Prison

About: Prison is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 25120 publications have been published within this topic receiving 470474 citations. The topic is also known as: jail & gaol.

Reducing Postrelease HIV Risk among Male Prison Inmates A Peer-Led Intervention

Abstract: Male prison inmates within 2 weeks of release were recruited to evaluate a prerelease HIV prevention intervention. A total of 414 inmates were randomly assigned to receive the intervention or to a comparison group. All participants completed a face-to-face survey at baseline; high rates of preincarceration at-risk behavior were reported. Follow-up telephone surveys were completed with 43% of participants; results support the effectiveness of the prerelease intervention. Men who received the intervention were significantly more likely to use a condom the first time they had sex after release from prison and also were less likely to have used drugs, injected drugs, or shared needles in the first 2 weeks after release from prison. Implications for the development, implementation, and evaluation of prison-based HIV prevention programs are discussed.

The criminogenic effects of imprisonment: evidence from state panel data, 1974–2002

Abstract: Research Summary: The heavy reliance on the use of incarceration in an attempt to address the crime problem has resulted in a dramatic growth in the number of state prisoners over the past 30 years In recent years, however, a growing concern has developed about the impact that large numbers of offenders released from prison will have on crime rates Using a state panel data set for 46 states from 1974 to 2002, this study demonstrates that although prison population growth seems to be associated with statistically significant decreases in crime rates, increases in the number of prisoners released from prison seem to be significantly associated with increases in crime Because we control for changes in prison population levels, we attribute the apparent positive influences on crime that seem to follow prison releases to the criminogenic effects of prison Policy Implications: Policy makers should continue to serve the public interest by carefully considering policies that are designed to reduce incarceration rates and thus assuage the criminogenic effects of prison These policies may include changes in sentencing, changes in probation and/or parole practices, or better funding of reentry services prerelease and postrelease

Prison buildup and disorder

Abstract: In contrast to the predictions of many, the prison buildup in the USA did not lead to dramatic increases in chaos behind bars. Instead, prison riots have become rarer, the homicide rate among inmates has declined dramatically and a smaller proportion of inmates are held in segregation and protective custody. Escapes are less common. What caused, then, the trend toward greater, rather than less, order? Neither demographics nor the development of supermax facilities are found to be responsible for much of the improvement. Rather, the data are consistent with the position that political and correctional leadership made prison institutions more effective. There may well be many negative social consequences of the prison buildup, but diminished prison order was not one.

Sex Offenders: An Analysis of Types

Abstract: The latest study from the Kinsey Institute, to determine whether persons convicted of sex offenses differ from other individuals, and if so, how, is a truly herculean labor. In a volume of almost 900 pages, the authors record in exhaustive detail various facets (chiefly sexual) of the lives of 1,356 sex offenders, 477 control subjects, and 888 prison inmates convicted of nonsexual crimes. The study is limited to white men over 16. The amount of printed minutiae is monumental, numbing the eye and brain with the profusion of statistical data and tables. The following heading of one of the 167 tables exemplifies the excessive minuteness of inquiry: "Sexual Arousal From Pictures of Sexual Action by Sexual Arousal From Seeing or Thinking About Females for Control, Prison and Sex-Offender Groups with Female Objects." This table alone contains 208 separate percentage figures. The authors' subdivide sex offenders into 14 classes, including heterosexual

Politically-motivated torture and its survivors:

Abstract: Objective This desk study intends to update and complement the desk study review of the torture rehabilitation literature completed in 1998 (Gurr and Quiroga, 2001), emphasizing areas not covered by the original study but updating the torture rehabilitation literature from the publication of the original desk study. Some selected earlier references have been retained, but the focus remains primarily on the published literature from 1998 through mid-2004. This paper intends to stand alone but will refer back to original study. The target audience is those working in or interested in the field of rehabilitation of politically motivated torture survivors. Findings since 1998 Perhaps the most important finding is that either torture has increased worldwide or the exposure of torture events has improved. Publications: Much has been written about trauma and torture, especially since the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001 (9/11) and the Abu Ghraib prison abuses in Iraq. The print and visual media has fostered a virtual explosion of information about torture and terrorism. Even in the professional literature, the relevant books are too numerous to catalogue here and beyond our scope. Research on PTSD and on the prevalence of torture has been notable. In addition, much information is more readily available with the increased access and availability of internet resources and publications. Changing Nature of Torture: After 9/11, terrorism and its relationship to torture became an issue.The use of torture methods to extract information from suspected terrorists became controversial. Evidence of torture by "civilized" western countries was uncovered. Worldwide, the context of torture has broadened to include many aspects of organized violence, often occurring during war. Antiimmigrant sentiment has not improved and, if anything, has worsened in the US Europe, and in many other Western countries. METHODS: The Abu Ghraib prison abuses and alleged torture by coalition forces in Iraq has fueled an international discussion about what methods constitute torture. Assessment: Progress has been made on the legal and forensic evaluation of torture survivors, notably publication of the Istanbul Protocol. Questions raised regarding the validity of memory recall have implications for assessment of torture survivors. Prevention: Passage of the UN Optional Protocol and formation of the International Criminal Court are significant advances in the effort to prevent and eradicate torture. Gaps in the literature since 1998 After a quarter of a century and dramatic expansion of rehabilitation efforts worldwide, there is still no consensus about the efficacy of treatment interventions for torture survivors. There is little additional literature about treatment outcome, models and structure of rehabilitation services, design of services, cost-effectiveness, or sustainability of services. General principles of assessment and treatment remain virtually unchanged. Controversies over PTSD applicability for torture survivors persist. Restructuring of the desk study New Structure: In order to focus the desk study on health issues, the sections with this emphasis will be presented as chapters while the remaining topics, which are more political, research, or prevention oriented will be included as appendices. Language: en