Correctional System Timeline

Correctional System Timeline

Federal Prisons

Alternatives to Prison

Prison Style

Reflection

We believe that the criminal justice system has improved throughout time and shows progression. Stricter sentencing in the 1980's showed a huge decrease in crime rates and lowered the number of inmates in prison. Texas strict death penalty sentencing showed that it helped reduce violent crimes like rape and murder.

In order to reduce prison expenses and inmates incarcerated in 2000 a California law required judges to offer non violent offenders substance abuse or mental health treatment instead of prison time saving the state up to $18 million a year. In New York the reason why incarceration rate and crime rates have decreased is because of nonprofit organizations like 'Center for Alternatives Sentencing and Employment Services and the "Center of Employment Opportunities' have worked with the justice system to offer community-based alternatives to traditional sanctions.

Corrections officials have built 213 state and Federal prisons from 1990 to 1995 to cope with a quickly expanding inmate population. As of June 30, 1995, state or Federal prisons held 1.02 million people, up from 715,649 in 1990. In Texas serious violent offenders released in 1998 served 74 percent of their sentences, compared to only 30 percent in 1990. The state now mandates that convicts serve a minimum of 50 percent of their sentences. n response, the Texas crime rate dropped 50 percent faster that for the nation as a whole.

Two competing idea emerged of how a prison should be run; the Auburn system and the Eastern Penitentiary System. Auburn system took it's name from the Auburn, New York, which opened in 1819. System was modified so that inmates slept in separate cells but worked and ate together. However the inmates were forced to stay quiet to prevent prisoners from picking up bad attitudes and would promote rehabilitation. Eastern Penitentiary System prison building was designed in the form of a central hub. Small cells lined each spoke and prisoners had their own exercise space, this promoted extreme isolation. This cause high suicide rates.

1990

2000

2009

1980

Death Sentences

Treatment for Mentally Ill Prisoner's

Alternatives to Prison

On June 30, 2000, 1,394 of the Nation’s 1,558 State public and private adult correctional facilities reported that they provide mental health services to their inmates. Nearly 70% of facilities housing State prison inmates reported that, as a matter of policy, they screen inmates at intake; 65% conduct psychiatric assessments; 51% provide 24-hour mental health care; 71% provide therapy/counseling by trained mental health professionals.

During 2000, 27 States and the Federal prison system received 214 prisoners under sentence of death. Texas (34 admissions), California (31), Florida (20), North Carolina (18), and Pennsylvania (12) accounted for more than half of those sentenced in 2000. During 2000, 83 men and 2 women were executed: 49 whites, 35 blacks, and 1 American Indian. The executed inmates included 6 Hispanics (all white). Eighty of the executions were carried out by lethal injection and 5 by electrocution.

In the 1990's boot camps became the most publicized prison initiatives it was referred to as shock incarceration centers and intensive confinement centers. With a nearly 36 states the country prison system establishing boot camps by the mid 1990's. 1980' and 1990's were considered the "get tough" because the public viewed them to be tough on crime and criminals.