NCJ Number
169008
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 59 Issue: 4 Dated: (July 1997) Pages: 86-88
Date Published
1997
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Classification experts do not agree on the best way to classify inmates, but they do agree on the importance of having an objective system that allows for discretionary staff input and that receives regular review.
Abstract
Inmate classification originated in the 1970's when the Federal Bureau of Prisons gathered and gradually narrowed down a list of criteria. Classification systems are often forgotten amid current urgent discussions of criminal justice trends. Issues such as prison crowding, inmate gang violence, the increase in female offenders, and the placement of juveniles in adult facilities present challenges to any classification system. These challenges have called into question the effectiveness of guidelines established several generations ago and have prompted many States to refine their systems to accommodate the present situation. In January 1997 South Carolina implemented a new behavior-driven classification system. South Carolina and New Mexico have implemented diagnostic center systems. A sound classification that is regularly monitored and refined can be one of the most important security tools that a facility can maintain. List of questions for facility administrators to use in assessing a classification system