CJ 3302 Lecture 4: notes 02/14

• School: Temple University
• Department: Criminal Justice
• Course: CJ 3302
• Professor: Sean Cassidy

Document Summary

As discussed in ch 2 the sheer number of prisons in the us has grown tremendously during the last 30 years. Some facilities are old and look much like prisons over the last 200 years. Newer facilities have a more modern look with the focus on technology to provide security. Congress rst approved the building of federal penitentiaries in 1891 (leavenworth, atlanta, mcneil island) Currently over 100 facilities of varying security levels. In recent years, while states prison populations have leveled off and decreased, federal prison populations have continued to increase. The large increases in federal drug prosecutions led to huge population increases after 1980. Over 50% of federal inmates are serving sentences for drug violations (long mandatory minimum sentences) Similar to the federal system with incredible growth in the number of facilities since 1980. Texas - 1979 to 2000 - built 124 prisons.