NCJ Number
50354
Editor(s)
V GOLDSCHMEIDT
Date Published
1974
Length
0 pages
Annotation
THIS VIDEOTAPE DOCUMENTS THE INMATE'S VIEW OF PRISON PAROLE PROCEDURES AND OF LIFE AT THE WASHINGTON STATE PENITENTIARY.
Abstract
INTERVIEWS WITH PRISONERS REVEAL THE STRESSES OF PRISON LIFE. SEVERAL PRISONERS MENTION THAT SOME INMATES CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF CELLS AND CHARGE RENT TO OTHER INMATES ASSIGNED TO THESE CELLS. PRISON VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS HAVE HAD LITTLE SUCCESS BECAUSE INMATES SERVING LONG SENTENCES SEE LITTLE VALUE IN PARTICIPATING IN THEM, WHILE INMATES SERVING SHORT SENTENCES ARE UNABLE TO COMPLETE SUCH PROGRAMS AND TO FULLY BENEFIT FROM THEM. MANY PRISONERS BELIEVE THAT ALTERNATIVES TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION SHOULD BE DEVELOPED TO REHABILITATE CRIMINALS. A MAJOR CONCERN OF PRISONERS IS PAROLE. IN GENERAL, INMATES LACK INFORMATION AND UNDERSTANDING CONCERNING THE PAROLE PROCESS. SEVERAL PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS EXPLAIN HOW THEIR PROCESS WORKS. INMATES FEEL THAT HAVING ACCESS TO THEIR FILES WOULD HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE BASIS UPON WHICH PAROLE BOARDS MAKE THEIR DECISIONS. AFTER BEING GRANTED PAROLE, INMATES RECEIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING TO FACILITATE THEIR READJUSTMENT TO SOCIETY. IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, PAROLE BOARD INTERVIEWS WITH EACH INMATE ARE PART OF THE PAROLE DECISIONMAKING PROCESS. PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS CLAIM THAT AN INMATE'S READINESS TO FUNCTION IN SOCIETY IS THEIR MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IN EVALUATING HER OR HIM FOR PAROLE. (BAC)