NCJ Number
46306
Journal
INTELLECT Volume: 105 Issue: 2377 Dated: (SEPTEMER-OCTOBER 1977) Pages: 93-96
Date Published
1976
Length
4 pages
Annotation
AN OVERVIEW OF DISTURBANCES IN THE ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA, AND NEW YORK PRISONS INDICATES LITTLE IMPROVEMENT AND LITTLE INTEREST IN PRISON REFORM OR INMATE REHABILITATION ON THE PART OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.
Abstract
OCCASIONAL REVELATIONS OF BRUTALITY OR MAJOR DISORDERS HIGHLIGHT THE GROSS FAILURES OF THE U.S. PENAL INSTITUTIONS. THREE CASES IN PARTICULAR HAVE RECENTLY AROUSED NATIONAL INTEREST: REPORTS OF TORTURE AND MURDER IN ARKANSAS PRISONS; WIDESPREAD VIOLENCE IN CALIFORNIA JAILS, SPOTLIGHTED BY THE KILLING OB BLACK REVOLUTIONARY GEORGE JACKSON; AND THE ATTICA REBELLION IN NEW YORK, RESULTING IN 43 DEATHS. THE LESSONS THAT CAN BE DRAWN FROM A COMPARISON OF THE POLITICAL RESPONSE TO THESE TRAGEDIES ARE EXAMINED. THE USE OF WHIPS AND AN ELECTRIC TORTURE MACHINE, FORCED SEX WITH FEMALE PRISONERS BY PRISON AUTHORITIES, AND OTHER LURID TALES IN ARKANSAS GAVE RISE TO A MAJOR ATTEMPT AT REFORM. A NEW PRION DIRECTOR WAS INSTALLED, AND HIS SUSPICIONS OF INMATE MURDER WERE GIVEN NATIONAL PUBLICITY, BUT WERE NOT PROVEN. ALL THREE BRANCHES OF THE ARKANSAS GOVERNMENT REACTED BY MINIMIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NEWS AND SOUGHT TO CONTAIN THE SCANDAL. ALTHOUGH THE DIRECTOR WAS REMOVED, VIOLENCE AND INMATE MURDER STILL CONTINUE, DESPITE GUBERNATORIAL PLEDGES OF REFORM. A FEW REFORMS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT, NOTABLY CORPORAL PUNISHMENT AND REMOVAL OF TRUSTEE GUARDS FROM CONTROL OF THE PRISON FARMS. IN CONTRAST, CALIFORNIA'S SYSTEM WAS COMPARATIVELY PROGRESSIVE AND HUMANE. NEVERTHELESS, STABBINGS AND MURDERS STILL ABOUND. THE SINGLE MOST BLOODY INCIDENT AT SAN QUENTIN RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF THREE GUARDS AND THREE INMATES, INCLUDING GEORGE JACKSON. IN ITS AFTERMATH, THE CALIFORNIA SENATE REFUSED TO PASS A BILL REFORMING INDETERMINATE SENTENCES, AND TWO PROPOSED SMALLER INSTITUTIONS WERE NOT BUILT. LEGAL GROUPS SUPPORTING PRISONERS' RIGHTS BECAME VERY ACTIVE. PRISON REFORM IS AGAIN OCCURRING AND THE PRISON POPULATION HAS DECLINED SUBSTANTIALLY AS MORE PRISONERS ARE NOW GRANTED PAROLE. THE BLOODY ATTICA REBELLION IN NEW YORK ATTRACTED WORLDWIDE ATTENTION, AND NEW YORK, LIKE CALIFORNIA, RESPONDED WITH REPRESSIVE CONTROLS AFTER THE DISORDERS. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE NEW YORK ASSEMBLY ENACTED A PACKAGE OF REFORM MEASURES THAT REFLECTED FEWER SECURITY CONCERNS THAN IN CALIFORNIA. THE REFORMS HAVE BEEN LABELED BY AN INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE AS MERELY COSMETIC. COMMITMENT TO REFORM IS SEEN AS AMBIVALENT. SOME OF THE REFORMS UNDERWAY IN ARKANSAS, SUCH AS BANNING CORPORAL PUNISHMENT AND REPLACING IT WITH SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, ARE PRACTICES NOW DEPLORED ELSEWHERE. THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO UNDENIABLE REPORTS OF BRUTALITY IS GENERALLY EITHER AN ATTACK ON THE BAD NEWS OR A DENIAL OF ITS REALITY. IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, TREATING CRIMINALS IN AMERICA DEPENDS ON A PUBLIC WHICH HAS GENERALLY FAVORED PUNISMENT OVER REHABILITATION. (DJM)