NCJ Number
57872
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1979) Pages: 21-36
Date Published
1979
Length
16 pages
Annotation
DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES AT RAMLE PRISON IN ISRAEL ARE DESCRIBED AND COMPARED WITH THOSE AT RHODE ISLAND STATE PRISON, WITH A VIEW TO ADDRESSING THE ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEM OF BALANCING DUE PROCESS AND ORDER.
Abstract
THE RAMLE STUDY INVOLVED A REVIEW OF STATUTORY AND CASE LAW, REGULATIONS, AND GUIDELINES; INTERVIEWS WITH PRISON PERSONNEL AND INMATES; AND ANALYSES OF INMATE FILES AND DISCIPLINARY RECORDS. DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES AT RAMLE ARE DESCRIBED IN DETAIL AND COMPARED WITH THE FINDINGS OF RESEARCHERS WHO ASSESSED THE EFFECT OF A COURT ORDER IMPOSING DUE PROCESS STANDARDS ON THE RHODE ISLAND DISCIPLINARY SYSTEM AND FOUND THAT, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE PRISON INSTITUTION, THE COURT COULD NOT BY DECREE ALONE ENSURE A FAIR AND EFFECTIVE DISCIPLINARY PROCESS. THE RAMLE SYSTEM DEMONSTRATES THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE RELATIVELY FAIR AND EFFECTIVE DISCIPLINE WITHOUT IMPOSING RIGID PROCEDURAL STANDARDS. AT RAMLE THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT THE USE OF HARSH PUNITIVE MEASURES, THROUGH CAREFUL EXERCISE OF CUSTODIAL STAFF DISCRETION, USE OF INCENTIVES FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR, AND DEVELOPMENT OF POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN INMATES AND TOP-LEVEL STAFF. AT BOTH RAMLE AND RHODE ISLAND THE DISCIPLINARY SYSTEM IS SIMILAR TO SYSTEMS FOUND IN PUNITIVE CUSTODIAL PRISONS, BUT THE MORE FLEXIBLE AND INFORMAL PROCEDURES AT RAMLE SEEM TO RESULT IN LESS ALIENATION ON THE PART OF INMATES TOWARD THE PRISON ORGANIZATION AND STAFF THAN IS FOUND AT RHODE ISLAND, WHERE DISCIPLINE IS MORE FORMALIZED AND IMPERSONAL. IT IS POSSIBLE, HOWEVER, THAT THE GOOD ORDER AT RAMLE AND LACK OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT ITS DISCIPLINARY PROCESS MAY BE DUE TO THE GENERALLY CALM ATMOSPHERE IN THE ISRAELI PRISON SYSTEM. A LIST OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)