Chapter 7 Prisons Today: Change Stations or Warehouses?

Learning Objectives Explain the differences between the Pennsylvania and Auburn prison systems Outline the nine eras of prison development Describe the characteristics of today’s prisoners and discuss reasons for the incarceration of women and minority prisoners

Learning Objectives (continued 1) Explain what the evidence-based literature says about prison industries Report on the availability of education programs for prisoners Compare state and federal prison organization and administration

Learning Objectives (continued 2) Discuss the reasons prisons are overcrowded and the methods for controlling prison overcrowding Outline the emergence of supermax housing and its impact on prisoners and staff Discuss the impact of technology on corrections

History of Prisons in America Penitentiary: Punished criminals by isolating them so they could reflect on their misdeeds, repent, and reform Pennsylvania system: Involved solitary confinement in silence instead of corporal punishment Auburn system: Allowed inmates to work silently together during the day, but they were isolated at night

Exhibit 7.1 ­- Stages of Prison History in the United States Years Goal Characteristics Penitentiary Era 1790–1825 Rehabilitation and deterrence Separate and silent Congregate and silent Mass Prison Era 1825–1876 Incapacitation and deterrence Congregate labor and living spaces without silence Contract prison labor Reformatory Era 1876–1890 Rehabilitation Indeterminate sentencing Parole Industrial Era 1890–1935 Incapacitation Public accounts industries Contract labor State-use labor Convict lease Public works labor Punitive Era 1935–1945 Retribution Strict punishment and custody

Exhibit 7.1 ­- Stages of Prison History in the United States (continued) Years Goal Characteristics Treatment Era 1945–1967 Rehabilitation Medical model Emerging prisoner unrest Community-Based Era 1967–1980 Reintegration Intermediate sanction Warehousing Era 1980–1995 Incapacitation Sentencing guidelines End of discretionary parole release Serious crowding More prison riots Just Deserts Era 1985–Present Retribution Just deserts Determinate sentencing Truth in sentencing Three-strikes law

Exhibit 7.2 - Prison Statistics Among the States and the Federal Government, January 1, 2015

Exhibit 7.3 - Persons Under the Jurisdiction of State or Federal Prisons, January 1, 2015

Exhibit 7.3 - Persons Under the Jurisdiction of State or Federal Prisons, January 1, 2015 (continued 1)

Exhibit 7.3 - Persons Under the Jurisdiction of State or Federal Prisons, January 1, 2015 (continued 2)

Exhibit 7.3 - Persons Under the Jurisdiction of State or Federal Prisons, January 1, 2015 (continued 3)

Exhibit 7.3 - Persons Under the Jurisdiction of State or Federal Prisons, January 1, 2015 (continued 4)

Work Assignments Operational assignments within the institution Inmates perform tasks necessary to the functioning of the facility or larger corrections system Community projects Offenders contribute their labor to benefit the community while developing job skills in a practical, nonprison setting

Work Assignments (continued 1) Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program (PIECP) Enables prisoners to: Make a contribution to society Help offset the cost of their incarceration and compensate their victims Provide inmate family support

Work Assignments (continued 2) Provides a means of: Reducing prison idleness Increasing inmate job skills Improving the prospects for successful inmate transition to the community upon release

Federal Prison Industries and UNICOR Federal Prison Industries (FPI): Federal, paid inmate work program and self-supporting corporation UNICOR: Trade name of Federal Prison Industries Provides products such as: U.S. military uniforms Electronic cable assemblies Modular furniture

Education Advantages Challenges faced by correctional educators Lowers the rates of rearrest, conviction, and reincarceration Increases wage earnings Offers opportunity to earn good time credits Challenges faced by correctional educators Delivering instruction and motivating inmates Low priority of educational programming

Prison Organization and Administration Operational capacity: Number of inmates that a facility’s staff, existing programs, and services can accommodate Design capacity: Number of inmates that planners or architects intend for the facility

State Prison Systems: Organization Administration of state prisons is a function of the executive branch of government Governor appoints the director of corrections Who appoints the wardens of the state prisons

State Prison Systems: Organization (Continued) Have a central authority based in the state capital Centralized model has been maintained for: Legal control Equitable distribution of resources

Maximum-Security Prison Confines dangerous offenders for long periods Has a secure perimeter, barred cells, and high staff-to-inmate ratio Imposes strict controls on the movement of inmates and visitors Offers few programs, amenities, or privileges

Medium-security prison Confines offenders less dangerous than those in maximum security Places fewer controls on inmates and visitors than a maximum-security facility Has barred cells and a fortified perimeter Staff-to-inmate ratio is lower than that in a maximum-security facility Level of amenities and privileges is slightly higher

Minimum-Security Prison Confines the least dangerous offenders for both short and long periods Freedom of movement, privileges, and amenities are determined based on the goals of the facility May have dormitory housing Staff-to-inmate ratio is relatively low Open institution: Minimum-security facility that has no fences or walls surrounding it

Reasons for Overcrowding Continuous increase in the number of people sent to prison Offenders now serve larger portions of their sentences because of mandatory minimum laws Many prisoners are drug users, not dealers the drug laws intend to capture

Methods for Controlling Prison Overcrowding Reduce the number of people sent to prison Change confinement sentences to community-related sentences Increase the number of releases

Supermax Housing Free-standing facility or a distinct unit within a facility Provides for management and secure control of inmates exhibiting violent or serious and disruptive behavior Expensive to build due to the enhanced and extensive high-security features

Supermax Housing (continued) Inmates are individually confined and do not have any contact with each other Special master: Person who acts as a court’s representative to oversee remedy of a violation and provide regular progress reports

Technocorrections: Communication Contraband: Any item that represents a serious threat to the safety and security of the institution

Videoconferencing Used for arraignments, interrogations, and visitation Increases the number of visitations conducted each day Reduces staff time in checking in visitors Reduces time previously needed to escort inmates Increases safety for staff and inmates Reduces space requirements Eliminates contraband

Telemedicine Provides prisoners cost-effective health care Reduces chances of escape Allows physicians to consult with on-site medical personnel through videoconferencing and compatible medical devices

Offender and Officer Tracking and Recognition Biometrics: Automated identification of human identity through measurable physiological and behavioral traits Remote-location monitoring Use of global positioning system (GPS) Transdermal alcohol monitoring device Speaker ID technology Facial recognition technology Geographic information systems (GISs)

Detection Technologies Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) Heartbeat monitoring to detect escape strategies Physical security searches through the use of magnetic resonance scanning and X-rays Noninvasive drug detection technology Assault intervention device to control prison riots and disturbances

Barriers to Implementation New systems can be unreliable and difficult to maintain High life cycle costs of systems Ethical concerns about the rights of offenders