NCJ Number
190942
Date Published
June 2001
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Changes in penal philosophy that emerged in the middle of the 20th Century in Australia pointed to the possibility of prisons with radically different emphases from the paramilitary detention and punishment centers of the preceding decades; this paper examines whether the prisons that have developed under this philosophical shift are truly different from prisons prior to the shift.
Abstract
Two significant developments in prison regimes resulted from the changes in penal philosophy and policy. One development was the introduction of specialists such as psychologists and social workers into prisons. This symbolized the effort to identify and address the causes of offending behavior as well as other barriers to offenders assuming a law-abiding lifestyle upon release. The other change under the new penal philosophy was the conceptualization of the control process within the prison as "man management." Under the new penal philosophy, however, a dilemma and contradiction emerged, i.e., how to reconcile the notion of citizen prisoners to be serviced and managed with the notion of dangerous prisoners who require restraint and control. The solution to the basic prison dilemma about the control of inmates now recognized as citizens had a solution based on male and military understandings of the world. That solution was the use of physical force. This has been challenged, however, both by the insistence that women be incorporated into the prison service and by the expectations that new techniques of prison management be used. Prison officers are trained to be case workers, therapeutic agents, and unit managers who ensure that groups of prisoners are involved in constructive programs. On the other hand, the dilemma of security remains at the heart of the prison. The emphasis on ensuring that those detained stay detained and not involved in illegal activities ensures that the demands of security remain associated with the effective use of force. Officers spend significant portions of their time counting prisoners, monitoring access and exit from the prison, and searching prisoners and their cells. Thus, prisons remain as controlling institutions, but they have increasingly focused on the offender as an individual citizen who must be prepared to return to society as a person capable of responsible living. 24 references