offender will be returning
to community
 linked to community corrections

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
main designs of US prisons
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
Prison security levels:
a caveat
 there
are no national design or
classification “standards” regarding
different levels of security.
a “maximum” security prison in one state may
appear much like a “medium” security prison
in another.
 prison crowding has further blurred the
distinction between maximum & medium
security prisons, even within a state.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
“maximum
security”
 prison
designed, organized, &
operated to minimize the
possibility of escapes & violence;
imposes strict limitations on the
movement & freedom of inmates
& visitors
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
“medium
security”
 prison
designed, organized, &
operated to prevent escapes &
violence, but in which restrictions
on inmates & visitors are less
rigid than in maximum security
facilities
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
“minimum
security”
 prison
designed, organized, &
operated to permit inmates &
visitors as much freedom as is
consistent with the concept of
incarceration
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
the “super-max”
 created
to house the “worst of the worst”-incorrigible, violent, assaultive, disruptive
inmates, & prison gang members-- who
require close & constant supervision


house 100,000 men (8 -10% of total in custody)
created by federal government; 38 states
 Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX)
Florence, Colorado
 Pelican Bay State Prison (SHU)
 Northern Correctional Institute -Connecticut
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
“race”
 traditionally,
a biological concept
used to distinguish humankind
into categories related to skin
color & other physical features
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
“ethnicity”
 concept
used to distinguish people
according to their cultural
characteristics - language,
religion, & group traditions
ethnicity
can be used to further
distinguish not only among white
individuals, but among African
Americans, as well.
it can also be used to even further
subdivide Hispanics.
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
MYTHS IN CORRECTIONS
The Myth: Supermax prisons house the most
hardened inmates who prey on prison staff and
other inmates.
 The Reality: Although inmates in supermax
facilities may, on average, commit more rule
infractions, it is important to consider the factors
that influence such behaviors. Research shows
that a nontrivial number of young inmates
purposefully violate prison rules so they can be
sent to supermax to escape real or perceived
problems in general population. Another sizable
group of inmates in supermax are seriously
mentally ill and engage in unpredictable and
extremely bizarre behavior, which sometimes
entails violence.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
new prison populations with
special problems or needs
“new” populations
prisoners
with
HIV/AIDS
mentally ill
prisoners
elderly
prisoners
prisoners
with long
terms
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
Evolution of Private prisons:
“own a piece of the rock-pile”
Marion Adjustment Center
1st privately owned & operated facility
for adult felons, 1986
•Kentucky
•US Corrections Corp.
Intensive Treatment Unit
Weaversville, Pennsylvania
--1st privately operated secure
correctional facility, 1975
•20-bed, high security
•dormitory-style
•training school
•juvenile delinquents
•RCA Corporation
today:
$1 billion
annual
operation!
non-profit
organizations
1960s
•halfway houses
•group homes
•juvenile care
•work release
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private prisons
the key players
Corrections
Corporation of
America
3/4 of
the
market
Wackenhut
Corrections
Corporation
the business of private prisons:
$
$
$
$
launched in 1980s, spurred by massive state prison boom
$1 billion yearly operation in U.S.
158 private prisons in U.S.
119,813 adults incarcerated in private prisons in U.S.
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models for public/private control of
corrections
ownership
Public
operating
authority
Private
Public
Private
Conventional
public facili ty
(fully publi c)
Lease or leasepurchase
arrangements
Contracted
management
& operations
Fully p rivate
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th
issues for private corrections
costs &
profitability
issues
ethics &
politics
level of
services
offender
types
liability &
accountability
employment,
training, &
salaries
compliance
with state law
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th