SNAIL'S PACE OF PRISON REFORM (FROM AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION - PROCEEDINGS OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNUAL CONGRESS OF CORRECTION - SEE NCJ-02840)

• NCJ Number: 10104
• Author(s): N MORRIS
• Date Published: 1970
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: American Correctional Association
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT ACA MEETING, CINCINNATI, OH, OCT 11-15, 1970

Annotation

SPECULATIONS ON REASONS FOR THE SLOW DEVELOPMENT OF CORRECTIONAL REFORM AND SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR EXPEDITING CHANGE.

Abstract

THE BASIC GOALS AND IDEALS OF CORRECTIONAL REFORM WERE FORMULATED IN 1870 BUT THE PROGRESS SINCE THAT TIME HAS BEEN DILATORY FOR SEVERAL REASONS. ACCORDING TO THIS AUTHOR THE ASPIRATIONS FOR CORRECTIONAL REFORM HAVE DECREASED. ONE REASON FOR THAT TREND IS THE OVERREACHING OF THE CRIMINAL LAW INTO PRIVATE SPHERES OF MORALITY WHICH HAS CONFUSED THE ISSUES AND MISSION INVOLVED IN CORRECTIONAL REFORM. ANOTHER OBSTACLE TO PRISON REFORM IS THE POLITICAL IMPOTENCE AND UNPOPULARITY OF THE CRIMINAL PORTION OF SOCIETY. THE FIELD OF CORRECTIONS HAS LACKED LEADERSHIP, AND THE ROLES OF THE DIVERSE CORRECTIONAL WORKERS HAVE BEEN POORLY DEFINED. THE AUTHOR RECOMMENDS THAT CORRECTIONS STRIVE TO ABANDON ITS ISOLATED PLACE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ESTABLISH CLOSER CONNECTIONS WITH POLICE AND THE COURTS. IT IS ALSO HOPED THAT CORRECTIONS CAN ATTRACT RESPONSIBLE AND PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE WHO CAN ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS.