By the end of this course, you will have discussed why traditional jails have so many problems, from overcrowding to inadequate physical facilities and why the traditional jail is considered one of the most inadequate American institutions. You will also have a better understanding of the role of the prison warden and how it has changed dramatically over the past three decades.
Local Institutions
Have you ever wondered who came up with the concept of jails? How is it that one human being is able to control and monitor another human being for doing something wrong? In this course, we will examine the origins of jails, their population and the process of adjusting to jail as well as discuss how people get out of jail, who runs jails and the role of the jail officer. Other issues we will tackle include overcrowding, civil suits and court orders, mental heath inmates, violence, and the current trends in the system.
Federal, State and Private Institutions
Prisons have changed dramatically over the years, yet some facets of them remain the same. How have prisons improved over the years? Where have they gone down? We will explore the main types of correctional institutions including women’s prisons, minimum-security prisons for men and women, maximum-security prisons for men, super-max prisons for men and institutions for special populations and discuss the ingredients for a humane prison environment: a place that is safe, lawful, industrious and, above all else, hopeful. We will also examine the role of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the State Departments of Corrections and their power in the U.S. prison system. What are these departments doing to improve things within the American prison system?
Correctional Managers and Officers
We will also look at the prison warden and how their style of correction has changed over the decades as well as examine some of the new challenges they face concerning inmates rights. We will also look at the problems many of them face on a daily basis and discuss ways to change these to make the job of a correctional officer a little easier.