Showing papers in "The Prison Journal in 2010"
TL;DR: In 2007, approximately 810,000 men and women in state and federal prisons were parents to more than 1.7 million children under the age of 18, one third of whom will turn 18 while their parent(s) is incarcerated as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: In 2007, approximately 810,000 men and women in state and federal prisons were parents to more than 1.7 million children under the age of 18, one third of whom will turn 18 while their parent(s) is incarcerated. Parental incarceration increases the risk that children will experience later behavioral and emotional problems, have troubles in school, and become involved in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Parenting-related prison programming offers some promise in lessening the negative consequences of parental incarceration, both for children and the incarcerated parent. This study presents the results from a national survey of wardens from male and female correctional facilities to measure the prevalence of programs and services for incarcerated parents and their underage children.
104 citations
TL;DR: Burnout, a syndrome caused by excessive strain and psychological exhaustion, comprises the dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and feelings of being ineffective as mentioned in this paper, and it is characterized by depression, anxiety, and hopelessness.
Abstract: Burnout, a syndrome caused by excessive strain and psychological exhaustion, comprises the dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and feelings of being ineffective. Survey results f...
100 citations
TL;DR: Being a good mother, mothering from prison, role redefinition, disassociation from prisoner identity, self-transformation, planning and preparation, and self-blame emerge.
Abstract: Although female offenders are the fastest growing population in prison today, relatively few studies focus on their unique experiences as mothers. In this study, the authors utilize 74 semistructured interviews with mothers before trial and during incarceration to document coping strategies employed to deal with potential or actual separation from their children. From the study data, seven strategies emerge: being a good mother, mothering from prison, role redefinition, disassociation from prisoner identity, self-transformation, planning and preparation, and self-blame. The findings show that mothers used multiple strategies and tended to employ emotion-focused and adaptive coping techniques. The policy implications are discussed.
96 citations
TL;DR: In the United States, inmates maintain high rates of recidivism when released from correctional institutions as discussed by the authors, and a large body of research addresses indicators of risk for recidivation after rel...
Abstract: In the United States, inmates maintain high rates of recidivism when released from correctional institutions. Although a large body of research addresses indicators of risk for recidivism after rel...
93 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the results of research on the trauma histories and stressful life events experienced by 2,279 male and female inmate parents in Arizona, with a particular focus on gender and ethnic differences across inmates.
Abstract: Abuse and trauma are common in the histories of prison inmates. This article presents the results of research on the trauma histories and stressful life events experienced by 2,279 male and female inmate parents in Arizona, with a particular focus on gender and ethnic differences across inmates. A sample of 838 incarcerated fathers and 1,441 mothers completed anonymous questionnaires regarding traumatic and stressful events experienced as children and/or adults. High rates of exposure to childhood and adult traumatic events, especially child abuse, were found for both males and females and across ethnic groups.
89 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present findings on substance abuse and service needs of male and female inmate parents in Arizona, with a particular focus on mental health and substance abuse in prison inmates.
Abstract: Substance abuse is increasingly common in prison inmates. This article presents findings on substance abuse and service needs of male and female inmate parents in Arizona, with a particular focus o...
47 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the experiences of 24 inmates who attempted suicide in six state prison facilities in Oregon and classified them into three categories: mental health issues, relationship issues, and prison factors.
Abstract: Suicide is an important cause of death in prisons across the United States. Existing research on prison suicides has been criticized for focusing on static variables such as demographics. The purpose of the present investigation was to study dynamic variables by examining the experiences of 24 inmates who attempted suicide in prison. Inmates were interviewed in six state prison facilities in Oregon. The results were organized into three categories: mental health issues, relationship issues, and prison factors. The themes and subthemes of each category are illustrated with quotes, and results are discussed in light of relevant literature.
46 citations
TL;DR: Prison adjustment research has often relied on unidimensional measurement approaches as mentioned in this paper, examining immediate adjustment to the prison environment without considering longer term reintegration, and this approach has been shown to be ineffective.
Abstract: Prison adjustment research has often relied on unidimensional measurement approaches. However, examining immediate adjustment to the prison environment without considering longer term reintegration...
43 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an exploratory study examined inmates' intentions to report their own sexual victimization and recommend others to officially report their assaults, and found that more than 900 male and female inmates in a Sou...
Abstract: This exploratory study examined inmates’ intentions to report their own sexual victimization and recommend others to officially report their assaults. More than 900 male and female inmates in a Sou...
36 citations
TL;DR: The study consists of document analyses and staff and inmate interviews in the two Finnish prisons with special units for children and highlights the lack of information on children residing in prisons as well as the absence of guidelines for practice illustrated by the term “institutional invisibility.”
Abstract: This article presents the results of a study carried out in Finland on the position of children who accompany their parent to prison. The study consists of document analyses and staff and inmate interviews in the two Finnish prisons with special units for children. The results highlight the lack of information on children residing in prisons as well as the lack of guidelines for practice illustrated by the term “institutional invisibility.” The term “institutional invisibility” informs about the vagueness of the prison practices in relation to children and their parents.
31 citations
TL;DR: Using a triangulated research design, this article examined the mental health of life-without-parole (LWOP) inmates and found that two groups of LWOP inmates were con...
Abstract: Using a triangulated research design, this research examines the mental health of life without parole (LWOP) inmates. A bivariate analysis of the mental health of two groups of LWOP inmates was con...
TL;DR: The authors examined the impact of incarceration rates on child poverty rates and found that mass incarceration has significantly increased child poverty rate in North Carolina, especially in counties with a high proportion of non-White residents.
Abstract: Traditionally, research on the tremendous variation in the use of incarceration across time and space has focused on the issue of whether imprisoning more offenders reduces crime. More recently, research has begun to explore the collateral consequences of mass incarceration for the families and communities of those imprisoned. The current study adds to this burgeoning literature by examining the impact of incarceration rates on child poverty rates. Employing a panel design for North Carolina county data, 1995-2007, we use instrumental variable techniques to disentangle the effect of incarceration on poverty from the effect of poverty on incarceration. The results indicate that mass incarceration has significantly increased child poverty rates. The impact of adult incarceration on child poverty appears especially pronounced in counties with a high proportion of non-White residents.
TL;DR: The average long-term prisoner's risk of reoffending diminishes with age as discussed by the authors, in part because some prisoners experience significant maturation and undergo substantial and relevant personality change.
Abstract: The average long-term prisoner’s risk of reoffending diminishes with age, in part because some prisoners experience significant maturation and undergo substantial and relevant personality change. T...
TL;DR: For one state correctional system, 1998 through 2006, 121 perpetrators were compared with 121 nonperpetrators as discussed by the authors, and sexual abuse victimization as a child, a life sentence, and adult sexual assault convi...
Abstract: For one state correctional system, 1998 through 2006, 121 perpetrators were compared with 121 nonperpetrators. Sexual abuse victimization as a child, a life sentence, and adult sexual assault convi...
TL;DR: In 2009, two Idaho prisoners with gender identity disorders (GIDs) settled lawsuits against the Idaho Department of Corrections for failing to treat properly their conditions as mentioned in this paper, and two other prisoners in other states h...
Abstract: In 2009, two Idaho prisoners with gender identity disorders (GIDs) settled lawsuits against the Department of Corrections for failing to treat properly their conditions. Prisoners in other states h...
TL;DR: It is concluded that although correctional health care systems have made strides in bringing appropriate medical care to pregnant prisoners, more remains to be done to raise the quality of care to those similarly situated in the free-world.
Abstract: This article examines mothers in prison, highlighting the complexity and detrimental consequences incarceration has for their families and children. It documents the legal remedies available to pregnant prisoners, focusing on their unique medical needs. After reviewing the U.S. Supreme Court’s standard for liability, the article explores lower court case law to establish the legal parameters of pregnant prisoners’ health care needs. The article concludes that although correctional health care systems have made strides in bringing appropriate medical care to pregnant prisoners, more remains to be done to raise the quality of care to those similarly situated in the free-world.
TL;DR: Results suggest that the therapeutic milieu inside the Sharon prison was significantly different from other prison-based therapeutic modalities and that this difference may be responsible for improved treatment retention and compliance as well as lowering recidivism rates.
Abstract: This study examines how a change in prison milieu affected both inmate and staff experiences of treatment within a regular correctional facility. Specifically, the study seeks to demonstrate how a ...
TL;DR: It is proposed that women, to be reasonable parents once they leave prison, require transition programs, such as Reentry Court programs, that are comprehensive and gender sensitive.
Abstract: Perceptions of fairness affect how social actors behave and think. Incarcerated women perceive varying degrees of fairness in terms of their prison experiences and with respect to legal institutions that address family and related matters. The authors analyze census survey data produced by women in prison and during small group interviews with mothers in prison to examine how the law is understood by them, focusing on perceptions of fairness. All told, women perceive that when it comes to family matters, they are treated fairly within prison, yet they perceive injustices by the legal system. The authors conclude the article by proposing that women, to be reasonable parents once they leave prison, require transition programs, such as Reentry Court programs, that are comprehensive and gender sensitive.
TL;DR: Findings showed that injury as a health problem posed an urgent challenge to jail administration and was associated with an identified set of risks, many of them susceptible to preventive interventions.
Abstract: Traumatic injuries undermine the physical well-being of jail inmates and could complicate their reentry process. This study assessed the prevalence, nature, and risk factors of violence- and accident-related injuries among jail inmates in the United States. Data from the 2002 Survey of Inmates in Local Jails (N = 6,982) were analyzed. Findings showed that injury as a health problem posed an urgent challenge to jail administration and was associated with an identified set of risks, many of them susceptible to preventive interventions. Unlike many preexisting health conditions, injury can be proactively controlled by jail authorities and its negative effects can be successfully reduced with community partnerships.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors measure community satisfaction with and perceptions about the economic impact of state correctional facilities located within four rural counties in the US. But, their focus was on the economic impacts of state corrections facilities.
Abstract: This article is part of a larger study that sought to measure community satisfaction with and perceptions about the economic impact of state correctional facilities located within four rural commun
TL;DR: The cognitive-behavioral and humanistic approaches to treatment are often considered to be inherently at odds with one another, because cognitivebehavioral programs often follow a rigid format whereas humanistic programs explicitly accommodate the individuality of offenders as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The cognitive-behavioral and humanistic approaches to treatment are often considered to be inherently at odds with one another, because cognitive-behavioral programs often follow a rigid format whereas humanistic programs explicitly accommodate the individuality of offenders. Drawing on observations from an in-depth, on-site immersion in a prison treatment program, the authors demonstrate that these seemingly disparate approaches can be merged in practice with positive results, particularly when used in conjunction with an emphasis on mature coping skills.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an evaluation of a new high-tech jail in the Netherlands, which is built around a number of significant innovations, such as inmates staying in six-person cells, inmates wearing electronic wristbands to track their movements, and guards being equipped with handheld devices to monitor trouble.
Abstract: In this article, the authors present an evaluation of a new high-tech jail in the Netherlands. The prison is build around a number of significant innovations, such as inmates staying in six-person cells, inmates wearing electronic wristbands to track their movements, and guards being equipped with handheld devices to monitor trouble. According to the public authorities, the prison is seen as the future of correctional facilities: cheap and efficient, while at the same time not coddling criminals or violating their fundamental rights. The subject of the present study is employee effectiveness and safety in this new type of prison.
TL;DR: An examination of the health profile of the prisoners for the period from 1860 to 1873 suggests that their overall health status was similar to that of the military, another transient group resident on the Rock, however, during the cholera epidemic of 1865, the health of the convicts was severely compromised with significantly higher attack and mortality rates.
Abstract: Convict Stations were commonplace during the 19th century. Despite the fact that thousands of prisoners of the British Empire served out their sentences under deplorable conditions, scant information exists on the health of these men. Using Gibraltar’s Convict Station as a case study, a profile of life of the convicts is documented. An examination of the health profile of the prisoners for the period from 1860 to 1873 suggests that their overall health status was similar to that of the military, another transient group resident on the Rock. However, during the cholera epidemic of 1865, the health of the convicts was severely compromised with significantly higher attack and mortality rates. Factors responsible for the higher rates can be attributed to a cluster of vulnerabilities that were intrinsic to the convict way of life where exposure to a host of risk factors played out during a compressed period of time.
TL;DR: The authors examines conditions, albeit for different types of offenders, in the city of Philadelphia from the end of the Revolution until the mid-19th century, where the city was known worldwide for its innovations in the treatment of offenders.
Abstract: Philadelphia from the end of the Revolution until the mid-19th century was known worldwide for its innovations and ideals in the treatment of offenders. This article examines conditions, albeit for...
TL;DR: Rubenstein was charged, tried, and convicted in Kings County, New York, for the 1875 murder of his 19-year-old cousin, Sarah Alexander,.
Abstract: This article tells the story of Pesach Rubenstein and how he cheated the hangman in 1876. Rubenstein was charged, tried, and convicted in Kings County, New York, for the 1875 murder of his 19-year-old cousin, Sarah Alexander. The Rubenstein case is noteworthy in that it received unprecedented media attention in the 1870s, involved the use of rudimentary forensic evidence at the trial, and divided the community on issues of religion, ethnicity, immigration (the victim and defendant were recent Jewish immigrants from Poland), and imposition of the death penalty. Using a case study approach to analyze the trial transcript, newspaper articles, and historical accounts of the murder investigation, Rubenstein’s trial, and his incarceration at Brooklyn’s Raymond Street Jail, this article offers a glimpse into the operations of an urban jail in an earlier era when our criminal justice system was in its infancy.