NCJ Number
94495
Date Published
1983
Length
113 pages
Annotation
This book examines in graphic detail the known violence; intimidation of the weak; inmate gamesmanship; racial tensions; and atmosphere of resentment, repression, and mistrust found in penal institutions.
Abstract
It is rare to find a correctonal institution that meets the staffing requirements mandated by the courts. Most prisons operate at a 15-percent staffing shortfall. Corrections institutions function by playing off one racial group against another. The laws of group dynamics dictate that it is always easier to control a large group composed of factionalized elements than it is to maintain order over a unified body. But the result of this policy -- hostility and resentment -- also insure that the inmates will retain those traits leading to an 80-percent recidivism rate. Education programs in prison fail more often than they succeed, and most convicted felons leave prison no more literate than when they entered. Most religious fervor among prisoners lacks sincerity, as inmates try to reduce their period of confinement and increase their contact with those outside the system by acting as though they have been reborn religiously. On the other hand, homosexual activities perrading prison life must be faced by all inmates and are usually ignored by staff. Any time a prisoner violates prison rules and regulations, he can expect to have his rights to health, nutrition, and a sanitary environment suspended. The recidivism rate of 80 percent indicates that rehabilitative programs do not work. A glossary is included.