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Understanding the Criminal Justice System. CJUS 101 Chapter 12: A Look Inside the American Prison. Inmates. The American correctional system - a misnomer - fragmented - over 5000 correctional facilities - no central authority a. Federal / 50 states - autonomy
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Understanding the Criminal Justice System CJUS 101 Chapter 12: A Look Inside the American Prison
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Inmates d. Recent trends - privatization / boot camps - causes concerns (1) Legal questions (2) Quality of care (3) How to monitor