NCJ Number
53072
Date Published
1978
Length
432 pages
Annotation
EXPANDED TREATMENT OF SUCH TOPICS AS JUVENILE CRIME, FEMALE INMATES, AND MANDATORY SENTENCING LAWS IS INCORPORATED IN THE REVISED EDITION OF AN INTRODUCTORY TEXT ON CORRECTIONS.
Abstract
THIS TEXT, DIRECTED TO STUDENTS INTERESTED IN PROFESSIONAL CAREERS IN THE FIELD OF CORRECTIONS, OFFERS A PRACTICAL ORIENTATION TO THE PROCEDURES AND OPERATIONS OF THE PENAL SYSTEM. IT REFLECTS THE POSITION THAT THE FAILURE OF CERTAIN TACTICS AND STRATEGIES OF REHABILITATION IS NOT SUFFICIENT CAUSE TO ABANDON A REHABILITATIVE PHILOSOPHY IN FAVOR OF A PURELY PUNITIVE PHILOSOPHY. AN INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION OF CRIME, SOCIETY'S RESPONSE TO CRIME, AND THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND CORRECTIONAL PHILOSOPHY IS FOLLOWED BY AN OVERVIEW OF CORRECTIONS AS IT RELATES TO OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM (THE POLICE, COURTS, ETC.). PREPRISON INTAKE AND ADJUDICATION, SENTENCING ALTERNATIVES AND INEQUITIES, AND THE LEGAL STATUS OF CONVICTED FELONS ARE ALSO DISCUSSED. AN OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF PUNISHMENT AND VARIOUS PHILOSOPHIES OF PUNISHMENT IS FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSIONS OF PRISONS (HISTORY, FEDERAL AND STATE SYSTEMS, CRITICISMS OF PRISIONS) AND PRISON ADMINISTRATION (INHERENT DEFECTS IN PRISON ADMINISTRATION, THE PRISON CLASS SYSTEM, DISCIPLINE AND CONTROL, STAFF, SELECTION AND TRAINING OF STAFF). PRISON LIFE--THE PRISONERS' COUNTERCULTURE, PRISON PROGRAMMING, PRISONERS' RIGHTS, PRISONER UNIONS--IS DESCRIBED, AND THE SCOPE AND NATURE OF PRISON VIOLENCE ARE EXAMINED. SEPARATE CHAPTERS ANALYZE THE STATUS OF FEMALES, JUVENILES, AND MISDEMEANANTS IN THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM. SPECIFIC STUDIES, TREATMENT PROGRAMS, AND FACILITIES FOR FEMALES AND FOR JUVENILES ARE CITED. LEGAL AND TREATMENT TRENDS INDICATIVE OF PROGRESS IN DEALING WITH MISDEMEANANTS, PARTICULARLY PERSONS CHARGED WITH DRUNKENNESS, ARE NOTED. THE STATUS OF THE VICTIM IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS IS CONSIDERED, WITH REFERENCE TO VICTIMLESS CRIMES, THE 'FORGOTTEN' VICTIM, AND COMPENSATION AND RESTITUTION PROGRAMS. THE PERSONNEL NEEDS OF THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM ARE DISCUSSED, AND PROFILE OF A MODEL CORRECTIONAL PRACTITIONER IS OFFERED. OTHER CHAPTERS EXAMINE PROBATION AND PAROLE, DEVELOPMENTS IN CONTEMPORARY CORRECTIONS (CONJUGAL VISITING, FURLOUGHS PRERELEASE CENTERS, HALFWAY HOUSE, DRUG PROGRAMS, ALTERNATIVE AND DIVERSIONARY PROGRAMMING), EVALUATIVE RESEARCH IN CORRECTIONS, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS (SENTENCING REFORMS, COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS, PRISON REFORMS, PARAPROFESSIONALISM, OFFENDER SELF-HELP GROUPS, OMBUDSMEN). APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE DEFINITIONS OF SLANG WORDS USED BY INMATES, THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON CRIME AND DELINQUENCY'S MODEL ACT REGARDING MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR THE PROTECTION OF PRISONERS' RIGHTS, AND THE AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION'S DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES. A GLOSSARY AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED, TOGETHER WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR CLASS OR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS. (LKM)