NCJ Number
159860
Date Published
1991
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article argues that incarceration, by depriving inmates of liberty and privacy, is punishment enough without imposing additional sanctions.
Abstract
The libertarian proposal for incarceration outlined here would allow prisoners to move freely within the prison and to enter into relationships on the basis of voluntary exchange, limited only by the rule of the criminal code and the distinctive restrictions of imprisonment. The authors argue that the libertarian principle of maximum freedom for prisoners would help them realize their potential for excellence and develop their commercial skills, reduce violence, and simplify correctional management practices. Inmates, however, would be subject to intense surveillance of their movements within the prison, their communication with the outside world, and their business enterprises.