NCJ Number
58461
Date Published
1977
Length
15 pages
Annotation
ALTHOUGH NEW YORK AND OTHER FEDERAL AND STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS WITH LARGE NUMBERS OF HISPANICS HAVE MET SOME OF THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF THESE INMATES, THIS 1977 PAPER CONTENDS THAT MORE ACTION IS NEEDED.
Abstract
THE INCREASE IN HISPANIC INMATES HAS BEEN NOTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THIS TREND HAS BEEN MOST PRONOUNCED IN NEW YORK, WHERE THE NUMBER OF HISPANICS SERVING FELONY SENTENCES INCREASED FROM 11 PERCENT IN 1973 TO 18 PERCENT IN 1977 (OR OVER 4,000 INMATES). EVEN THIS FIGURE, HOWEVER, PROBABLY UNDERESTIMATES THE REAL NUMBER OF HISPANIC INMATES IN THE SYSTEM. THIS LARGE INFLUX OF SPANISH SPEAKING INMATES HAS CREATED SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN TERMS OF COUNSELING, EDUCATIONAL, REHABILITATIAVE, AND CUSTODIAL PROGRAMS. HISPANIC INMATE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS BOTH IN THE UNITED STATES AND PUERTO RICO TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE RESPONSES TO THESE PROBLEMS. THE NEW YORK STATE CORRECTIONS COMMISSIONER HAS APPOINTED A SPECIAL ADVISOR TO RECOMMEND AND HELP ADMINISTER POLICIES WHICH EXCLUSIVELY AFFECT HISPANIC INMATES AND STAFF. ONE MAJOR EFFORT HAS BEEN IN THE AREA OF BILINGUAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. RECRUITMENT OF ADDITIONAL HISPANIC STAFF MEMBERS IS COMPOUNDED BY THE DIFFICULTIES CREATED BY HAVING CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES LOCATED AWAY FROM MAJOR HISPANIC CONCENTRATIONS. HOWEVER, IT IS RECOGNIZED THAT THE STATE HAS BOTH A LEGAL OBLIGATION (UNDER FEDERAL LAWS) AND A PRACTICAL COMMITMENT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SPANISH SPEAKING STAFF. THE RESPONSE TO THESE CONCERNS MUST ALSO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT MANY HISPANIC INMATES ARE RECENT IMMIGRANTS FROM SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES AND ARE UNAWARE OF HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS. THEREFORE, ACTION MUST BE TAKEN TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS FOR FEMALE INMATES, VOCATIONAL TRAINING IN SPANISH, AND RECRUITMENT OF MORE SPANISH SPEAKING MEDICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC PERSONNEL. NO REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP).