NCJ Number
47236
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 29 Issue: 3 Dated: (1978) Pages: 3-5,8,11
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE POSSIBILITY THAT SOME CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS MAKE PRISON LIFE TOO ATTRACTIVE IS RAISED, AND PROGRAM REFORMS ARE SUGGESTED.
Abstract
THE HIGH RECIDIVISM RATES FOR MANY CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS ARE POINTED OUT, AND THE QUESTION IS RAISED OF WHETHER PRISON AMENITIES -- PROGRAMS SUCH AS COUNSELING, EDUCATION, RECREATION -- ACTUALLY ENCOURACE INMATES TO ADAPT TO PRISON LIFE. OTHER QUESTIONS CONCERN WHETHER SOME REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS PROVIDE OFFENDERS WITH SERVICES AND AMENITIES THAT MANY POOR AND MIDDLE-CLASS PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD, WHETHER INMATES SHOULD BE GIVEN JOB PLACEMENT PRIORITY OVER UNEMPLOYED LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS, AND WHETHER, IN REALITY, INMATES RECEIVE GREATER CONSIDERATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT THAN DO THEIR VICTIMS. A STUDY IS CITED IN WHICH ELDERLY RESIDENTS OF A NURSING HOME WHO WERE GIVEN GREATER CONTROL OVER THEIR OWN LIVES SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPARISON TO A CONTROL GROUP WHOSE RESPONSIBILITIES WERE MORE LIMITED. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRISON PROGRAMS ARE NOTED. THE REEVALUATION OF REHABILITATIVE MEASURES IS URGED, AS IS THE INTRODUCTION OF MORE WORK-RELEASE AND OTHER COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS THAT BRING INMATES INTO THE COMMUNITY AS RESPONSIBLE, PRODUCTIVE PERSONS. (LKM)