Just as
there are many different types of crimes that
may be committed, there are many different ways
a person may be punished and confined for
committing a crime. The following is a primer on
some of the types and kinds of jails and
prisons, and other forms of confinement in
America.
Jails
and Prisons
Private Jails and Prisons
A number
of jails and prisons in America are not run by
the government, but are instead owned and
operated by private companies under contract
with the government. Generally, private jails
and prisons are run in the same day-to-day
manner of structured inmate schedules and
limited contact with the outside world. Private
institutions have come under attack from many
people who argue that privatization of criminal
incarceration facilities is improper, as it
allows private individuals to "profit" from
crime.
Super-Maximum Security Prisons
The most
dangerous inmates are generally kept in
super-maximum security prisons or "Control Unit
Prisons." In addition to federal super-maximum
facilities, many states and counties have also
constructed (or adapted existing facilities
into) super-maximum jails.
- Most super-maximum facilities require that
prisoners in a control unit be kept in
solitary confinement for between twenty-two
and twenty-three hours per day. The inmates
are not allowed to eat, exercise, work, or
attend religious services together. The
inmates are considered to be in permanent
solitary confinement, as opposed to other
less-secure prisons where inmates may be
placed in solitary confinement for a period
of time in order to punish misbehavior. The
inmates are given access to medical and
mental health care, books, chaplains, and
religious materials.
Podular / Direct Supervision Jails
Podular
/ direct supervision jails, sometimes also
called "New Generation" jails, house inmates in
units or pods centered around a common
multipurpose space, as opposed to being
incarcerated in a traditional row of cells.
Podular / direct supervision jails operate on
the premise that consistent direct supervision
of inmates can curb negative behaviors.
Obviously, this type of system is not a good
method of incarcerating dangerous criminals, as
the common interaction areas with other
prisoners can lead to additional crimes.
Regional Jails
Regional
jails are facilities that two or more
jurisdictions run together, and which are
populated by inmates from those jurisdictions.
In some situations, a regional jail may be the
only incarceration facility in a particular
jurisdiction. In other situations, a
jurisdiction may have its "own" jail, and may
also send some inmates to a regional facility.
Secure
Mental Health Facilities
When an
inmate is adjudicated to be insane or mentally
incapacitated, they are often sentenced to
"serve time" in a secure mental health facility,
rather than placed in a normal prison or jail.
The purpose of these specialized facilities is
dual: they ensure the safety of others if the
inmates are considered dangerous, and they
ensure that the inmates will receive proper care
and treatment for their mental disabilities.
Boot
Camp Incarceration
Correctional boot camps (sometimes called "shock
incarceration") are an alternative that focuses
on deterring future unlawful conduct through a
combination of military-style physical training
and psychotherapeutic counseling.
- In
some areas, inmates may volunteer for boot
camp as an alternative to incarceration, and
may voluntarily drop out if it is found to
be too tough to handle.
- The
goal of most boot camps is the
rehabilitation of the offender. Boot camps
often use peer pressure in counseling
sessions to reinforce positive behavior and
discourage negative behavior. Many boot
camps are designed to "punish" and
resocialize criminal drug abusers.
- After release from boot camps, most inmates
are closely monitored by the appropriate
corrections department to aid their
reintegration to society. Most inmates
placed in boot camps "serve" less time than
they would if placed in a typical
incarceration facility.
Juvenile Detention Facilities
Generally, underage offenders are placed in
juvenile detention facilities. Many of these
detention facilities focus on rehabilitation of
the juvenile offender, rather than on pure
penalization. In some cases, juvenile detention
facilities are used to house offenders who
commit a crime that, if not for their age, would
have required incarceration. In other cases,
juvenile detention facilities are used to punish
behaviors unique to that age group, such as
habitual truancy.
- Juvenile detention facilities are often run
much like a regular prison or jail, with
strict schedules, codes of expected
behavior, and punishment for misbehavior.
- The
purpose of placing juvenile offenders in
separate facilities from adult criminals is
to insulate juveniles from "bad influences,"
to protect them, and to attempt to curb
criminal tendencies before adulthood is
reached. However, many juveniles who commit
serious crimes and are tried as adults may
be placed in juvenile facilities until they
reach adulthood, at which time they may be
transferred to adult facilities.
Probation and Intermediate Sanctions
Probation, and other intermediate sanctions, are
different from incarceration. An example of an
intermediate sanction might be community
service. An individual convicted of a crime who
receives probation, rather than incarceration,
will be required to comply with "rules" set down
by the court. For instance, the individual might
need to participate in counseling or
psychotherapy, might have to submit to drug
testing, might have to search for and find work,
and will have to report regularly to a probation
official. If the convicted individual violates
the terms of probation or other intermediate
sanction, they risk incarceration.
Disclaimer
This
publication and the information included in it
are not intended to serve as a substitute for
consultation with an attorney. Specific legal
issues, concerns and conditions always require
the advice of appropriate legal professionals.
