NCJ Number
134887
Journal
Law and Social Inquiry Dated: (1991) Pages: 101-114
Date Published
1991
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This analysis of John Dilulio's research on corrections emphasizes his conclusion that the challenge for the future is whether information can replace ideology and politics as the basis for corrections policymaking; it recommends several topics for future corrections research.
Abstract
Dilulio's recent essay and his book, "Governing Prisons," raises two sets of issues: (1) whether alternatives exist that are more efficient and effective than incarceration and (2) how prisons are best run to achieve order, amenity, and service. Dilulio's work has received criticism from those who fear that it will be used to justify oppressive prison management, but he has emphasized that his work is exploratory. Punishment, politics, and bureaucracy have dominated correctional policy and its implementation in the past 2 decades; research currently has almost no influence on policymaking. One untapped source of extensive knowledge is correctional staff, because line-level staff spend most of their time with offenders. Future research on community corrections will probably reveal that the offender population is diverse and that certain probation and parole officers are particularly effective in developing methods to control offenders and prevent recidivism. Research on prisons will probably find that different offenders require different levels of security, that prisons have unique histories and cultures, and that prisons can be changed.