NCJ Number
154101
Date Published
1994
Length
53 pages
Annotation
This 1993 annual report of the Israel Prison Service focuses on the construction of new prisons and additional incarceration wards; the "war" against drugs within the prisons; and the treatment, education, and employment of inmates.
Abstract
To solve the problem of overcrowding and improve physical conditions within the prisons, new prison facilities have been constructed and new wards have been added to existing prisons. Thus far, 313 cells have been added; the plan is to have 3,000 new cells by 1996. Regarding inmate drug use in prison, numerous measures have been taken to prevent the infiltration of drugs into prisons and to detoxify drug abusers. Drug testing has been enhanced, and entire wards or cell areas have been set aside for drug-free inmates. Efforts are underway to establish a comprehensive drug rehabilitation/detoxification center for drug users at Sharon Prison. It will have 600 beds. The treatment provided inmates is managed by a multidisciplinary team. It begins with each inmate's initial classification, which determines the method of education, professional training, and vocational training that will facilitate a successful return to the community. The Israel Prison Service has expanded the employment system and strengthened both the formal and informal (supplementary) education systems. Both social work and intelligence systems were reinforced. There has been an emphasis on improving staff quality through upgrading criteria for recruiting as well as training. Staff salaries and working conditions have also been upgraded. Statistics address the number and characteristics of the inmate population and program operations.