Corrections
Corrections

Author: United States. National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals

Publisher:

Published: 1973

Total Pages: 666

ISBN-13:

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The Commission recommends specific standards in pursuit of the achievement of six major goals for the improvement of the American correctional system. The American correctional system today appears to offer minimum protection for the public and maximum harm to the offender. The National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals, in its report on corrections, has proposed about 140 standards designed to change that situation. The standards spell out in detail where, why, how, and what improvements can and should be made in the corrections segment of the criminal justice system. This report is a reference work for the correctional professional as well as for the interested layman. Among its goals, the commission urges that disparities in sentencing be removed and justice in corrections be upheld by measures guaranteeing offenders' rights during and after incarceration. The scope of corrections can, and should, be narrowed by diverting many juveniles and sociomedical cases (alcoholics, drug addicts, prostitutes, and the mentally disturbed) to noncorrectional treatment programs and by decriminalizing certain minor offenses such as public drunkenness and vagrancy. Another goal states that probation should become the standard criminal sentence, retaining confinement chiefly for dangerous offenders and releasing a majority of offenders to improved and extended community-based programs. Corrections should undergo a planned integration into the total criminal justice system with each state unifying all correctional functions and programs for adults and juveniles within its executive branch.

Encyclopedia of American Prisons
Encyclopedia of American Prisons

Author: Marilyn D. McShane

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2004-08-02

Total Pages: 951

ISBN-13: 1135582696

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Original essays by corrections experts The United States has the lightest incarceration rate in the world and crime is one of the major driving forces of political discourse throughout the country. Information about penal institutions, imprisonment, and prisoners is important to everyone, from judges on the bench to citizens on the street. Now for the first time, a comprehensive reference work presents a full overview of incarceration in America. The Encyclopedia features original essays by leading U.S. corrections experts, who offer historical perspectives, insights into how and why the present prison system developed, where we are today, and where we are likely to be in the future. Every important aspect of American prisons is covered, from the handling of convicts with AIDS to juvenile delinquents behind bars, from boot camps to life without parole, from racial conflict to sexual exploitation. Features more than 160 signed articles More than 160 signed articles by recognized authorities are presented alphabetically by topic. The articles, ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 words, provide an overview of each subject and include a selective bibliography. The coverage introduces readers to individuals noted for their work with prisons (James Bennett, Dorothea Dix, Howard Gill); facilities renowned for setting precedents (Walnut Street Jail, Alcatraz, Marion); current policy, procedure, and program-oriented descriptions (contraband, boot camps, classification, technology); concise discussions of current prison issues (prisoners' rights, gangs, visits by the children of incarcerated women). Frequently the articles chart the historical evolution of a subject area, explore current issues, and predict future trends. Discusses vital issues The Encyclopedia also surveys and analyzes policies and procedures used in the past, such as chain gangs, building tenders, and Sacred Straight programs, as well as legislation that has shaped prison policy (such as the Ashurst-Summers Act and the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act). Offering a wealth of useful facts, this important new reference work contains a comprehensive name and subject index, internal cross-references, and a chronology of important events in prison history. The coverage encompasses historical and contemporary aspects of correctional institutions in the United States, discusses vital issues, and reports on the latest reaching findings. Photos of notable people and facilities accompany the text. This unique work fills a substantial reference need. Government officials, librarians, teachers, students, and professionals working within the corrections field will the coverage invaluable.