Chapter 14 Prison Life Living in and Leaving

Chapter 14 Prison Life: Living in and Leaving Prison

Men Imprisoned Total Institutions Segregated from the outside world Constant scrutiny and surveillance Forced to obey strict official rules Limited personal possessions Human functions curtailed “No-frills” policy vs. a “rehabilitative” philosophy

Men Imprisoned Living in Prison Stripped, searched, shorn, assigned living quarters Deprivation of liberty, goods and services, heterosexual relationships, autonomy, and security Overcrowded prisons are filled with young, aggressive men who are responsible for majority of inmate-oninmate assaults

Men Imprisoned Adjusting Variety to Prison of attitude and behavior changes as their sentence unfolds Many inmates learn to adapt to the prison routine Some inmates routinely violate institutional rules

Men Imprisoned Inmate subculture is the loosely defined culture that pervades prisons and has its own norms, rules, and language Elements Don’t of the Inmate Social Code interfere with inmates’ interests Don’t lose your head Don’t exploit inmates Be tough and don’t lose your dignity Don’t be a sucker

Thinking Point • Men Imprisoned ü How might the existence of an inmate social code impact one’s likelihood of successful reentry into the community after their release? ü Can we expect an individual to simply turn on and off these characteristics depending on their physical location (in or out of prison)?

Men Imprisoned Prisonization is assimilation into the separate culture of the prison In the new inmate culture, African American and Latino inmates are much more cohesively organized than whites

Women Imprisoned Female Institutions Smaller than male institutions Non-secure Lack of adequate training for inmates Counseling by laypeople Lack of parenting programs Lack of job training

Female Inmates Young Physical/sexual Minorities abuse Substance abuse Health issues Mental health issues Suicide Unmarried Parents Undereducated Unemployed or underemployed Troubled family lives

Women Imprisoned Adapting Different to the Female Institution from male institutions Less danger to staff Less violent behavior Less aggressive sexual behavior More social support both internal and external

Women Imprisoned Adapting Anger to the Female Institution is directed inward instead of outward Depression Make believe family substitute family groups with a faux father, mother, and siblings

Prison Violence Individual Violence History of prior violence Psychological malady Prison conditions Lack of dispute resolution mechanisms Basic survival Collective Violence Inmate-balance theory Administrative-control theory Prison overcrowding theory

Prison Violence Sexual Young Violence males may be raped and kept as sexual slaves by older, more aggressive inmates Weaker inmates may agree to such arrangements for protection Difficult to get an accurate reading of the true incidence of prison rape

Prison Violence ü What factors lead to sexual victimization? White inmates are attacked more than any other race Victims are generally younger than their assailants Mentally ill or intellectually impaired inmates are more likely to be victimized Cellblocks with solid cell fronts may contribute to sexual assault In women’s prisons, sexual assault may be at the hands of correctional officers

Prison Violence Sexual Violence Reasons for not reporting Embarrassment Personal matter Fear of harassment Retaliation from perpetrator Don’t want to be put in safekeeping

Thinking Point • Prison Violence ü How does our understanding of sexual victimization in prison compare and contrast to our understanding of sexual victimization outside of prison? ü Do some of the same reasons exist for not reporting? ü Are some of the reasons different? ü What are some of the explanations for this?

Correctional Rehabilitation Individual and group counseling May involve anger management or cognitive behavior therapy Faith based programs Drug treatment programs Frequently a 12 -step program

Correctional Rehabilitation Participation in these programs has benefits both in and out of prisons Educational and Vocational Programs Vocational Clothing training and textiles Corporate services Electronics Fleet management/vehicular components Industrial products Office furniture

Correctional Rehabilitation Educational Work and Vocational Programs release Allows inmates to be released during the day to work in the community, returning to prison at night Furlough Allows inmates to leave the institution for vocational or educational training, for employment, or to maintain family ties Private prison enterprise Post-release programs

Correctional Rehabilitation ü Can Rehabilitation Work? Rehabilitation does work Elements of successful programs Teach interpersonal skills Provide individual counseling Make use of behavior modification techniques Use cognitive-behavioral therapy Stress improving moral reasoning Combine in-prison therapeutic communities with follow-up community treatment

Thinking Point • Correctional Rehabilitation ü If you were in charge of a prison, what type(s) of rehabilitation programs would you implement? ü Why do you think these programs would be useful? ü Do you think the general public believes such programs in prisons are a good use of the taxpayer’s money?

Guarding the Institution Guarding the institution is a complex task Roles of correctional officers include: Supervision of inmates Sit on disciplinary boards Escort inmates to/from court Greatest problem is the conflict between security and treatment

Guarding the Institution Female Little Correctional Officers difference in behavior or use of aggressive tactics Discipline has not suffered Beneficial effect Assignment to male institutions may boost career

Prisoners’ Rights The hands-off doctrine The legal practice of allowing prison administrators a free hand in running the institution, even if correctional practices violate inmates’ constitutional rights The hands-off doctrine ended with the onset of the prisoners’ rights movement in the 1960 s

Prisoners’ Rights Substantive Access Rights to courts, legal services, and materials Freedom of the press and of expression Freedom of religion Medical rights Cruel and unusual punishment Physical abuse Racial segregation Overall prison conditions

Leaving Prison Parole The early release of a prisoner from imprisonment subject to conditions set by correctional authorities The parole board’s primary functions: Select and place prisoners on parole Aid, supervise, and provide continuing control of parolees in the community Determine when the parole function is completed and to discharge parolees Determine whether parole should be revoked if violations of conditions occur

National Estimates of Parole Entries and Exits

Leaving Prison Parole Hearings Review of cases differs across jurisdictions Factors that are considered are the inmate’s crime, their institutional record, and their willingness to accept responsibility Inmates rights vary across jurisdictions No federal right to legal representation Exclusionary rule does not apply

Leaving Prison Risks of Reentry Many are ill prepared for life in conventional society For women, nearly half are either reconvicted or reincarcerated soon after parole release Having a history of drug abuse is particularly harmful

Leaving Prison Risks of Reentry At the federal and state levels a number of initiatives have been taken to help prepare inmates for reentry Offender notification forums Reentry courts Community based interventions Legal restrictions on former inmates