NCJ Number
64444
Journal
RASSEGNA DI CRIMINOLOGIA Volume: 6 Issue: 1-2 Dated: (1975) Pages: 201-210
Date Published
1975
Length
10 pages
Annotation
UNDER THE NEW CORRECTIONAL REFORM LAWS CURRENTLY BEING ENACTED IN ITALY, VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND MEANINGFUL PRISON WORK ARE PRESCRIBED AS THE MOST EFFECTIVE AIDS TO INMATE REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL REINTEGRATION.
Abstract
DESPITE THE NEW EMPHASIS PLACED ON VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND WORK PROGRAMS BY ITALIAN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, THESE INTRINSICALLY PRAISEWORTHY REHABILITATION TOOLS HAVE SO FAR FAILED TO ACHIEVE THEIR STATED OBJECTIVES, ESPECIALLY THE PREVENTION OF RECIDIVISM. TO BLAME ARE THE POOR QUALITY OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND THE SELF-SERVING ORIENTATION OF CORRECTIONAL WORK PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO FULFILL THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE INSTITUTION RATHER THAN TO GIVE INMATES WORK EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS IN LABOR MARKET DEMANDS. MORE IMPORTANT, HOWEVER, IS THE ARTIFICIAL AND AUTHORITARIAN PRISON LIFE PERSIST AFTER THEIR RELEASE, PROMPTING EX-OFFENDERS TO REFUSE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY MARKETABLE SKILLS THEY HAVE LEARNED IN PRISON JUST TO SHOW THEIR CONTEMPT FOR AUTHORITY, THEREBY CLINGING TO A NEGATIVE IDENTITY THEY HAVE FASHIONED FOR THEMSELVES AS THE ONLY IDENTITY THEY FEEL THEY WILL EVER HAVE. THE HOSTILITY AND PREJUDICE CAUSED BY THE NEGATIVE STEREOTYPING THEY ENCOUNTER IN THE COMMUNITY COMPOUNDS THE PROBLEM. THE ONLY SOLUTIONS ARE MINIMUM SECURITY CORRECTIONS, WORK RELEASE ARRANGEMENTS, HALFWAY HOUSES, PROBATION AND PAROLE SUBSIDIES, AND OTHER PRERELEASE AND POSTRELEASE PROGRAMS, FOLLOWING U.S. MODELS, WHICH WILL ALLOW THE INMATES TO GRADUALLY READJUST TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD BEFORE THEIR ACTUAL RELEASE. THESE SOLUTIONS CAN MINIMIZE THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF PRISONIZATION AND PROMOTE GOOD COMMUNITY RELATIONS BY PERSONAL ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE WORKING INMATES. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS SUPPLIED. --IN ITALIAN. (LGR)