Ethics in Criminal Justice

Clinton Duling

Prison Culture and Classification

CJUS263-1303B

Colorado Technical University Online

Instructor: Christopher Marco

18 September 2013

Abstract

This paper covers the classification of prison and other correctional facilities, both state and federal. The definition and description of subjective and objective classification. No matter how tough you are being incarcerated will take a toll on you. Also covered in this paper, is the affect's that being incarcerated has on an individual and the type of culture that is in a prison. Women who are incarcerated face much of the same challenges as male offenders do, but they have a few other issues to deal with such as pregnancy. Topics that will be covered are the affects incarceration has on women and programs that are offered to women instead of men. No matter if you're a man or a woman who is incarcerated, there are different types of rehabilitative programs. Those programs will be covered and explained within this paper

Our correctional system has grown to an enormous size since the 1800's and it still continues to grow today. The type of offense's that people are committing today, require different types of prison to house these offenders in. This requires that a prison has a classification to make sure that the offender is going to be housed at the appropriate facility. No matter how big, bad, tough and manly you are. The effects of being incarcerated whether in a state of federal facility, will eventually take a toll on you. A lot of people who think or hear about prison might not think about the women who are in prison. Women face some different challenges that men do and they have some other programs that are offered to them the men don't. Whether you're a man or a woman who is incarcerated, the goal is to rehabilitate and make them a productive member of society. This is done by a few programs like restorative justice and prisoner reentry. Our correctional system is an ever changing and it has to be in order to be able to rehabilitate offenders.

Classification in prison is extremely important, because it is used to determine an offender's classification level. We do not want an individual who needs to be in a maximum security prison sent to a minimum or medium security prison. You also would not want an individual who needs treatment for a mental condition to go to a facility that does not have that type of program. The presentence report is completed once an individual has been found guilty. This is because there is some more investigating to complete. This type of report allows the judge to determine how long the offender is to be sentenced, type of programs the individual need, how violent the offender is and so on. This is the classification of the individual and allows that offender to be properly placed in the prison system. County jails are used to house offenders who are awaiting trail and serving out short sentences. North Carolina uses 11 processing center to initiate the classification process. "There are two reception centers for females, two for male youth, and seven for adult males. Upon admission, processing and evaluation of offenders begins. They are put through a series of evaluations, including medical and mental health screenings. Prison classification specialists develop an individual profile of each inmate that includes the offender's crime, social background, education, job skills and work history, health, and criminal record, including prior prison sentences. Based on this information, the offender is assigned to the most appropriate custody classification and prison." (doc.state.nc.us, 2012) The federal system works a little different. The Bureau of Prisons uses an office located in Texas to determine the classification of an offender. "Upon sentencing in Federal District Court, the Bureau of Prisons has the sole responsibility in determining where an offender will be designated for service of his/her sentence in accordance with Program Statement 5100.08, Inmate Security and Custody Classification manual. Prior to a designation occurring, the DSCC must receive for consideration all sentencing material regarding the offender. These documents are processed and received from the sentencing Court, U.S. Probation Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service." (bop.gov, n.d.) Once a determination has been made as to where to send an individual. The BOP tries to keep an inmate within a 500 mile radius of their release location. The difference between state and federal prisons. Is that an inmate can be transferred to a federal prison in a different state at any time.

No matter how tough you are or think you are, prison will have an effect on you. Everyone who is incarcerated will at some point experience a psychological effect. This is because prison is extremely painful. Incarcerated individuals experience things like pain, deprivation, extremely abnormal patterns and interacting with other. This can and does have a huge effect on someone mentally and physically. Some positive elements in a prison system are allowing inmates to work, counseling and educational systems. I think by allowing an inmate to work or attend educational classes, you are taking their minds off of things that could get them into more trouble. This is extremely important because it can lower attacks on inmates and guards. Some negative elements are overcrowding, drugs and so on. Overcrowding of prisons are causing more inmate on inmate assaults and inmate on guard's assaults. Drugs are another big issue in a prison system. These inmates have nothing else to do except doing drugs and they end up becoming addicted or over dosing. This addiction will follow them to the free world once they are released. Almost everything about a prison is negative, that is why almost everyone does now want to end up there.

Being incarcerated is not a fun experience whether you're a man or a woman. Women have different issues that they must face while in prison then men do. One example is women who are in prison while pregnant. These prisons tend to have a nurseries so the incarcerate women can have their child. Just because a woman is pregnant, does not mean that they should not have to serve out their sentence. These prison have to be equipped to deal with these issues. For the most part, the same programs that are available to men in prison are available to women who are in prison. Once program that women