Chapter 13 Corrections: History, Institutions, and Populations

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Chapter 13Corrections History, Institutions,
and Populations
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The History of Correctional Institutions

• Prisons state or federal correctional
  institution for incarceration of felony offenders
  for terms of one year or more
• Jails place to confine convicted misdemeanants
  serving less than one year or to hold people
  awaiting trial

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The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Incarceration did not become the norm until 19th
  century
• Institutions constructed in England during the
  10th century were used to detain those awaiting
  trial or punishment
• First penal institutions were foul places devoid
  of proper care, food, or medical treatment
• In the 18th century hulks (mothballed ships) were
  used to house prisoners in England

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The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• American Developments
• Correctional reform first instituted in the
  United States
• First American jail built in James City, Va
• Modern American correctional system had its
  origin in Pennsylvania under leadership of
  William Penn

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The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Quaker influence
• Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries
  of Public Prisons began focus on humane and
  orderly treatment
• Influence on legislature resulted in limiting the
  use of the death penalty
• Walnut Street Jail
• Penitentiary house

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The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Auburn system
• In 1816 New York built a new prison in Auburn
  hoping to alleviate overcrowding at Newgate
• Tier system, because cells were built vertically
  on five floors
• Also known as the congregate system
• Three classes of prisoners were created
• Those in solitary
• Those allowed labor as a form of recreation
• Largest class worked and ate together during the
  day and separated at night

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The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Pennsylvania system
• Placed each inmate in a single cell
• Classifications were abolished because isolation
  would prevent inmates from contaminating each
  other
• Built in a circle with cells placed along its
  circumference
• Designed as a place for prisoners to do penance

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The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Prisons at the Turn of the Century
• Prisons of the late 19th century were remarkably
  similar to those of today.
• Development of prison industry
• Contract system
• Convict-lease system

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The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Reform Movements
• 1870 National Congress of Penitentiary and
  Reformatory Discipline began new era of prison
  reform
• Zebulon Brockway, Elmira Reformatory, advocated
  individualized treatment, indeterminate
  sentences, and parole
• Brockways achievements were limited although he
  did introduce a degree of humanitarianism into
  prisons

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The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Creation of Parole
• 1850s Walter Crofton created forerunner of
  parole in Ireland
• Inmates spent last portion of their sentences
  living in intermediate institution and working in
  outside community
• Croftons success led to creation of similar
  programs in United States
• Focused on transition back into society

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The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Prisons at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
• Time of contrast in the U.S. prison system
• Advocated of reform, rehabilitation, education,
  religion
• Conservatives opposed to reform believed in stern
  disciplinary measures
• Ultimately many reforms would be implemented

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The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Development of Specialized Prisons
• Industrial prisons for hard-core inmates
• Agricultural prisons for nondangerous offenders
• Institutions for criminally insane
• Opposition by organized labor restricts the use
  of prison labor and sale of prison made goods

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The History of Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Contemporary Correctional Trends
• Prisoners rights movement
• Violence within the corrections system became a
  national concern
• View that traditional correctional rehabilitation
  efforts have failed prompted reconsideration of
  incapacitating criminals

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Jails

• Five purposes
• Detain accused offenders who cannot make bail
• Hold convicted offenders awaiting sentence
• Principal institution of confinement for those
  convicted of misdemeanors
• Hold probationers and parolees arrested for
  violations and waiting for a hearing
• House felons when state prisons are overcrowded

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Jails (cont.)

• About 700,000 offenders are being held in jails
  today
• Number has risen significantly since 1990 even
  though crime rate has trended downward
• Almost 90 are males
• Poor, racial and ethnic minorities are
  over-represented

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Jails (cont.)

• Jail Conditions
• Usually low priority item in the criminal justice
  system run by county officials
• No unified national policy on what constitutes
  adequate conditions
• Current movement to remove people from jails
  through bail reform and pretrial diversion

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Jails (cont.)

• Jail Overcrowding
• Prison overcrowding forces officials to use local
  jails to house inmates
• Mandatory jail sentences for drunk driving
• Crackdown on substance abuse
• Mandatory arrest policies for domestic violence

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Jails (cont.)

• New Generation Jails
• Modern design to improve effectiveness
• Use of pods or living areas rather than
  linear/intermittent surveillance model of
  traditional jails
• Allow for continuous observation of residents
• Believed to result in safer environment for staff
  and inmates

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Prisons

• Types of Prisons
• Maximum-Security houses dangerous felons, strict
  security, high walls, limited contact with
  outside world
• Super-Maximum Security used to incapacitate
  most dangerous felons with 23 hour day lockdown
• Medium-Security less secure institution to house
  nonviolent offenders and provides more contact
  with outside world
• Minimum-Security houses white collar and
  nonviolent offenders, few security measures,
  liberal furlough and visitation policy

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Alternative Correctional Institutions

• Prison Farms and Camps
• Found primarily in the South and the West
• Prisoners on farms produce dairy products, grain,
  and crops
• Forestry Camp inmates maintain state parks, fight
  forest fires, and do reforestation work

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Alternative Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Shock Incarceration in Boot Camps
• Typically for youthful, first-time offenders
• Military discipline and physical training
• Short periods of high intensity exercise will
  shock the inmate into going straight
• Some have educational and training elements

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Alternative Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Evaluating Shock Incarceration
• Cost is no lower than traditional incarceration
• High failure rates
• Doris Layton Mackenzie
• Reduce prison overcrowding

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Alternative Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Community Correctional Facilities
• Bridge the gap between institutional living and
  the community
• Offer specialized treatment
• Used as intermediate sanction
• Halfway houses

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Alternative Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Private Prisons
• Prisons operated by private firms as business
  enterprises
• In some instances private company builds the
  prison and leases it back to the government
  allowing state to avoid the difficulty of getting
  voters to approve bond issues.
• Some companies contract to provide specific
  services in an institution such as medical or
  food services

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Alternative Correctional Institutions (cont.)

• Evaluating Private Prisons
• Some research shows recidivism rates lower for
  private than state-operated prisons
• Private and public prisons cost about the same to
  operate, but privates are cheaper to build
• Concerns over profit-driven decisions by private
  prisons
• Unresolved legal issues use of deadly force and
  immunity from lawsuits

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Correctional Populations

• Reflects common traits of arrestees held in local
  jails young, single, poorly educated, male and
  minority group members.
• Number of women incarcerated is increasing at a
  faster rate than males
• Many inmates suffer from multiple social,
  psychological and emotional problems
• Prison populations continue to increase despite a
  decade long drop in the crime rate

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Correctional Populations (cont.)

• Explaining Population Trends
• Legislation fueled by public concern about drugs
  and violent crime
• Use of mandatory sentences
• Truth in sentencing laws result in longer prison
  stays
• Policy decisions driven by political concerns