MINIMUM SECURITY PRISONS - BRAZIL

• NCJ Number: 53208
• Journal: IMESC (INSTITUTO DE MEDICINA SOCIAL E DE CRIMINOLOGICA DE SAO PAULO) ILUSTRADO Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (1978) Pages: COMPLETE ISSUE
• Author(s): C S D PORTO; C A U WRONA; C B DOSSANTOS; L MULBARACK; S M S PADALINO
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 40 pages
• Corporate Author: Instituto de Medicina Social E de Criminologia de Sao Paulo
• Sale Source: Instituto de Medicina Social E de Criminologia de Sao Paulo
• Publication Type: Program Description (Model)
• Language: Portuguese
• Country: Brazil

Annotation

PRISON HOTELS ARE AN INNOVATIVE TYPE OF MINIMUM SECURITY FACILITY CURRENTLY BEING TESTED IN BRAZIL TO IMPROVE FORMER OFFENDERS' CHANCES FOR REINTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY THROUGH SELF-MOTIVATION.

Abstract

CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, WHILE STILL NEEDED FOR THE 10-30 PERCENT DANGEROUS CRIMINALS AMONG CONVICTED OFFENDERS, DO NOT ACHIEVE THE AVOWED OBJECTIVE OF MODERN PENOLOGY--SOCIAL REINTEGRATION OF THE EX-OFFENDER--AND ARE ENORMOUSLY EXPENSIVE. EXPERIMENTING WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF MINIMUM SECURITY CORRECTIONS AND OPEN PRISONS, THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT IS CURRENTLY TESTING A PILOT PROJECT COMPRISING COMMUNITY-BASED 'PRISON HOTELS,' OPERATED AND MAINTAINED BY THE INMATE-GUESTS. A SURVEY TO EVALUATE THE RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT USED QUESTIONNAIRES ON ALL POSSIBLE ASPECTS OF THE OPERATION OF THESE FACILITIES, THEIR GUESTS, AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND THEIR REACTIONS TO THE PROGRAM. THE FINDINGS WERE POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING. THE 'GUESTS' OF THESE PRISON HOTELS ARE FREE TO WORK OUTSIDE THE PREMISES BY DAY, BUT MUST REPORT BACK EVERY NIGHT AND REMAIN INSIDE ON HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS. NIGHT WORK IS FORBIDDEN, BUT PERMISSION CAN BE OBTAINED TO ATTEND EVENING CLASSES. A REASONABLE DRESS AND DEPORTMENT CODE IS ENFORCED; ALCOHOL, DRUGS, OBJECTIONABLE READING MATERIALS, FOUL LANGUAGE, GAMBLING, OVERNIGHT VISTORS, AND LOUD NOISES AFTER 10 P.M ARE FORBIDDEN. GUESTS ARE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THEIR MEALS, CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUPPORT OF THEIR DEPENDENTS, TAKE TURNS IN CLEANING AND MAINTAINING THE PREMISES, AND WORKING IN THE GARDEN. THE REACTIONS OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES VARY FROM INDIFFERENT TO FAVORABLE, WITH A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF UNFAVORABLE RESPONSES, THE LATTER BASED, HOWEVER, MORE ON PREJUDICE THAN FACT. EMPLOYERS' REACTIONS HAVE BEEN UNANIMOUSLY POSITIVE WITH REGARD TO PERFORMANCE AND WORK ATTITUDES OF THE PRISON HOTEL GUESTS. OVERALL, PRISON HOTELS ARE PRACTICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, SOCIALLY ADEQUATE, AND EFFECTIVE IN ACHIEVING THE SOCIAL REINTEGRATION OF THEIR GUESTS. --IN PORTUGUESE. (LGR)