NCJ Number
47218
Journal
Policy Studies Journal Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (AUTUMN 1974) Pages: 74-82
Date Published
1974
Length
9 pages
Annotation
ALTHOUGH THE NEED FOR REFORM IN CORRECTIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES HAS LONG BEEN RECOGNIZED, IT IS ONLY IN RECENT YEARS THAT A STRONG REFORM MOVEMENT HAS EMERGED AND NEW DIRECTIONS FOR CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN FORMULATED.
Abstract
A NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS TREND TOWARD REFORM. THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF THE 1960'S PROVIDED AN IMPETUS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS REFORM AND INCREASED INVOLVEMENT OF MINORITY PRESSURE GROUPS AND OTHER LAY PERSONS IN CORRECTIONAL ADVOCACY. PRISONERS THEMSELVES HAVE BECOME AWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS AND ARE MORE WILLING TO APPLY PRESSURE FOR CHANGE. THE LOWER COURTS AND THE SUPREME COURT HAVE GRADUALLY ESTABLISHED A BODY OF CASE LAW DEALING WITH THE RIGHTS OF PRISONERS AND OFFENDERS. IN ADDITION, THERE HAS BEEN A GROWING AND DOCUMENTED AWARENESS THAT OLDER INSTITUTIONAL FORMS OF CORRECTION, EVEN WHEN ORIENTED TOWARD TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION, HAVE PROVEN INEFFECTIVE IN DETERRING CRIME AND PREVENTING RECIDIVISM. FINALLY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BECOME MORE WILLING TO SERVE AS AN ARBITER OF PRISON REFORM AND INCREASING PUBLIC MONIES HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE IN THE AREA OF CORRECTIONS. ALTHOUGH THESE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE CREATED A CLIMATE CONDUCIVE TO REFORM, ACTUAL REFORMS HAVE BEEN LIMITED IN EXTENT AND SIGNIFICANCE. A NUMBER OF TRENDS IN CORRECTIONAL POLICY CAN HOWEVER BE DISCERNED. THE MEDICAL MODEL OF CUSTODIAL TREATMENT AND RESOCIALIZATION HAS COME UNDER ATTACK BOTH ON THE GROUNDS OF ITS UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS AND BECAUSE OF THE BASIC CONFLICT BETWEEN SECURITY GOALS, THE PUNITIVE NATURE OF CUSTODY, AND THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY GOALS OF TREATMENT. THE EFFICACY AND VALIDITY OF THAT MODEL REMAIN TO BE DEMONSTRATED, WHILE PROPONENTS OF LABELING THEORY ASSERT THAT CUSTODIAL TREATMENT IS STIGMATIZING AND CONFIRMS THE OFFENDER'S SELF-IMAGE OF SOCIAL DEVIANCE. AS AN OFFSHOOT OF THE ATTACK ON THE MEDICAL MODEL, THERE HAS BEEN A GROWING TREND TOWARD COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS WHICH EMPHASIZE NORMALIZATION OF THE OFFENDER THROUGH THE SOCIAL MILIEU AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF PERSONAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBLITIES. FINALLY THERE HAS BEEN A MOVEMENT TOWARD COLLECTIVE SELF-HELP AMONG PRISONERS THROUGH SELF-GOVERNMENT AND CLIENT INVOLVEMENT INTO CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATION. MAJOR RESEARCH NEEDS WILL INCLUDE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS EVALUATION AND STANDARDS OF EVALUATION, A NATIONAL AND UNIFORM DATA BASE ON CORRECTIONS AND OFFENDERS, AND AN EXAMINATION OF THE POWER DYNAMICS DETERMINING CORRECTIONAL POLICY AND THE ROLE OF THE INMATE IN POLICY REFORM. A BRIEF GUIDE TO LITERATURE ON POLICY CHANGE IN CORRECTIONS AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (JAP)