NCJ Number
58330
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
COMMENTS ON THE FUNCTIONS OF PRISONS, THE GENERAL AND INDIVIDUAL DETERRENT EFFECTS OF IMPRISONMENT, THE INTERCHANGEABILITY OF PENAL MEASURES, AND RELATED TOPICS ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE CONCEPT OF THE TOTAL INSTITUTION IS DISCUSSED, TOGETHER WITH REASONS FOR THE INCREASING USE OF CONFINEMENT FROM THE MIDDLE AGES ON. THE FUNCTIONS OF EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF CONFINEMENT ARE NOTED, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE ROLE OF THE 18TH-CENTURY PRISON IN THE ENGLISH ECONOMY. JEREMY BENTHAM'S PENOLOGICAL CONCEPTS, INCLUDING HIS BELIEF THAT IMPRISONMENT COULD BE USED BOTH TO CONTROL SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF LIBERTY IN SOCIETY, ARE CONSIDERED. RESEARCH ON THE GENERAL DETERRENT EFFECTS OF IMPRISONMENT, PARTICULARLY THE WORK OF J. ANDENAES OF OSLO UNIVERSITY, IS DISCUSSED. ANDENAES' IDEA THAT THE GENERAL DETERRENT EFFECT SHOULD BE SOUGHT NOT IN A SINGLE ELEMENT OF THE PUNITIVE PROCESS (IMPRISONMENT) BUT IN THE PROCESS AS A WHOLE IS BROUGHT OUT. RESEARCH ON INDIVIDUAL DETERRENCE -- THE EFFECTS OF IMPRISONMENT ON RECIDIVISM -- IS ALSO DISCUSSED. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO THE WORK OF SWEDISH PENOLOGIST ULLA BONDESON, WHOSE STUDIES LED HER TO CONCLUDE THAT THE NEGATIVE INFLUENCES OF IMPRISONMENT ON CRIMINALITY OUTWEIGH THE POSITIVE INFLUENCES, AND THAT THE LEAST IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO WITH AN OFFENDER, THE BETTER THE OUTCOME WILL BE. CONTROVERSY REGARDING THE DETRIMENTAL OR BENEFICIAL IMPACT OF STIGMATIZATION IS NOTED. SOCIETY'S UNWILLINGNESS TO TRY WAYS OTHER THAN PUNISHMENT TO COPE WITH UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIOR IS DISCUSSED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)