CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATORS AND JUDICIAL INTERVENTION (FROM AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION - PROCEEDINGS OF THE 106TH ANNUAL CONGRESS OF CORRECTIONS, 1976 - SEE NCJ-49145)

• NCJ Number: 49159
• Author(s): A J BRONSTEIN
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: American Correctional Association
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION'S NATIONAL PRISON PROJECT URGES PRISON ADMINISTRATORS TO TAKE A SYSTEMS VIEW OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES.

Abstract

PRISON ADMINISTRATORS ARE CRITICIZED FOR CLAIMING THAT MOST INMATES DO NOT BELONG IN PRISON YET CONTINUING TO ASK LEGISLATURES TO FUND MORE PRISONS, RATHER THAN ADVOCATING POLICIES THAT WOULD REDUCE PRISON POPULATIONS. A DISTINCTION IS DRAWN BETWEEN CORRECTIONS-RELATED DECISIONS OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, WHICH HAS DEALT ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY WITH NARROW PROCEDURAL ISSUES, AND DECISIONS OF THE LOWER COURTS, WHICH HAVE BEGUN TO LOOK INTO THE SUBSTANTIVE AND SYSTEMIC ISSUES, EXAMINING THE TOTALITY OF CONDITIONS IN THE PRISONS AND ISSUING DECISIONS AIMED AT REMEDYING BASIC DEFECTS. THE LATTER DECISIONS ARE PREDICTED TO HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON CORRECTIONAL PLANNING. PRISON ADMINISTRATORS ARE ASKED TO INVOLVE INMATES AND STAFF MEMBERS IN THE DECISIONMAKING PROCESS. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INFLUENCES THAT MAKE A SYSTEM'S APPROACH TO DEALING WITH CORRECTIONAL PROBLEMS ESSENTIAL ARE IDENTIFIED. PRINCIPLES ARE OFFERED TO GUIDE THE PLANNING ACTIVITIES AND LEGISLATIVE INVOLVEMENT OF CORRECTIONS OFFICIALS. (LKM)