NCJ Number
65182
Editor(s)
R O DARNELL,
J F ELSE,
R D WRIGHT
Date Published
1979
Length
108 pages
Annotation
CONCEPTUAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES REGARDING ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT ARE ADDRESSED IN THESE PAPERS FROM THE 1979 CONFERENCE ON ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT HELD IN IOWA.
Abstract
THE CONFERENCE ATTENDED TO SUCH ISSUES AS THE FOLLOWING: THE VARIOUS ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION; THE RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ALTERNATIVES; AND THE PHILOSOPHICAL, HISTORICAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL FACTORS THAT SHAPE PRESENT POLICY AND THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN ALTERNATIVE POLICIES REGARDING SOCIAL CONTROL AND REHABILITATION. THESE QUESTIONS ARE APPROACHED BY POLICYMAKERS, LAWYERS, JUDGES, ACADEMIC HUMANISTS, SOCIAL REFORMERS, CORRECTIONS PROFESSIONALS, EX-OFFENDERS, AND THE PUBLIC. FIRST, BASIC ISSUES RELATED TO INCARCERATION AND OTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES ARE EXAMINED. WITHIN THIS CONTEXT, THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS DETERMINING WHAT IS A CRIME AND WHO IS A CRIMINAL ARE EXAMINED, ALONG WITH THE CONFLICTING IDEOLOGIES WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE MARION FEDERAL PRISON IS USED AS A BASIS FOR ANALYZING ASSUMPTIONS UNDERGIRDING THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM IN THE U.S. INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS ARE PROVIDED REGARDING APPROACHES TO SOCIAL CONTROL AND CORRECTIONS IN HOLLAND AND CHINA. ONE PAPER SUGGESTS THAT THE GOAL OF SOCIAL CONTROL IS A SAFER SOCIETY; PRISONS, HOWEVER, CREATE RATHER THAN PREVENT CRIME. THE BASIC EXISTENCE OF PRISONS IS CHALLENGED, AND PRISON HISTORY IS EXAMINED IN TERMS OF COSTS AND BENEFITS. SECOND, SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AS ALTERNATIVES TO PRISONS ARE DESCRIBED, WITH DISCUSSION CENTERING ON THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF ADULT COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS IN IOWA, THE IOWA JUVENILE CODE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES AND PROBLEMS IT PRESENTS, JUVENILE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE IN POLK COUNTY, THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND THREE MODELS OF MEDIATION AND ARBITRATION CENTERS. LISTS OF SPONSORS AND AUTHORS ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH REFERENCES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MHP)