NCJ Number
122586
Date Published
1990
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The real work of corrections and the hope for successful corrections efforts are found in direct human contact between offenders and trained, dedicated professionals rather than in the construction of more correctional facilities.
Abstract
Therefore, corrections funding should focus on personnel and their training, and corrections professionals should be encouraged to try new strategies and to be flexible in what they do. The prisons in Texas and throughout the nation are overcrowded, confining, and desperate places. Although prison is essential for many offenders, other approaches may be more appropriate for certain offenders. For example, Travis County (Tex.) has established a boot camp for nonviolent offenders. The inmates experience military discipline and hard work, while learning teamwork. The offenders also feel hopeful, because they will receive counseling regarding education and employment if they complete the program successfully. In addition, the program costs about one-third of the cost of a maximum-security facility. The success of this program indicates the need to focus on programs that effectively target the common characteristics of inmates: drug and alcohol abuse problems, illiteracy, and lack of job skills. Innovative programs in Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, Florida, and other States are all showing innovative ways to intervene with offenders to break the cycle of crime.