PRISON AS PART OF THE PENAL SYSTEM - PRISON ADMINISTRATION AND THE REDUCTION OF OVERCROWDING

• NCJ Number: 67058
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 17 pages
• Corporate Author: Howard League for Penal Reform
• Sale Source: Howard League for Penal Reform
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

ENGLAND'S HOWARD LEAGUE FOR PENAL REFORM SUGGESTS CORRECTIONAL REFORMS AIMED AT REDUCING PRISON OVERCROWDING AND IMPROVING THE OFFENDER'S CHANCE FOR REHABILITATION.

Abstract

PRISON OVERCROWDING SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED APART FROM THE IMPACT OF OVERALL CORRECTIONAL POLICY, BECAUSE A MAJOR FACTOR IN PRISON OVERCROWDING IS THE ABSENCE OF A JOINT JUDICIAL AND CORRECTIONAL POLICY THAT WOULD DEVELOP AND USE A WIDE RANGE OF SENTENCE ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT. WHILE IMPRISONMENT IS NECESSARY FOR DANGEROUS OFFENDERS, MORE OPTIONS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THE SENTENCING OF OFFENDERS WHO POSE A MINIMAL THREAT TO THE PUBLIC WHEN UNDER REASONABLE AND APPROPRIATE SUPERVISION IN THE COMMUNITY. PRISON OVERCROWDING COULD BE REDUCED BY USING MORE NONCUSTODIAL MEASURES, FEWER DEMANDS IN CUSTODY, SHORTER SENTENCES, AND MORE HOME LEAVE. THE BROADENING OF SENTENCING ALTERNATIVES WOULD REQUIRE SHIFTING RESOURCES PRESENTLY USED IN THE BUILDING AND OPERATING OF PRISONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS. THE BUILDING OF NEW PRISONS WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED AND THE WINGS OF SOME OF THE LARGE PRISONS COULD BE CLOSED TO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE SENTENCES. LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCES AND OVERCROWDED PRISONS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IN REDUCING RECIDIVSM, ANOTHER FACTOR IN PRISON OVERCROWDING. PROGRAMS WHICH COMMIT THE OFFENDER TO USEFUL WORK IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION TO THE VICTIM SERVE THE COMMUNITY BETTER THAN INCARCERATION, WITH THE INCREASED LIKELIHOOD THAT OFFENDERS WILL MODIFY THEIR BEHAVIOR TO CONFORM TO COMMUNITY STANDARDS FOR EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR. PRISON ADMINISTRATION MUST ALSO IMPROVE IF PRISON IS TO BECOME A CONSTRUCTIVE EXPERIENCE FOR INMATES AND STAFF. INCREASED TRAINING AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF, ALONG WITH GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR INMATES TO EXERCISE INPUT INTO THE PROGRAMS AND CONDITIONS AFFECTING THEM ARE CRUCIAL FOR IMPLEMENTING A CONSTRUCTIVE AND HUMANE PRISON SYSTEM. A SELECTED LIST OF HOWARD LEAGUE PUBLICATIONS AND THE TITLES OF RECENT ARTICLES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)