CRJ 501 Corrections Paper
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Apr 3, 2024
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M7 Assignment: Corrections Paper: Prompt 2 Madeline Gillespie
New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
CRJ 501
Dr. Pelletier
December 1, 2023
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What might correctional administrators do to alleviate the negative aspects of restrictive housing? Correctional administrators are essential when it comes to managing the operations and functions of correctional facilities. This can include maintaining the staff and prisoners' safety, security, and well-being. The use of restrictive housing is one of the major issues they encounter.
Restrictive housing, also known as solitary confinement, involves isolating inmates from the general population for extended periods of time. A correctional institution can “impose restrictions on their movement, behavior, and privileges” (Kane et al., 2014). The topic of restrictive housing has been a controversial practice within correctional systems. Although the use of restrictive housing can often be considered necessary for preserving order and addressing security concerns, it comes with its negative aspects. Isolation for an extended period of time has
been shown to have a detrimental effect on social skills, mental health, and one’s capacity to reintegrate into society or the general population successfully. In recent years, this topic has received more attention from researchers, policymakers, the media, and government agencies. This essay will examine the potential steps that administrators of jails can take to reduce the negative effects of solitary confinement, specifically on actions such as cutting back on its use, improving conditions, offering mental health support, implementing individual programs, exploring alternative forms of punishment, and focusing on rehabilitative methods.
Restrictive housing also known as solitary confinement first emerged in the late 18th century and has been in place ever since. Its original intended purpose was to manage those who had committed acts of violence in jails but now it has become a tool for acknowledging all forms
of rule violations. It has been noted that correctional facilities rely heavily on solitary confinement. There are three main forms of solitary confinement: administrative segregation,
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disciplinary segregation, and protective custody. Administrative segregation is for the inmates who are considered to be at a high risk for victimization. Protective confinement is sometimes voluntary but focuses on protecting the individual from themselves. Lastly, disciplinary segregation typically follows a disciplinary hearing relating to an instance of misconduct. The use and practice of restrictive housing can “result in physical and psychological damage that can persist after release” (Vera, n.d.). These issues can make it difficult for inmates to transition back
into the general population of prisons. Some psychiatric risks associated with solitary confinement are perceptual distortions, impulse control, and an increase in the difficulty of concentrating or thinking. Along with this comes the long-term effects of being in isolation for an extended period of time. These can include things such as an inmate having an impaired sense
of identity, depression, irritability, violent behaviors, suicidal, hallucinations, and an overall decline in mental and physical health. An important aspect to note is that solitary confinement is harmful to those who have preexisting mental illness. Moving forward, there is evidence of neurological effects such as changes in electrical activity in the brain. James & Vanko (2021) state that studies show that the brains of rodents subjected to isolation exhibit dramatic changes, including fewer neurons, smaller neurons, decreased connections between neurons, and fewer blood vessels in the brain. Lastly, physiological issues with solitary confinement. Research shows that inmates who are placed in solitary confinement can develop serious health problems. This includes heart attacks from stress, weakness of the bones, eyesight deterioration, etc. To conclude, the practice of solitary confinement also known as restrictive housing, has an extensive
background within correctional facilities. Initially intended to manage violent offenders has now been used as a tool to address all rule violations. This reliance on solitary confinement within correctional facilities raises concerns. The use of restrictive confinement has been linked to
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negative psychological and physical effects on inmates that can last even after they are released. Considering these negative effects, it is important for correctional administrators to address future reforms related to solitary confinement. Acknowledging the need for change and striving for a more humane and fair method of operating correctional facilities is vital. In recent years there have been state-level reforms issued. To begin, numerous states over
the years have reformed their restrictive housing policies. This has resulted in a decrease in segregated populations. Other improvements have been associated with this as well such as reduced prison violence, officer morale, and cost savings. Reforms vary from jurisdictions, but they have been classified into broad categories. These categories are prevention, specialized housing units, stricter rules for placement and length of stay, regular status reviews, and re-entry programming (U.S. Department of Justice, 2016). Prevention reforms are intended to prevent the
type of aggressive behavior that leads to segregation. These policies allow correctional staff to aid in early prevention through the detection of prisoners who may be susceptible to violence, victimization, or mental health problems. The policies include management tools that come along with risk assessment programs. Next, specialized housing unit reforms include the creation
of special housing units for a particular category of prisoners who are required to be kept apart from the general population, but do not need the types of constraints present in a “traditional” segregated unit. The idea of specialized housing units is for inmates who have serious mental health issues and those who need protective custody. The reform model that constitutes the ideas of stricter rules for placement and length of stay involves limiting the when, why, and how long an inmate can be put in restrictive housing (U.S. Department of Justice, 2016). This specifically involves disciplinary segregation. Jurisdictions are limiting the list of offenses deemed for punishment in terms of restrictive housing. Other jurisdictions have created limits on the amount
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of time one can spend in solitary confinement. Status reviews have become more prevalent for states. These include states implementing reviews of inmates who are placed in solitary confinement, this helps to ensure that inmates who do not belong in confinement will be moved into a different setting. States are ensuring that these reviews are being carried out by multi-
disciplinary prison officers, which include mental health personnel. Lastly, re-entry programming reforms focus on rehabilitation while one is in restrictive housing. This ensures that an inmate can return to the general prison population safely. Along with these suggested reforms, numerous states have seen a shift in restrictive housing. Correctional systems are using restrictive housing as a last resort option rather than the automatic solution. In addition to state-level reforms, there has been a federal level of support for these reforms being implemented. A report noted that “The Justice Department offers substantial support to help state and local jurisdictions develop and maintain safe, effective, and humane correctional systems (U.S. Department of Justice, 2016). First, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) has invested numerous resources to support states with the reforms of restrictive housing. One resource is the Technical Assistance to Requesting Jurisdictions also referred to as the TA program. Through this program, the NIC directly attends to state and local correctional agencies' needs, issues, and specific demands. The NIC’s technical assistance includes “onsite guidance, support, consultation, or training provided by experienced technical resource providers and/or NIC staff members who serve in an advisory capacity and work with agency staff” (U.S. Department of Justice, 2016). Another resource implemented by the NIC is the management of a restrictive housing training program. This is a 32-hour training program that focuses on the administration of inmates housed in restrictive conditions under the supervision and authority of national departments of corrections. The training program explores
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issues within the reintegration of inmates, management strategies, legal issues, etc. The Office of
Justice Programs (OJP) helps jurisdictions and agencies by supporting them with a range of justice programs. It provides direct grants and other assistance to correctional systems. To conclude, federal support for reforms to address the negative impacts of restrictive housing is crucial. Programs such as the NIC and OJP have supported states in these reform efforts. By working collectively with the state and local jurisdictions, it can contribute to a more compassionate and effective correctional system. All things considered, the issue of restrictive housing, commonly referred to as solitary confinement, within correctional facilities, has received an increase in attention from policymakers, media, and government agencies. The use of solitary confinement has raised concerns due to its negative impact on psychological and physical effects that it has on inmates. Correctional facilities have made efforts to reduce the negative effects of solitary confinement after recognizing the need for change. The collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies has been deemed crucial for advocating for a correctional system that is more humane, efficient, and compassionate.
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References: Impacts of restrictive housing
. Vera Institute of Justice. (n.d.). https://www.vera.org/rethinking-
restrictive-housing/introduction/the-impacts-of-restrictive-housing#:~:text=This%20evidence
%20confirms%20what%20is,the%20community%20considerably%20more%20difficult. James, K., & Vanko, E. (2021, April). The Impacts of Solitary Confinement
. Vera Institute of Justice. Kane, M., Haynes, M., & Pierce, B. (2014). Restrictive housing FAQ
. Restrictive Housing FAQ |
National Institute of Corrections. https://nicic.gov/resources/nic-library/all-library-items/restrictive-housing-faq#:~:text=
%22Restrictive%20housing%2C%20sometimes%20known%20as,to%20frequently%20asked
%20questions%20(FAQ) Report and recommendations concerning the use of restrictive housing. (2016, January). https://www.justice.gov/archives/dag/file/815551/download