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Adaptive Roles

Adaptive Roles. – view prison as brief, inevitable break in one’s criminal career – take advantage of prison programs to improve future prospects – withdraw from outside world and construct new life within prison

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Adaptive Roles

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  1. Adaptive Roles • – view prison as brief, inevitable break in one’s criminal career • – take advantage of prison programs to improve future prospects • – withdraw from outside world and construct new life within prison • – cannot adjust to prison life (may develop emotional disorders, attempt suicide, and violate prison rules)

  2. State-raised convicts • Psychological issues

  3. Life in Enterprise • Four issues that would lead to hell in a private prison:

  4. Life in Enterprise • Formal and informal orientations • Prisoners here were warned about the violence ahead of time… • “It was greater than I ever saw anywhere in the state system.” (Carceral 2006:46) • Rise of the “beat-down crews”

  5. Key differences between state and private prisons • Free movement within the walls • Guards enforced the “wrong” rules • A lack of consistency with in-prison punishments • Rise in prisoner-on-prisoner theft

  6. Life in Enterprise • Disciplinary vs. Administrative segregation

  7. The “Service” component of QoL • Help administrators deal with problem of time on prisoners’ hands • Committee evaluates inmate’s security level, treatment needs, work assignment, and readiness for release • Often based on institution’s needs rather than those of inmates • Many educational and treatment programs accused of coddling inmates

  8. Prison Programs • Educational programs • Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1994 bans federal funding to prisoners for postsecondary education

  9. Prison Programs • Vocational education

  10. Prison Programs • Prison industries

  11. Prison Programs • Rehabilitative programs • Seek to treat personal defects thought to have brought about inmate’s criminality

  12. Prison Programs • Medical services

  13. Prisoner Health Issues • HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and venereal diseases overrepresented in prison populations • Raises concerns because

  14. Prisoner Health Issues • HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and venereal diseases overrepresented in prison populations • Raises concerns because • Most inmates are asymptomatic • Courts largely refuse to interfere with segregation and testing policies

  15. Special Needs Offenders • Elderly prisoners • Increasing in number • Have medical and security needs that differ from those of average inmate • More likely to develop chronic illnesses (e.g., heart disease, stroke, cancer) • Costs of maintaining an elderly inmate are triple the average cost

  16. Special Needs Offenders • Mentally ill prisoners • Community treatment works only if they take their medication • More mentally ill are in jail and prison than in state hospitals • Some inmates benefit from regular medication in jail or prison, but others suffer from stress of confinement

  17. The Prison Economy • Have “store” where inmates may purchase items in exchange for credits drawn on their “bank accounts” • Number of items prisoners can purchase/receive through legitimate channels has increased • Informal, underground economy also exists • Standard currency is usually:

  18. Violence in Prisons • Annually, about 27,000 assaults by inmates and about 15,000 assaults against staff take place • Prison violence results from

  19. Violence in Prisons • Prison violence results from

  20. Decreasing Prison Violence • Factors that contribute to prison violence

  21. Decreasing Prison Violence • Factors that contribute to prison violence

  22. Violence in Prisons • Fights vs. Assaults • Generally two-sided, blowing off steam, racism, spur of the moment • Assaults • The choice for the victim

  23. The importance of a good staff • Enterprise had • Increases prisoner abuse • Increased number of mistakes due to inexperience • Can make the corporation look better

  24. The importance of a good staff • How staff inexperience leads to violence

  25. Violence in Prisons • Division of violent offenders • Age • Attitudes • Race

  26. Violence in Prisons • How to stop the violence • Provide the basic necessities required to live in prison (see Carceral) • Treat inmates like human beings

  27. Sexual Assaults and Violence • Stephen Donaldson • Arrested for trespassing after participating in pray-in at White House • President of Stop Prisoner Rape • Prison Rape Elimination Act (2003) • Provides for development of better information about nature and incidence of rape and sexual assault in prisons • Provides funding to correctional authorities to reduce and control sexual violence in prisons • Evidence regarding prevalence of sexual assault remains mixed

  28. Prisoner-Prisoner Violence • Most prison violence occurs between inmates • Prison gangs • Protective custody • May offer only way to escape further abuse

  29. Violence in Prisons • Prisoner-officer violence • Occurs in specific situations against certain individuals • Officers do not carry weapons, but prisoners manage to obtain them

  30. Violence in Prisons • Officer-prisoner violence • Unauthorized physical violence by officers against inmates • Cannot always supervise officers’ interactions with inmates • Prisoner complaints often ignored until officer gains reputation for harshness

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