NCJ Number
168836
Journal
American Jails Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: March/April 1996 Pages: 83-84-91
Date Published
1996
Length
6 pages
Annotation
During the author's visits to German prisons, she investigated the remand inmates' regimes, with particular reference to prison industries, vocational training, recreation, particularly physical education, and education.
Abstract
A total of 120 remand inmates were interviewed; each had spent at least 3 months in jail. Eighty staff were interviewed. The findings show that German prison authorities do not give much thought to a positive-activities regime for the prisoner awaiting trial or sentencing. The majority of German remand prisoners are locked up for some 20 hours a day, with few activities offered other than cleaning or piecework within the prison industries sector. The effect of such an inactive regime can be higher suicide or self-harm attempts. German correctional authorities should develop meaningful-activities programs for remand prisoners, incorporating more diverse projects than are currently available, and geared toward the abilities and needs of the inmate. The regime for a remand prisoner should reflect, as far as possible, conditions on the outside, so as to facilitate the prisoner's adjustment in the community upon release. 31 footnotes