NCJ Number
170476
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 59 Issue: 1 Dated: (February 1998) Pages: 22-24
Date Published
1998
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Professionals and policymakers in the field of corrections use the media to let citizens how tax money is being spent, and a healthy working relationship between corrections and the media is just as important as a healthy working relationship with elected officials.
Abstract
A key issue, however, is how much access the media should have. In the case of prison systems, media requests generally fall into two categories. One category involves access to facilities, programs, officials, and inmates for stories on how a prison system operates or how a particular program is being implemented. The other category involves access to individual inmates for personal stories on them. Prison systems tend to provide fairly liberal access to the media; in many jurisdictions, public tours are offered so citizens can have a firsthand look at how prison systems operate. In most States, this includes permission for inmates selected at random to be asked questions. Media access to high-security areas is generally restricted, and rules vary on media access to individual inmates. Another issue in determining the extent of media access to prison systems concerns the victim. Many victims get upset when the offender who victimized them receives celebrity treatment from the media. In addition to issues of media access, correctional administrators must deal with issues of media legitimacy. Liberal media access policies in California on prison facilities and programs are noted.