Chapter 15
Corrections: History, Institutions, and Populations
“Correctional Facilities” aka “Incarceration Facilities”
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Community residential centers
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Jails
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Reformatories
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Penal institutions
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Houses of corrections
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Juvenile and adult schools, ranches, camps, homes
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Halfway houses
English Gaols & Hulks
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Gaol could be any secure place
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Hulks were abandoned ships
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Prisoners were mixed together:
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Adult & juvenile / male & female
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Hardened & first time offenders
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No state responsibility for health, safety & welfare
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Survival of the fittest
The Pennsylvania System and William Penn
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New, more humane system introduced, forbidding torture
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Imprisonment at hard labor & moderate flogging with restitution
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All lands and goods were to be forfeited
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Ordered houses of corrections to be built
The Pennsylvania System

Single inmate to a cell
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Cells designed as miniature prisons
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Constant solitary confinement
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The Eastern State Penitentiary (in Philadelphia) became the most
expensive and most copied building of its time.
The Pennsylvania System (cont.)


Modestly appointed:

Bed

Table

Chair
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Bucket
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Bible
A place to reflect on wrong doings and improve one’s moral
character (“to get right with God”)
The Auburn System: An Alternative to the
Pennsylvania System
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Sometimes called the tier or congregate system
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Based on fear of punishment & silent confinement
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Congregate work conditions
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Separate & silent conditions at night
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Enforced silence was the key to discipline
Prison Reform
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Zebulon Brockway begins reforms at Elmira (NY) Reformatory

Reform measures include education, vocational training, militarylike training, and humanitarianism
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Parole brought to America
Prison Industries
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Contract System
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Convict Lease System
Demise of Prison Industries

Organized labor unions oppose forced labor (unfair competition)

Sumners-Ashurst Act (1940): federal offense to transport interstate
commerce goods made in prison for private use
Failure of Reform Efforts

The modern era has been a period of change and turmoil in the
nation’s correctional system

Why reform efforts have failed:

Failure of the medical model to rehabilitate coupled with high
recidivism rates
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Increase in prison violence
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Increase in prison costs
Who are the Most Common Kinds of Jail Inmates?
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Young, single, male
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Undereducated
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Minorities
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Low income
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Single parent family
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Drug/alcohol abuse
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Property crimes
Women in Jail
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Increase of 6% annually since 1990
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Substance abuse common
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Victims of child abuse
Jail Conditions
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Operated under concept of custodial convenience
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Understaffed, underpaid
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Lack of basic programs and services
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Suicides common
New Generation Jails
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To relieve overcrowding and improve effectiveness, a jail-building
boom has been underway. Modern designs are being used to
improve effectiveness.

New generation jails allow for either direct or indirect continuous
observation of residents.
Types of Prisons

As of 2003, there were more than 1,600 public and private adult
correctional facilities housing state prisoners.

There are 84 federal facilities and 26 private facilities housing federal
inmates.

The number of prison institutions has increased 14% since 1995.
State Prison Organization: Maximum Security Prisons
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Fortresses
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Cells/blocks/wings
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Standard uniform and dress codes
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Everything based on security (lock psychosis)
State Prison Organization: Medium Security Prisons
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Similar appearance to maximum security
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Security is less intense
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More privileges
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More treatment effort
State Prison Organization: Minimum Security Prisons
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No armed guards or walls
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House most trustworthy & least violent offenders
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Dormitory style housing or small rooms
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Often farms or ranches
State Prison Organization: Ultra-Maximum Security Prisons
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House most dangerous, predatory criminals
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Extra-tight security and isolated conditions are common

All potential weapons removed, e.g., mirrors, toilet seat, soap dishes,
etc.

Some claim violations of United Nations standards for the treatment
of inmates
Prison Inmates Personal Characteristics

Young

Single
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Poorly educated
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Disproportionately male
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Disproportionately minority group member
Why Have Prison Populations Grown?

Public demand for punitive punishment
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Mandatory & determinate sentencing
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More drug and violent crimes
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Increased use of incarceration by judges
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Lack of employment opportunities slow the rate of prisoners released
on parole
Prison Overcrowding
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37 states operating under court orders
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State prisons are over 100% capacity
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Some responses:
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Double/triple bunking
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Tents & military bases
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River barges
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Use of local jails
Shock Incarceration (aka Boot Camp)

Typical inmate is a youthful, first time offender convicted of a
property crime
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Often used when drug use was a factor

Uses a military regime discipline and physical fitness
Private Prisons

Private company builds prison and contracts to run it
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In some cases, the prison and programs are leased to the state

In other cases, specific service program contracts are made

More than 264 private facilities operate under federal or state
authority

The number of inmates in private facilities has risen 459% since
June 1995
Problems with Private Prisons

Biased evaluations re: effectiveness
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Cut corners to save costs
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Hard core prisoners not accepted for state care
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Maintenance of liability
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Loss of state jobs

Difficult to control quality
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Moral considerations
Going to Prison During Your Lifetime

The prison boom means that a significant portion of American
citizens will one day be behind bars. One in 37 adults living in the
U.S. on December 31, 2001 had been confined in prison at some
time during his or her life.

Between growth in the population and increases in life expectancy,
the number of current or former inmates increased by 3.8 million
between 1974 - 2002.

There were racially significant differences in the likelihood of going to
prison.
Explaining Prison Population Trends

Politicians respond to “get tough” demands from certain segments of
the public


Public concern increases over drug and violent crime
Mandatory sentencing laws increase eligibility for incarceration and
limit the availability for early release via parole

Increased number of ex-inmates who have failed on community
release