NCJ Number
229386
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 89 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2009 Pages: 482-496
Date Published
December 2009
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study examined the levels of visitors' understanding and satisfaction with visitation policies at two county jails in a northeastern State.
Abstract
Even though the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2006) shows that most jails provide inmates with proper accommodations and in-house treatment programs, results reveal that visitors had concerns about conditions of inmates' incarceration. Respondents stated concerns about inmates having proper provisions, such as a bed and appropriate nutrition. Visitors also voiced concern about inmates receiving help with their problems, which included educational assistance, job training, and chemical dependency treatments. Findings suggest that visitors were not knowledgeable about jails and their rated capacities to house inmates. To meet the needs of the visitors more effectively, attention should be given to methods of visiting, jail staff training, dissemination of visitation policies, and conditions of inmates' incarceration. By addressing these issues, and problems that visitors encounter while visiting inmates may be lessened and their concerns about inmates may be decreased. These changes may lead to more amenable interactions between visitors and jail during visitation. Data were collected from 281 visitors from 2 county jails who completed a survey. Tables and references