SOCI 2250 Lecture 12: Day 12 New Penology
11 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Criminal justice has shifted from a focus on individuals (deterrence, rehabilitation) to a focus on aggregates (managing crime and recidivism: closer to a corporate organizational model. Institutional/reputational interests of decision-makers have taken precedence over larger social goals. Features of the new penology: new discourse: talking about offenders in aggregate terms, new system objectives: recidivism prevention, internal system objectives, management of unruly populations, new techniques: cost-effective forms of control, risk assessment. Any recidivism can indicate the failure or success of the system. ~75,000 inmates in the us are held in solitary (3-8%) of the prison population) Typical conditions: 23+ hours a day in a cell. Prisoners are allowed out for showers, brief exercise, and medical visits. 50% of all inmate suicides are among those held in solitary: deterioration of social skills. Tension: rights of inmates vs. safety of staff/other prisoners. 2nd amendment: states" rights, federalism, the ability to form militias.
