This thesis examines the world of solitary confinement within the prison system. My research was inspired by Ashley Smith, a 19-year old segregated inmate who died in isolation while seven guards watched. This outrageous occurrence prompted me to question the practice of solitary confinement and a prison system in which such an event could occur. Studying the history of solitary confinement left me surprised to learn that it was originally intended as a therapeutic and merciful alternative to the punishments of the day. This revelation was one of a series of inversions that led me to conclude that solitary confinement is a world apart, not just physically, but also socially, temporally and legally. I have concluded that improving the lives of those segregated within our prisons requires the world of solitary confinement to become anchored within the broader legal and social context.

This thesis examines the world of solitary confinement within the prison system. My research was inspired by Ashley Smith, a 19-year old segregated inmate who died in isolation while seven guards watched. This outrageous occurrence prompted me to question the practice of solitary confinement and a prison system in which such an event could occur. Studying the history of solitary confinement left me surprised to learn that it was originally intended as a therapeutic and merciful alternative to the punishments of the day. This revelation was one of a series of inversions that led me to conclude that solitary confinement is a world apart, not just physically, but also socially, temporally and legally. I have concluded that improving the lives of those segregated within our prisons requires the world of solitary confinement to become anchored within the broader legal and social context.

At a time where cutbacks on spending are a huge focal point across all government levels, the prison system, and effectively combating crime, has been intensely focused upon. With the United States having the highest rate of incarceration of any country in the world, the significance of this focus is understandable. Its prison system is much larger compared to that of other nations, and therefore is a high priority for the United States. As stated in The Economist, “No other rich country is nearly as punitive as the Land of the Free.” With such high costs associated with the prison system, understanding the most effective ways to operate the facilities and programs is necessary. When looking at the impact of the system on reducing crime, there are various programs that have different effects on crime reduction. Analyzing what has the most potential for reducing crime while taking costs into account is useful for the government in an attempt to most effectively utilize resources and the allotted budget.

This essay considers the new prison in Kalmar, which was built 1852 and replaced the former prison in the castle of Kalmar. In the forts the conditions were awful and the interms lived together in large rooms. With the new reform that took place in Sweden, with the so-called Philadelphiasystem, the concept was to isolate the prisoner one by one in smaller rooms. The idea was to give them a religious ground so they could get themselves a self-reflection and a conscience. It was a new system for the personnel to control the internals and the order in prison.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 2000. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2939. Typescript. Abstract precedes thesis title page as 2 preliminary leaves. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-92).

Reproduction de : Thèse doctorat : Sociologie : Metz : 2002. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Notes bibliographiques.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Open University.

Witnessing victimization in prison is a relatively new area of research. Prison victimization research focuses on direct experiences of victimization and its attending consequences; however, studies have not focused on the vicarious victimization experiences of prisoners. Drawing from the prison victimization, witnessing/exposure to violence, and offender reentry literature, this study will investigate the link between witnessing victimization in prison and individual post-release outcomes. Using multivariate analyses, I examined the extent to which individuals witness victimization in prison and the effects of witnessing victimization on individual post-release outcomes using The Prison Experience and Reentry study, a longitudinal study of 1613 males residing in Ohio halfway houses. The findings suggest that a significant proportion of offenders witness victimization while incarcerated. Furthermore, witnessing victimization, particularly witnessing sexual victimization and stealing, was significantly related to post-release outcomes. Policy implications and directions for future research are discussed.

published_or_final_version / Sociology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Despite the importance of offenders’ perspectives of the criminal justice system, inmates’ perceptions of prison life remain largely unexplored in correctional research. In the current study, data were analyzed from a survey of approximately 700 incarcerated felons, focusing on their perceptions regarding the perceived difficulty or severity of prison. The correlates of these perceptions were examined, as well as the impact of such perceptions on inmates’ intentions to avoid crime after release. The findings suggest that, while most inmates perceive prison life as difficult, a sizeable proportion of inmates do not find prison time to be overly difficult or severe. Further, inmates who do not view prison as difficult are less likely to report intentions to avoid crime after release. Implications for deterrence theory and future research are discussed.