NCJ Number
231733
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 38 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2010 Pages: 545-554
Date Published
July 2010
Length
10 pages
Annotation
The goal of this article was to inform efforts to understand how supermax housing is used and to contribute to policy debates about this housing.
Abstract
Despite the growth in and debate about super-maximum security housing, there exist few studies of inmates' experiences or placement in supermax incarceration. The lack of research on this new type of confinement assumes particular salience given criticisms that such confinement is excessive, that placement in it is arbitrary, and that it may have adverse effects on reentry into society. The current study used data from the Florida Department of Corrections to investigate several dimensions of the supermax experience. These included the frequency of placement into supermax confinement, the duration of time spent in such confinement, and the timing of it relative to reentry back into society. In addition, the article explored factors, especially behavioral indicators, that may contribute to decisions to place inmates in supermaxes. The article concludes by discussing the study's findings and implications for research and policy. (Published Abstract)