Ted Gest
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195103434
- eISBN:
- 9780199833887
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195103432.003.0010
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
Much of the increase in crime that hit the US in the 1980s and 1990s was blamed on habitual offenders. For many years, prison wardens and parole boards had decided when most inmates would be ...
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Much of the increase in crime that hit the US in the 1980s and 1990s was blamed on habitual offenders. For many years, prison wardens and parole boards had decided when most inmates would be released. Legislators came to believe that this system was too lenient and enacted tougher penalties. When even these extended terms behind bars did not seem to work, activists came up with a new formulation, “three strikes and you’re out,” meaning that a third serious crime would bring a life term. Commentator John Carlson started a campaign for such a scheme in Washington State in the 1980s; it was enacted in 1993, the height of modern‐day crime totals. The concept quickly spread in California after the infamous kidnapping and killing of 12‐year‐old Polly Klaas that same year. President Bill Clinton embraced the idea for federal crimes, and at least two dozen states adopted some form of it. Experts disputed how much three strikes or any other tough sentencing laws affected the crime declines of the 1990s. Still, prison building continued at a high rate during the 1990s, with the combined population in prisons and jails approaching 2 million. Critics argued that three strikes and ‘mandatory minimum’ prison term laws were incarcerating far too many low‐level offenders who would end up back on the streets committing more crimes after years of imprisonment with little vocational or educational training. As the costs of running prisons mounted, some policymakers were seriously rethinking the punitive practices of the late 20th century, but no dramatic turnaround was in sight.Less
Much of the increase in crime that hit the US in the 1980s and 1990s was blamed on habitual offenders. For many years, prison wardens and parole boards had decided when most inmates would be released. Legislators came to believe that this system was too lenient and enacted tougher penalties. When even these extended terms behind bars did not seem to work, activists came up with a new formulation, “three strikes and you’re out,” meaning that a third serious crime would bring a life term. Commentator John Carlson started a campaign for such a scheme in Washington State in the 1980s; it was enacted in 1993, the height of modern‐day crime totals. The concept quickly spread in California after the infamous kidnapping and killing of 12‐year‐old Polly Klaas that same year. President Bill Clinton embraced the idea for federal crimes, and at least two dozen states adopted some form of it. Experts disputed how much three strikes or any other tough sentencing laws affected the crime declines of the 1990s. Still, prison building continued at a high rate during the 1990s, with the combined population in prisons and jails approaching 2 million. Critics argued that three strikes and ‘mandatory minimum’ prison term laws were incarcerating far too many low‐level offenders who would end up back on the streets committing more crimes after years of imprisonment with little vocational or educational training. As the costs of running prisons mounted, some policymakers were seriously rethinking the punitive practices of the late 20th century, but no dramatic turnaround was in sight.
Todd R. Clear
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195305791
- eISBN:
- 9780199943944
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195305791.003.0003
- Subject:
- Sociology, Law, Crime and Deviance
This chapter looks at how prison populations have come to reflect a concentrated experience among certain subgroups in the U.S. population. It describes imprisonment both nationally and in ...
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This chapter looks at how prison populations have come to reflect a concentrated experience among certain subgroups in the U.S. population. It describes imprisonment both nationally and in Tallahassee, Florida. It suggests that there is nothing “equal opportunity” about prison and that accidents of birth play an enormous role in determining the possibility of imprisonment during a person's life. It also argues that the single most disturbing aspect of incarceration policy in the U.S. is its inequitable social consequences.Less
This chapter looks at how prison populations have come to reflect a concentrated experience among certain subgroups in the U.S. population. It describes imprisonment both nationally and in Tallahassee, Florida. It suggests that there is nothing “equal opportunity” about prison and that accidents of birth play an enormous role in determining the possibility of imprisonment during a person's life. It also argues that the single most disturbing aspect of incarceration policy in the U.S. is its inequitable social consequences.
Mary Turner and Sheila Payne
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199599295
- eISBN:
- 9780191731532
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199599295.003.0063
- Subject:
- Palliative Care, Patient Care and End-of-Life Decision Making
This chapter suggests that the prison population as a whole has to contend with multiple and severe disadvantages in terms of health, education, ageing, ethnicity, and disability compared with the ...
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This chapter suggests that the prison population as a whole has to contend with multiple and severe disadvantages in terms of health, education, ageing, ethnicity, and disability compared with the rest of the population. It argues that consequently the needs of dying prisoners (and their families) for supportive and palliative care can be far greater than for other patients.Less
This chapter suggests that the prison population as a whole has to contend with multiple and severe disadvantages in terms of health, education, ageing, ethnicity, and disability compared with the rest of the population. It argues that consequently the needs of dying prisoners (and their families) for supportive and palliative care can be far greater than for other patients.
Kent F. Schull
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- January 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780748641734
- eISBN:
- 9781474400886
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748641734.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Islam
Chapter Three investigates Ottoman efforts to gain knowledge and power over prisons and the incarcerated by collecting statistical information through prison questionnaires and surveys. Not only did ...
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Chapter Three investigates Ottoman efforts to gain knowledge and power over prisons and the incarcerated by collecting statistical information through prison questionnaires and surveys. Not only did these efforts provide invaluable knowledge about prison conditions and the prison population, but they also yield important insights into the ideology and worldview of Ottoman prison reformers. The knowledge gained from these efforts greatly affected prison reform programmes in terms of the methods and styles of incarceration, such as prisoner classification, prison organization, prisoner separation, the removal of juvenile delinquents from prisons, and the creation of gendered incarceration. This chapter also includes a discussion of the prison population itself, in terms of its socio-economic and religious composition, criminality, and how individual prisoners were identified and categorized.Less
Chapter Three investigates Ottoman efforts to gain knowledge and power over prisons and the incarcerated by collecting statistical information through prison questionnaires and surveys. Not only did these efforts provide invaluable knowledge about prison conditions and the prison population, but they also yield important insights into the ideology and worldview of Ottoman prison reformers. The knowledge gained from these efforts greatly affected prison reform programmes in terms of the methods and styles of incarceration, such as prisoner classification, prison organization, prisoner separation, the removal of juvenile delinquents from prisons, and the creation of gendered incarceration. This chapter also includes a discussion of the prison population itself, in terms of its socio-economic and religious composition, criminality, and how individual prisoners were identified and categorized.
Todd R. Clear
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195305791
- eISBN:
- 9780199943944
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195305791.003.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Law, Crime and Deviance
This chapter discusses the problems associated with concentrated incarceration. It discusses the increase in prison population and suggests that incarceration does more damage than good, including ...
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This chapter discusses the problems associated with concentrated incarceration. It discusses the increase in prison population and suggests that incarceration does more damage than good, including increases in crime. It also argues that incarceration has become part of its own dynamic and that it has grown to the point that it now produces the very social problems on which it feeds. It contends that it is not possible to reform sentencing procedures without reconceptualizing the correctional project itself.Less
This chapter discusses the problems associated with concentrated incarceration. It discusses the increase in prison population and suggests that incarceration does more damage than good, including increases in crime. It also argues that incarceration has become part of its own dynamic and that it has grown to the point that it now produces the very social problems on which it feeds. It contends that it is not possible to reform sentencing procedures without reconceptualizing the correctional project itself.
Peter Zinoman
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520224124
- eISBN:
- 9780520925175
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520224124.003.0005
- Subject:
- History, Asian History
This chapter describes the ways in which inmates adapted creatively to colonial prison conditions in French Indochina on a daily basis and how the experience of incarceration contributed to the ...
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This chapter describes the ways in which inmates adapted creatively to colonial prison conditions in French Indochina on a daily basis and how the experience of incarceration contributed to the modernization of the social and political consciousness of segments of the prison population. It examines the ways in which the experience of imprisonment encouraged the growth of characteristically modern forms of social and political consciousness among certain segments of the inmate population. It suggests that prisons seemed to have encouraged in certain inmates an unusual degree of confidence in their ability to understand the true nature of colonial society at large and, by implication, their capacity to transform it.Less
This chapter describes the ways in which inmates adapted creatively to colonial prison conditions in French Indochina on a daily basis and how the experience of incarceration contributed to the modernization of the social and political consciousness of segments of the prison population. It examines the ways in which the experience of imprisonment encouraged the growth of characteristically modern forms of social and political consciousness among certain segments of the inmate population. It suggests that prisons seemed to have encouraged in certain inmates an unusual degree of confidence in their ability to understand the true nature of colonial society at large and, by implication, their capacity to transform it.
Carol Hedderman
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781847421104
- eISBN:
- 9781447303657
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781847421104.003.0003
- Subject:
- Social Work, Crime and Justice
Over the last decade, the prison population has grown rapidly, and in the next decade, it is assumed that the demand for prison places in England and Wales will outstrip the number planned. This ...
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Over the last decade, the prison population has grown rapidly, and in the next decade, it is assumed that the demand for prison places in England and Wales will outstrip the number planned. This chapter discusses the role of prison in a utilitarian view. From this perspective, there are two solutions to the scenario in which demand exceeds supply: build faster or change the custodial sentences. Of the two options, the government chose the first option, as it seemed to avoid the two political elephant traps: being portrayed as soft on crime; and interfering with judicial independence. This approach has been the course of the government and the preceding Conservative administration since the increase in the prison population. It has been reassured by Lord Patrick Carter's report, which stated that it is feasible for the government to build a way out of the problem by confirming that the greater use of imprisonment has been associated with more offenders brought to justice and reduced conviction; and that this is what the public want. In the chapter it is argued that, contrary to Carter's report, the increased use of imprisonment did not stem from more offences being brought to justice; that prison reconviction rates escalated as the population increased; and that the public appetite for prison is more limited and more susceptible to reasonable argument. The chapter finally argues that the expanding prison estate will not satisfy demand, but rather will generate it.Less
Over the last decade, the prison population has grown rapidly, and in the next decade, it is assumed that the demand for prison places in England and Wales will outstrip the number planned. This chapter discusses the role of prison in a utilitarian view. From this perspective, there are two solutions to the scenario in which demand exceeds supply: build faster or change the custodial sentences. Of the two options, the government chose the first option, as it seemed to avoid the two political elephant traps: being portrayed as soft on crime; and interfering with judicial independence. This approach has been the course of the government and the preceding Conservative administration since the increase in the prison population. It has been reassured by Lord Patrick Carter's report, which stated that it is feasible for the government to build a way out of the problem by confirming that the greater use of imprisonment has been associated with more offenders brought to justice and reduced conviction; and that this is what the public want. In the chapter it is argued that, contrary to Carter's report, the increased use of imprisonment did not stem from more offences being brought to justice; that prison reconviction rates escalated as the population increased; and that the public appetite for prison is more limited and more susceptible to reasonable argument. The chapter finally argues that the expanding prison estate will not satisfy demand, but rather will generate it.
Julian Roberts
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781847421104
- eISBN:
- 9781447303657
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781847421104.003.0007
- Subject:
- Social Work, Crime and Justice
Constraining the rising prison population remains a challenge to most western countries. It has been 20 years since the United Nations Standard Rules for Non-Custodial Measure or the ‘Tokyo Rules’ ...
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Constraining the rising prison population remains a challenge to most western countries. It has been 20 years since the United Nations Standard Rules for Non-Custodial Measure or the ‘Tokyo Rules’ were adopted. However, despite the Tokyo Rules' aim of reducing traditional reliance on imprisonment as a legal punishment, the prison population throughout the 1990s saw an unprecedented rise in many law jurisdictions. This chapter reviews and evaluates other strategies that have been implemented or proposed to control, regulate, and reduce the size of the prison population. It begins by summarising the trends with respect to the relative use of custody across jurisdictions. Then the chapter proceeds to discuss the disadvantages and advantages of the different strategies adopted over the years. It specifically looks into the remedial efforts that exist within the criminal-justice system. Most of the strategies examined in the chapter involve legislative intervention in the sphere of sentencing, wherein it is found that most of the legislature failed to embrace the responsibility of intervening in the sentencing process. The chapter concludes by summarising the steps that may comprise a successful integrated strategy.Less
Constraining the rising prison population remains a challenge to most western countries. It has been 20 years since the United Nations Standard Rules for Non-Custodial Measure or the ‘Tokyo Rules’ were adopted. However, despite the Tokyo Rules' aim of reducing traditional reliance on imprisonment as a legal punishment, the prison population throughout the 1990s saw an unprecedented rise in many law jurisdictions. This chapter reviews and evaluates other strategies that have been implemented or proposed to control, regulate, and reduce the size of the prison population. It begins by summarising the trends with respect to the relative use of custody across jurisdictions. Then the chapter proceeds to discuss the disadvantages and advantages of the different strategies adopted over the years. It specifically looks into the remedial efforts that exist within the criminal-justice system. Most of the strategies examined in the chapter involve legislative intervention in the sphere of sentencing, wherein it is found that most of the legislature failed to embrace the responsibility of intervening in the sentencing process. The chapter concludes by summarising the steps that may comprise a successful integrated strategy.
Catherine A Appleton
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199582716
- eISBN:
- 9780191702341
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199582716.003.0007
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
This chapter discusses the process of prison recall for discretionary life-sentenced offenders. First, it describes the size of lifer prison population in England and Wales and highlights the ...
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This chapter discusses the process of prison recall for discretionary life-sentenced offenders. First, it describes the size of lifer prison population in England and Wales and highlights the increasing number of life sentence prisoners who have been recalled to prison after a period of life licence. It then describes the process of recall in practice for lifers, and depicts the release and recall status for the current cohort of discretionary life-sentenced offenders. Finally, it present lifers' ‘stories of recall’, integrating qualitative analysis of indepth interviews with those lifers in the sub-sample who were interviewed in prison.Less
This chapter discusses the process of prison recall for discretionary life-sentenced offenders. First, it describes the size of lifer prison population in England and Wales and highlights the increasing number of life sentence prisoners who have been recalled to prison after a period of life licence. It then describes the process of recall in practice for lifers, and depicts the release and recall status for the current cohort of discretionary life-sentenced offenders. Finally, it present lifers' ‘stories of recall’, integrating qualitative analysis of indepth interviews with those lifers in the sub-sample who were interviewed in prison.
John F. Macleod, Peter G. Grove, and David P. Farrington
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199697243
- eISBN:
- 9780191781568
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199697243.003.0007
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
This chapter explains how the theory and models in this volume have been used to make predictions and forecasts of significant importance in managing the Criminal Justice System. In the first ...
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This chapter explains how the theory and models in this volume have been used to make predictions and forecasts of significant importance in managing the Criminal Justice System. In the first example, it is shown that using the theory, demographics and sentencing policy (custody rates): the prison population over a period of 30 years is predicted to within 3%; and that without the “Prison Works” mantra of the early 1990s, the prison population would have continued to decline. The second example presents the results of a similar model of court workloads. The third shows how forecasts, made in the year 2000, of the size of the DNA database panned out over the subsequent 4 years.Less
This chapter explains how the theory and models in this volume have been used to make predictions and forecasts of significant importance in managing the Criminal Justice System. In the first example, it is shown that using the theory, demographics and sentencing policy (custody rates): the prison population over a period of 30 years is predicted to within 3%; and that without the “Prison Works” mantra of the early 1990s, the prison population would have continued to decline. The second example presents the results of a similar model of court workloads. The third shows how forecasts, made in the year 2000, of the size of the DNA database panned out over the subsequent 4 years.
Rod Morgan
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781847421104
- eISBN:
- 9781447303657
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781847421104.003.0008
- Subject:
- Social Work, Crime and Justice
This chapter discusses the result of the seminar at King's College. This seminar tackled Lord Carter' dominant views in his Securing the future: i) the establishment of a permanent sentencing ...
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This chapter discusses the result of the seminar at King's College. This seminar tackled Lord Carter' dominant views in his Securing the future: i) the establishment of a permanent sentencing commission to provide a more structured sentencing framework; and ii) the creation of Titans, multi-functional prisons that can provide additional 2,500 prison places. In the seminar, the participants were divided into three groups: the Sentencing Guidelines Council, the Sentencing Advisory Panel, and the policy outsiders. While the knowledge of the policy developments on sentencing and prison population varied, two dominant opinions began to emerge: first, that the idea of a sentencing commission should receive serious consideration; and second, that the construction of Titan prisons should be removed. In addition to these dominant opinions, the seminar also pinpointed that the prison-population crisis was a predictable and predicted dilemma wherein the government had failed to heed the warnings or plan accordingly.Less
This chapter discusses the result of the seminar at King's College. This seminar tackled Lord Carter' dominant views in his Securing the future: i) the establishment of a permanent sentencing commission to provide a more structured sentencing framework; and ii) the creation of Titans, multi-functional prisons that can provide additional 2,500 prison places. In the seminar, the participants were divided into three groups: the Sentencing Guidelines Council, the Sentencing Advisory Panel, and the policy outsiders. While the knowledge of the policy developments on sentencing and prison population varied, two dominant opinions began to emerge: first, that the idea of a sentencing commission should receive serious consideration; and second, that the construction of Titan prisons should be removed. In addition to these dominant opinions, the seminar also pinpointed that the prison-population crisis was a predictable and predicted dilemma wherein the government had failed to heed the warnings or plan accordingly.
John F. Macleod, Peter G. Grove, and David P. Farrington
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199697243
- eISBN:
- 9780191781568
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199697243.003.0009
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
The analysis and theories developed in this volume are summarised, highlighting the success of the theory in providing explanations for many of the accepted features of criminal careers, epitomised ...
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The analysis and theories developed in this volume are summarised, highlighting the success of the theory in providing explanations for many of the accepted features of criminal careers, epitomised by the age/crime curve. The main findings are discussed including: the accurate forecasts of the prison population; estimates of the number of persistent offenders; size and growth of the DNA database; and the essential role of the theory in the evaluation of policy initiatives. The questions raised by the theory are discussed and areas where further research is needed are identified, in particular: the psychological differences between offenders and non-offenders; the effectiveness of early intervention programmes; desistance from crime; and the effectiveness of cautions and associated interventions. The relationship of the theory to the wider criminal careers debate and the findings and theories of other researchers are examined and discussed.Less
The analysis and theories developed in this volume are summarised, highlighting the success of the theory in providing explanations for many of the accepted features of criminal careers, epitomised by the age/crime curve. The main findings are discussed including: the accurate forecasts of the prison population; estimates of the number of persistent offenders; size and growth of the DNA database; and the essential role of the theory in the evaluation of policy initiatives. The questions raised by the theory are discussed and areas where further research is needed are identified, in particular: the psychological differences between offenders and non-offenders; the effectiveness of early intervention programmes; desistance from crime; and the effectiveness of cautions and associated interventions. The relationship of the theory to the wider criminal careers debate and the findings and theories of other researchers are examined and discussed.
John F. MacLeod, Peter Grove, and David Farrington
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199697243
- eISBN:
- 9780191781568
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199697243.001.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
Explaining Criminal Careers presents a simple quantitative theory of crime, conviction and reconviction, the assumptions of the theory are derived directly from a detailed analysis of cohort samples ...
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Explaining Criminal Careers presents a simple quantitative theory of crime, conviction and reconviction, the assumptions of the theory are derived directly from a detailed analysis of cohort samples drawn from the “UK Home Office” Offenders Index (OI). Mathematical models based on the theory, together with population trends, are used to make: exact quantitative predictions of features of criminal careers; aggregate crime levels; the prison population; and to explain the age-crime curve, alternative explanations are shown not to be supported by the data. Previous research is reviewed, clearly identifying the foundations of the current work. Using graphical techniques to identify mathematical regularities in the data, recidivism (risk) and frequency (rate) of conviction are analysed and modelled. These models are brought together to identify three categories of offender: high-risk / high-rate, high-risk / low-rate and low-risk / low-rate. The theory is shown to rest on just 6 basic assumptions. Within this theoretical framework the seriousness of offending, specialisation or versatility in offence types and the psychological characteristics of offenders are all explored suggesting that the most serious offenders are a random sample from the risk/rate categories but that those with custody later in their careers are predominantly high-risk/high-rate. In general offenders are shown to be versatile rather than specialist and can be categorised using psychological profiles. The policy implications are drawn out highlighting the importance of conviction in desistance from crime and the absence of any additional deterrence effect of imprisonment. The use of the theory in evaluation of interventions is demonstrated.Less
Explaining Criminal Careers presents a simple quantitative theory of crime, conviction and reconviction, the assumptions of the theory are derived directly from a detailed analysis of cohort samples drawn from the “UK Home Office” Offenders Index (OI). Mathematical models based on the theory, together with population trends, are used to make: exact quantitative predictions of features of criminal careers; aggregate crime levels; the prison population; and to explain the age-crime curve, alternative explanations are shown not to be supported by the data. Previous research is reviewed, clearly identifying the foundations of the current work. Using graphical techniques to identify mathematical regularities in the data, recidivism (risk) and frequency (rate) of conviction are analysed and modelled. These models are brought together to identify three categories of offender: high-risk / high-rate, high-risk / low-rate and low-risk / low-rate. The theory is shown to rest on just 6 basic assumptions. Within this theoretical framework the seriousness of offending, specialisation or versatility in offence types and the psychological characteristics of offenders are all explored suggesting that the most serious offenders are a random sample from the risk/rate categories but that those with custody later in their careers are predominantly high-risk/high-rate. In general offenders are shown to be versatile rather than specialist and can be categorised using psychological profiles. The policy implications are drawn out highlighting the importance of conviction in desistance from crime and the absence of any additional deterrence effect of imprisonment. The use of the theory in evaluation of interventions is demonstrated.
Natasha Du Rose
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- January 2016
- ISBN:
- 9781847426727
- eISBN:
- 9781447307839
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781847426727.003.0003
- Subject:
- Social Work, Crime and Justice
Chapter 4 focuses on the impact of the technology of prohibition on the lives of female users. It examines how the war on drugs is a war on women. How drug policy discourses in the UK, US and Canada ...
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Chapter 4 focuses on the impact of the technology of prohibition on the lives of female users. It examines how the war on drugs is a war on women. How drug policy discourses in the UK, US and Canada construct the problem to be governed including as harm to the individual female user, the community, children and foetuses is explored. The chapter then outlines the proposed solutions to the ‘problem’ of women’s drug use. Not all women are treated equally in the war on drugs and some are responsibilised more than others including black, poor and vulnerable women. Arguably, the war on drugs causes more harm to women than the drugs themselves. This idea is explored through research evidence on women in prison, the criminalisation of pregnancy and drug using women’s punishment and medicalisation as both offenders and victims of crime.Less
Chapter 4 focuses on the impact of the technology of prohibition on the lives of female users. It examines how the war on drugs is a war on women. How drug policy discourses in the UK, US and Canada construct the problem to be governed including as harm to the individual female user, the community, children and foetuses is explored. The chapter then outlines the proposed solutions to the ‘problem’ of women’s drug use. Not all women are treated equally in the war on drugs and some are responsibilised more than others including black, poor and vulnerable women. Arguably, the war on drugs causes more harm to women than the drugs themselves. This idea is explored through research evidence on women in prison, the criminalisation of pregnancy and drug using women’s punishment and medicalisation as both offenders and victims of crime.
Tom R. Tyler and Lindsay E. Rankin
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195384642
- eISBN:
- 9780199914609
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195384642.003.0036
- Subject:
- Psychology, Forensic Psychology
This chapter discusses how public attitudes help shape penal policy. It argues that law enforcement and the public have ambivalently embraced an instrumental approach, that is, the threat of or ...
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This chapter discusses how public attitudes help shape penal policy. It argues that law enforcement and the public have ambivalently embraced an instrumental approach, that is, the threat of or actual punishment as a mechanism through which to shape the behavior of both wrongdoers and people in general. This is not to say that other approaches do not exist, or that people do not disagree; however, the dominant model clearly follows instrumental approaches. Not only does empirical research show that this approach is not particularly effective in determining behavior, but it also is very costly in terms of both resources and negative side effects. Hence, there is a widespread disconnection between policy and empiricism. This has led to a dramatic growth in the American prison population and has soured the relationship between the law, legal authorities, and members of society. It has had a particularly negative impact on the minority community.Less
This chapter discusses how public attitudes help shape penal policy. It argues that law enforcement and the public have ambivalently embraced an instrumental approach, that is, the threat of or actual punishment as a mechanism through which to shape the behavior of both wrongdoers and people in general. This is not to say that other approaches do not exist, or that people do not disagree; however, the dominant model clearly follows instrumental approaches. Not only does empirical research show that this approach is not particularly effective in determining behavior, but it also is very costly in terms of both resources and negative side effects. Hence, there is a widespread disconnection between policy and empiricism. This has led to a dramatic growth in the American prison population and has soured the relationship between the law, legal authorities, and members of society. It has had a particularly negative impact on the minority community.
Melanie Heath
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814737125
- eISBN:
- 9780814744901
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814737125.003.0005
- Subject:
- Sociology, Marriage and the Family
This chapter focuses on the small number of marriage workshops directed both at poor single mothers in conjunction with receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits and at the ...
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This chapter focuses on the small number of marriage workshops directed both at poor single mothers in conjunction with receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits and at the prison population. While marriage advocates seek to redraw a definitive boundary to compel marriage as a moral and social good, some are more willing to recognize the obstacles to marriage for low-income individuals and prioritize a number of relationship- and work-related services. To disseminate these services to a low-income population, the marriage initiative trains employees of the Department of Health, the Cooperative Extension Service at OSU, and Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) to conduct workshops and make referrals to their clients. In the first two years of the program, the Department of Health agreed to meet a quota of workshops offered by staff members trained in the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP), with each conducting at least four workshops.Less
This chapter focuses on the small number of marriage workshops directed both at poor single mothers in conjunction with receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits and at the prison population. While marriage advocates seek to redraw a definitive boundary to compel marriage as a moral and social good, some are more willing to recognize the obstacles to marriage for low-income individuals and prioritize a number of relationship- and work-related services. To disseminate these services to a low-income population, the marriage initiative trains employees of the Department of Health, the Cooperative Extension Service at OSU, and Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) to conduct workshops and make referrals to their clients. In the first two years of the program, the Department of Health agreed to meet a quota of workshops offered by staff members trained in the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP), with each conducting at least four workshops.
Thomas C. Guiney
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- September 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780198803683
- eISBN:
- 9780191842085
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198803683.003.0007
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
The chapter explores the evolution of early release policy and practice between 1987 and 1992—a transitional period sometimes described as an ‘Indian Summer’ for liberal criminal justice policy. It ...
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The chapter explores the evolution of early release policy and practice between 1987 and 1992—a transitional period sometimes described as an ‘Indian Summer’ for liberal criminal justice policy. It begins with a brief overview of the challenges facing the criminal justice system on the eve of the 1987 General Election. It goes on to consider the piecemeal modification of remission arrangements in July 1987, a measure to relieve pressure on the prison system that ultimately came at a high cost for the Home Office. It provides a detailed overview of the proceedings of the Carlisle Committee and the compromises that laid the ground for their final report ‘The Parole System in England and Wales’. The chapter concludes by reflecting upon the initial reaction to the Carlisle Report and the considerable uncertainty within the Home Office about how best to respond to these challenging proposals.Less
The chapter explores the evolution of early release policy and practice between 1987 and 1992—a transitional period sometimes described as an ‘Indian Summer’ for liberal criminal justice policy. It begins with a brief overview of the challenges facing the criminal justice system on the eve of the 1987 General Election. It goes on to consider the piecemeal modification of remission arrangements in July 1987, a measure to relieve pressure on the prison system that ultimately came at a high cost for the Home Office. It provides a detailed overview of the proceedings of the Carlisle Committee and the compromises that laid the ground for their final report ‘The Parole System in England and Wales’. The chapter concludes by reflecting upon the initial reaction to the Carlisle Report and the considerable uncertainty within the Home Office about how best to respond to these challenging proposals.
Jordan T. Camp
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780520281813
- eISBN:
- 9780520957688
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520281813.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Law, Crime and Deviance
The United States currently has the largest prison population on the planet. Over the last four decades, structural unemployment, concentrated urban poverty, and mass homelessness have also become ...
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The United States currently has the largest prison population on the planet. Over the last four decades, structural unemployment, concentrated urban poverty, and mass homelessness have also become permanent features of the political economy. These developments are without historical precedent, but not without historical explanation. This book traces the rise of the neoliberal carceral state through a series of turning points in US history including the Watts insurrection in 1965, the Detroit rebellion in 1967, the Attica uprising in 1971, the Los Angeles revolt in 1992, and events in post-Katrina New Orleans in 2005. The book argues that these dramatic events coincided with the emergence of neoliberal capitalism and the state's attempts to crush radical social movements. Through an examination of the poetic visions of social movements—including those by James Baldwin, Marvin Gaye, June Jordan, José Ramírez, and Sunni Patterson—it also suggests that alternative outcomes have been and continue to be possible.Less
The United States currently has the largest prison population on the planet. Over the last four decades, structural unemployment, concentrated urban poverty, and mass homelessness have also become permanent features of the political economy. These developments are without historical precedent, but not without historical explanation. This book traces the rise of the neoliberal carceral state through a series of turning points in US history including the Watts insurrection in 1965, the Detroit rebellion in 1967, the Attica uprising in 1971, the Los Angeles revolt in 1992, and events in post-Katrina New Orleans in 2005. The book argues that these dramatic events coincided with the emergence of neoliberal capitalism and the state's attempts to crush radical social movements. Through an examination of the poetic visions of social movements—including those by James Baldwin, Marvin Gaye, June Jordan, José Ramírez, and Sunni Patterson—it also suggests that alternative outcomes have been and continue to be possible.
Clive Emsley
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- May 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199653713
- eISBN:
- 9780191744204
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199653713.003.0011
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History, Military History
The wars and counter-insurgency actions at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries fostered new campaigns to raise the public’s awareness of post-traumatic stress among veterans and ...
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The wars and counter-insurgency actions at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries fostered new campaigns to raise the public’s awareness of post-traumatic stress among veterans and of the number of veterans among the expanding prison population. Soldiers continued to offend while in uniform, and while some such behaviour—notably gang rape—caused outrage, there appears also to have been a growing understanding of the poor and disturbed origins of many of the young men who served in the army.Less
The wars and counter-insurgency actions at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries fostered new campaigns to raise the public’s awareness of post-traumatic stress among veterans and of the number of veterans among the expanding prison population. Soldiers continued to offend while in uniform, and while some such behaviour—notably gang rape—caused outrage, there appears also to have been a growing understanding of the poor and disturbed origins of many of the young men who served in the army.
Gerald Horne
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780252037924
- eISBN:
- 9780252095184
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5406/illinois/9780252037924.003.0010
- Subject:
- History, African-American History
This chapter looks at Patterson's imprisonment in Danbury, Connecticut. He estimated that “30 percent of the prison population is Negro” in Danbury, and they, along with those who were Jewish, were ...
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This chapter looks at Patterson's imprisonment in Danbury, Connecticut. He estimated that “30 percent of the prison population is Negro” in Danbury, and they, along with those who were Jewish, were segregated. What particularly agitated him was the overrepresentation of Negroes behind bars. The plight of his fellow inmates presented Patterson with an immediate dilemma. The high-court ruling had yet to trickle down to this federal facility, so Jim Crow reigned. If he spoke out, “especially against segregation,” then that “would surely be un-American-subversive. I am not afraid to speak out,” he assured, “but I don't seek further victimization.” During his time of imprisonment, his mail was censored, then he was barred from writing anyone other than his spouse and his daughter. He was also subjected to “quarantine,” shielded from others, though not in solitary confinement. This meant no visitors and seven letters per week.Less
This chapter looks at Patterson's imprisonment in Danbury, Connecticut. He estimated that “30 percent of the prison population is Negro” in Danbury, and they, along with those who were Jewish, were segregated. What particularly agitated him was the overrepresentation of Negroes behind bars. The plight of his fellow inmates presented Patterson with an immediate dilemma. The high-court ruling had yet to trickle down to this federal facility, so Jim Crow reigned. If he spoke out, “especially against segregation,” then that “would surely be un-American-subversive. I am not afraid to speak out,” he assured, “but I don't seek further victimization.” During his time of imprisonment, his mail was censored, then he was barred from writing anyone other than his spouse and his daughter. He was also subjected to “quarantine,” shielded from others, though not in solitary confinement. This meant no visitors and seven letters per week.
