College in Prisons/ Youth in Jail

Studies have shown that from a rehabilitation perspective colleges in prisons are a very affective way to reduce recidivism. However another perspective is that prisoners are there to be punished and not necessarily rehabilitated. Victims of crime seek retribution and may be upset to learn that prisoners are receiving things such as a college education. I feel that although prison education seems to be a successful idea to fighting crime the government fails to address college to many other citizens that do not have a criminal background. What about the working class citizens who may not be able to afford college and have a family to raise? I think college in prison is great idea but I just feel that the government has many other issues that have been undressed and take priority. There are a lot of honest, hard working citizens that need government assistance but because of such a tight government budget are being denied. However on the other hand Ross (2003), explains that not all prisoners are there for the right reasons. Some are in prison because they are homeless, some have drug addictions and need help, and some inmates are mentally insane and have been misplaced in prison instead.



This story was extremely disturbing. Unfortunately something like this could become a reality to a juvenile delinquent if there is abuse of power in the criminal justice system by personnel. The movie “Sleepers” was another movie that depicted the sexual abuse and harsh treatment of a group of young boys. These boys caused the death of a vendor by accident and because of the sexual abuse they received by their correctional officer (Kevin Bacon) some of these youth turned into stone cold killers. Ross (2003) states that juveniles who are put in jails are being put in a extremely dangerous environment. The focus for the criminal justice system towards youth should be of rehabilitation not extreme punishment. Adult jail is very basic and does not have programs or forms of treatments for offenders. It only serves to hold people who are awaiting trials and also for prison overcrowding. Holding juveniles in cells can be emotionally and physically dangerous from fellow inmates and officers alike. Also long periods of solitary confinement can be extremely detrimental to a child. Juveniles are shown to have the best chance of recidivism and sometimes commit crimes because of abusive parents, traumatic childhoods, or they may be going through a stage in their lives where they are making some bad choices. Jails should not be a place where juveniles are put because the youth facilities feel there is no other place to put them.

Crime Prevention

Crime rates today have gone down significantly since the early 1990's and everyone wants to take credit for it. I thought this video was pretty funny but it just goes to show that in order to maintain order and stability sometimes one must think outside the box and be creative. This video shows prisoners in the Phillipines doing the "thriller" dance routine as a form of exercise. These prisoners are working as a team to accomplish a common goal and, as you can see, no one is fighting, and they are all working together. Ross (2003), states that prison programs are important to keep prisoners busy. Keeping prisoners busy is important because it reduces the tension of being incarcerated and greatly reduces the chances of rioting which is a lot more expensive. The dance routine shown above probably did not cost much, if it costed anything at all.

The government, liberals and conservatives alike, have tried to find different ways to prevent crime and increase rehabilitation but have not had much success. Society has gone through policies such as the zero tolerance policies, the increase of cops, and the "three strikes" law to try and reduce crime. Although, crime is lower today compared to the early 1990's, studies have not concluded that any of these methods are the reason for such crime reductions.

Walker (2001), states that the solution to crime prevention is not always a criminal justice strategy. Sometimes, activies such as picking up trash in a bad area can make all the difference in the world (similiar to the "Broken Windows" theory). Both Ross(2003), and Walker (2001), stated that work plays a significant role in the rehabilitation for prisoners once released. However finding and creating these types of jobs is another story still yet to be solved.

Prison Ethics

In the earlier days many prisons had abuse that went unreported. Officers were not watched as closely as they are today, and felt free to govern as they saw fit. This unregulated freedom could also result in prison corruption, brutality, and abuse.

Prison violence is for some inmates a common way of communicating who is the more dominant and a method of settling disputes. For correctional officers violence in prison is used for a variety of different reasons. Some officers use this as a method of self defense, others may use violence as a common method for respect, co-operation, or superiority. Prison ethics may become hard to find because for some guards because there must be a loyalty amongst fellow guards while at the same time maintaining the officers code of conduct. The officers code of conduct includes guards must report any unethical behavior and make sure the inmates' basic rights are protected as well.

Violence in prison is dangerous for both the inmates and the officers. Officers face daily challenges dealing with some of the most dangerous people while trying to maintain professional yet still in control. In prison there is a completley different sub-culture compared to the rest of society and it is important that officers are aware of such differences. Guards face the difficult challenge of juggling different roles such as the treatment role and custodial role. Guards must be able to handle a variety of different difficult situations. Banks (2004), states that guards do not have absolute power over the prisoners and must use their verbal skills and negociate with inmates. Guards depend on inmates for their personal safety (gaurds are vastly outnumbered), while at the same time they must maintain authority and show their supervisors they are in control.