NCJ Number
180075
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 23 Issue: 7 Dated: July 1998 Pages: 6-16
Editor(s)
Susan Clayton
Date Published
1998
Length
11 pages
Annotation
A 1998 survey of discretionary inmate activities revealed that nearly 80 percent of the State corrections agencies in the United States and the provincial corrections agencies in Canada had further restricted inmate privileges below the level of privileges in 1995, when 60 percent reported recently eliminating some privileges.
Abstract
The privilege losses in the recent period before the 1995 survey included reduction of outside purchases, elimination of businesses operated by inmates, reduction of good time, restricted smoking areas, removal or reduction of telephone calls, elimination of certain canteen items, and elimination of access to cable television. The 1998 survey revealed more of a tightening by degree than a total elimination of privileges. The addition of a co-pay provision on medicine and doctor visits and reductions of pay scales seemed to result more from financial than philosophical concerns. Eight States reduced or eliminated weightlifting equipment; four States had serious considerations about weights in the earlier survey. Also ended were an inmate driver program, conjugal visits for minimum-security inmates, personal clothing except for work release, receipt of packages, supervised furloughs, televisions for newly committed inmates, home and Christmas packages, and family picnics. Tables presenting information for each State and province