NCJ Number
53884
Date Published
1975
Length
261 pages
Annotation
THE FEASIBILITY OF USING CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION (CCTV) IN OHIO'S SEVEN STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IS EXPLORED.
Abstract
CCTV CAN BE USED IN PRISONS IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS: AS A COMMUNICATIONS MEDIUM (PRISON NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, RUMOR CONTROL, ETC.); AS A MEDIUM FOR PERSONAL EXPRESSION AMONG INMATES; AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL FOR INMATES AND STAFF; AS AN ENTERTAINMENT MEDIUM; AND IN SURVEILLANCE. TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF INSTALLING CCTV SYSTEMS IN OHIO'S PRISONS, THE HISTORY AND CORRECTIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION AND CORRECTION WERE EXAMINED, INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH KEY DECISIONMAKERS IN THE DEPARTMENT REGARDING THEIR RESPONSE TO THE CCTV CONCEPT, AND ECONOMIC FACTORS WERE CONSIDERED. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT INSTALLATION OF CCTV AS A REHABILITATIVE TOOL IN ANY OR ALL OF OHIO'S STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IS FEASIBLE. OPTIONS FOR INTRODUCING THE PROPOSED INNOVATION WERE CONSIDERED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS WERE DEVELOPED. THE DEPARTMENT IS ADVISED TO INTRODUCE CCTV AS A REHABILITATIVE TOOL ON A SMALL SCALE, PERHAPS IN A SINGLE INSTITUTION. INITIALLY CCTV SHOULD BE USED SOLELY AS A COMMUNICATIONS TOOL, PRIMARILY (BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY) IN BUILDING INTERPERSONAL SKILLS OF INMATES, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT SKILLS OF BOTH INMATES AND STAFF, AND STAFF-INMATE RELATIONSHIPS. USE OF CCTV SHOULD BE OPTIONAL FOR ALL INMATES. THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD HIRE A BROADCAST TECHNICIAN FOR CONSULTATION ON EQUIPMENT PURCHASES AND CCTV SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE. PERIODIC EVALUATIONS OF THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE CONDUCTED. DETAILS OF EACH ASPECT OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY ARE PROVIDED, TOGETHER WITH SUPPORTING DATA AND COPIES OF STUDY INSTRUMENTS. A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON OHIO AND U.S. CORRECTIONS, SOCIAL CHANGE AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES, AND TELEVISION UTILIZATION IS INCLUDED. (LKM)