NCJ Number
83436
Journal
Criminal Law Bulletin Volume: 11 Issue: 5 Dated: (September-October 1975) Pages: 637-646
Date Published
1975
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article summarizes the history of the U.N. Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and analyzes their adoption by six States -- Connecticut, South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Minnesota.
Abstract
The Standard Rules were endorsed by a U.N. Congress in 1955, but no member country has formally adopted them despite recommendations from U.N. agencies and the General Assembly. Many U.S. States, however, have adopted the Rules by way of executive and administrative order in what appears to be a growing trend. To illustrate specific approaches to adapting the Rules to individual States' needs, the paper presents the adopting orders of six States and briefly examines their content. All were issued by an executive body, generally the governor or corrections administration. Pennsylvania's 1971 action is the oldest, while the remainder were issued in 1974. Some orders include the full text of the Standard Rules, and others incorporate the Rules by reference. Many mandate that State laws override the U.N. Rules when a conflict arises. It is hoped that the materials in this article will guide States who are contemplating official adoption of the Rules. The Rules are a major item on the agenda for the 1975 U.N. Congress on the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders, indicating that they remain very much alive.