NCJ Number
129650
Journal
American Jails Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: (March/April 1991) Pages: 112-118
Date Published
1991
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Conditions in Pankrac Prison in Prague, Czechoslovakia are described on the basis of a tour of the facility and a discussion with its administrators.
Abstract
Pankrac Prison with a current population of 683 houses pretrial prisoners (420), sentenced offenders (263), and foreign inmates. The prison has single cells, 4-person cells, and 12-person dormitories. About 101 staff work on the jail side of Pankrac and an additional 7 on the prison side. Inmate programs include psychological counseling, education, industrial workshops, particularly printing, and an alcohol rehabilitation program. Most apparent differences between criminal justice systems in Czechoslovakia and United States are found at the component level relating to community alternatives to incarceration, drug abuse prevention, and rights of incarcerated offenders. Despite language, physical plant, political, and organizational differences in the criminal justice systems, correctional administrators in both countries share the same basic concerns regarding order and security, funding, and recruitment, training, and retention of staff.