NCJ Number
45605
Date Published
1977
Length
0 pages
Annotation
A GROUP OF INMATES, SERVING SENTENCES OF AT LEAST 25 YEARS EACH, DEMONSTRATE THEIR JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAM FROM THE INSIDE AT THE RAHWAY STATE PRISON IN NEW JERSEY IN THIS FILM.
Abstract
THE RAHWAY INMATES WHO SET UP THIS CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM CALL THEMSELVES THE LIFERS' GROUP. THEIR PROGRAM IS A STRAIGHTFORWARD PRESENTATION OF LIFE ON THE INSIDE OF A STATE PRISON; THEIR APPROACH TO THE JUVENILES WHO CAME TO VISIT THE PRISON IS FRANK, BRUTAL, AIMED AT BURSTING THE ILLUSION OF THE HERO CRIMINAL THAT DOMINATES MANY JUVENILES' CONCEPTIONS OF CRIME. THE JUVENILES, AGED 9 TO 21 YEARS OLD, MOSTLY FIRST OFFENDERS, TOUR CELLBLOCKS AND SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AREAS AT THE PRISON, AND ARE THEN BROUGHT TO A SMALL AMPHITHEATER WHERE THE LIFERS' GROUP CONDUCTS THE GRUELING HOUR AND A HALF PORTRAYAL OF PRISON LIFE. ONE BY ONE, MANY OF THE 50 MEMBERS OF THE LIFERS' GROUP APPROACH THE JUVENILES, BERATING THEM FOR THEIR STUPIDITY IN WANTING TO LEAD A LIFE OF CRIME, URGING THEM TO GO BACK HOME AND FINISH HIGH SCHOOL, AND POINTING OUT THAT IN PRISON EVERY INMATE IS ON HIS OR HER OWN AND THAT ONE LOSES ONE'S IDENTITY. THE LIFERS DESCRIBE THE PHYSICAL REALITY OF THE PRISON, AND THE SENSATION OF BEING DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY. THE PROGRAM HAS PROVEN TO BE THERAPEUTIC FOR BOTH PRISON INMATES AND THE JUVENILES. OF THE 3,500 JUVENILES WHO HAVE VISITED THE PRISON, ONLY 100 HAVE BEEN REPORTED AS COMMITTING FURTHER CRIMES 1 YEAR LATER. MANY CHANGE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR PARENTS, AND GO BACK TO SCHOOL. LIFER MEMBERS SUPPORT THE PROGRAM ALMOST ENTIRELY THROUGH THEIR OWN FUNDS AND CONDUCT 2 PRESENTATIONS 5 DAYS A WEEK. THE FILM RECOMMENDS THAT THE STATE SUPPORT THE PROGRAM, AND THE PRISONERS BE PAID THE NORMAL HOURLY RATE THAT OTHER PRISON JOBS EARN. WARNINGS ARE GIVEN WHEN THE LANGUAGE IN THE FILM BECOMES EXCESSIVELY COARSE AND VULGAR. (MHP)