Jails and Prisons Paper

Introduction

Most members of law enforcement are able to distinguish between the two, but the terms jail and prison are often interchangeable. The primary difference is that a jail is used by local law enforcement agencies, such as cities and counties, to house prisoners for less lengthy periods of time. A prison is run by the state or privately owned by a corporation (Prison Privatization) . A prison is a facility used to house convicted criminals for a longer period of time. Jails and prisons are only but a part of a larger criminal justice system. Other aspects of the criminal justice system are the courts, detention officers, attorneys, law enforcement officers, and crime labs.

Four Types of Prisons

The four types of prisons are military prisons, juvenile prisons, psychiatric prisons, and political prisons. Another classification would group them as Supermax prisons, administrative

prisons, mediums security, and low security prisons (Carlson & Garrett, 1999).

Prison: A Total Institution

A total institution is an institution where a majority of prisoners work and live, all of which usually belong to a similar class, and are kept segregated from society for an extended period of time (Encyclopedia). In such a place, he or she will lead a controlled and regulated life. A prison is a good example of a total institution because a prisoners life, as well as his or her needs, are under specific rules and regulations. The prisoner is detached from the decision making process concerning his or her fate and, at the same time, he or she has no say in his or her future. The rate of social and physical abuse at the hands of the system can often occur because even very personal decisions and facts, such as location of stay and medical conditions, are kept from people entering total institutions.

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The Role of Jails

Jails also play a critical role within our society. When a crime is committed the society loses some of its value as a whole. Jails are used as a means to prevent losses of all kinds

by the prevention of socially unacceptable behavior through segregation from the general public. Frankly speaking, had it not been for jails and the procedures of incarceration, we would still have had to execute or badly humiliate fellow human beings or resort to primitive methods of punishments such as lashes and beatings. Jails provide a relief to society from a criminal, and at the same time, provides prisoners with time off to think over the significance of his or her life and what he or she needs to do to become a productive member of society. Jails also help lessen gang and criminal activity through the immediate confinement and diffusion of dysfunctional behavior and actions created by the criminals (Diiulio, 1990).

Role of Community Based Corrections Programs

Community based corrections programs are essential because they make prisoners feel as if he or she too can contribute and be a productive member of society. This boosts his or her self-esteem and provides a safe, controlled environment in which the prisoner can interact with the society outside (Diiulio, 1990). Reform is at the heart of these programs. If community programs were not available, the behavior by which the prisoner has handled himself or herself thus far would continue, and in the long run, both the inmate and society would have to lose.

Violent behavior

Violent behavior is all too common and it does not depend as much on the level of prison security, but rather, depends on the chances that a prisoner may or may not have in attacking and getting away. When there is violent behavior on the part of a prisoner, and he or she is found to

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be the instigator, the detention officer is given a reason to demonstrate his or her response

along with the corresponding attitude toward the kind of behavior displayed by the prisoner. The