Transcript AJ 50 – Introduction to Administration of Justice

AJ 50 – Introduction to
Administration of Justice
Chapter 11 Prisons and Jails
State and Federal Prisons
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Prison
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Steady increase in prison population over past 30 years
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State or federal confinement facility having custodial authority over
adults
1,325 state, 84 federal
Varying levels of Security
In 2007, 1 of every 200 US residents was spending more than a year
in prison
Prison population characteristics
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Low education/functionally illiterate
Drug dependence
Unemployed
Parents of young children
Mental health problems
Manic depression
Philosophy of Imprisonment
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Original goal of US prisons was
Rehabilitation
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Alternative to corporal punishment
Justice Model of Imprisonment
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Follows “Just Deserts” philosophy
Focus on responsibility and punishment
Prison Overcrowding
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Prison Capacity = The size of the inmate
population the facility can effectively hold
Rated Capacity
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Operational Capacity
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Based on expert opinion
Based on management considerations
Design Capacity
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Based on original plans when facility built
Security Levels
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Maximum
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Medium
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Most serious offenders
Most restrictive environment
More prisoner interaction/freedom of movement
Generally smaller than maximum facilities
Minimum
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Dorm-style housing
Recreation, education, skills-training
Classification System
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Criteria for assigning inmates to particular security
level based on…
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Criminal History
Danger/Violence
Escape Risk
Adult Internal Management System (AIMS)
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Record of misconduct
Ability to follow staff directions
Level of aggression towards other inmates
Federal Prison System
Five security levels…
 Administrative Maximum (ADMAX)
 High Security – US Penitentiaries
 Medium Security – Federal Correctional Inst.
 Low Security – Federal Correctional Inst.
 Minimum Security – Federal Prison Camps
Jails
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Managed by local Law Enforcement
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Usually County Sheriff’s Department
Usually for adult offenders
Mixed population of those…
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Pending/undergoing adjudication
Adjudicated/serving sentence
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Usually one year or less
Awaiting transfer to prison
Jail Statistics
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3,360 US jails
780,000 inmates in US jails
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207,000 jail employees
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13% women
About one-per-three inmates
Annual operation = $10 billion!
Jail Overcrowding
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Factors contributing to overcrowding in US jails
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Inability to post bail
Court delays
Limitations to pre-trial release
Overcrowded court system
Confinement of non-violent offenders
Possible remedies?
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Regional jails
Privatization