Criminal Justice

Walnut Street Jail

Philadelphia Society to alleviate the misery of public jail.
Lobbied the Pennsylvania state legislature for humane treatment of prisoners.
Renovate the Walnut street jail 1790

Silent system

The correctional practice of prohibiting inmates from talking to other inmates.

The Alburn system (1823)

Congregative work system prevails over Walnut Street model
Single-cell design becomes too expensive
Smaller cells at 7 feet long, 4 feet wide, 7 feet high
Cells stacked on top of each other, known as 'inside cell block' architecture
Prototype for contempo

Congregate work system

The practice of moving inmates from sleeping cells to other areas of the prison to eat and work

In the past 20 years state spending on prisons has increased?

127%

cost per-inmate per-year

$29,000

state government spends?

50 billion per year on corrections

federal government spends?

an additional 5 billion

City and county jails

Over 3,300 local or county jails Jail populations have doubled since 1983
Municipal jails primarily a temporary housing for arrestees until they can be moved to another facility or pay bill
Sheriff's are responsible for running county jails

State Prison

Typically for convicted felons sentenced to a year or more
53% of inmates incarcerated for violent crimes
Inmates examined, assessed, and classified before assigning to a prison facility

Prisoner Classification

The reception and diagnosis of an inmate to decide the appropriate security level in which to place the prisoner and the services of placement

Inmate Classification

Initial placement- the first institution and security level of the convict
Living environment- refers to wether the inmate will be housed in a single cell or a multiple-inmate cell

Institutional Racism and Incarceration

Disproportionate confinement- the non-random distribution of persons by race in correctional institutions. If the prison population reflected the same demographics as the general population confinement would not reflect racial bias

Diversion and Probation

Diversion- A defendant is offered an alternative to criminal trial and a prison sentence, such as drug courts, boot camp, and treatment programs
Probation- The conditional release of a convicted offender prior to his or her serving any prison time. Also c

Mandatory release

Mandatory Release- the release of prisoners required by law after they have served the entire length of their maximum sentence

Good-time release

Good-Time Credit- A strategy of crediting inmates with extra days served toward ealy release in an effort to encourage them to obey rules and participate in prison programs

Pardon

Executive Pardon- An act by a governor or the president that forgives a prisoner and rescinds his or her sentence

Communication of
Sentence

Communication of Sentence- a reduction in the severity or length of an inmate's sentence issued by a state governor

Probation

1841- John Augustus 1878- Massachusetts passed the first probation statute 1900- Four states had similar statutes
1920- Every state permitted juvenile probation and 33 had adult system

Standard Conditions of probation

Obey all laws Possess no firearms Maintain employment

Advantages of Probation

$1,000/year Attachment to the community

Revoking Probation (Technical Violations)

Test positive for drug use Found in possession of a weapon Commit another crime Lose employment Fail to complete a treatment program
46.3% of adults successfully completed probation

Parole

The release of an inmate before their maximum sentence has been served
Historical Roots- parole d'honneur; the practice of releasing prisoners early and on their honor they will obey the law

Parole Models

The Mark System- a forerunner to the parole system. Prisoners received points or marks for good behavior and work performed in prison
Ticket of Leave- in the Mark system, the unconditional release from prison purchased with marks earned for good behavior

what % of people under correctional supervision are on probation or parole

70%

What % of people release from prison have a substance abuse problem.

75%

what % of inmates do not have a HS diploma or GED

40%

How many parolees will be homeless when released

10,000

How many people in jail, on parole or probation?

7 million
3.2% of US

What % of prisoners will eventually be released back into society

95%

Most Commonly Used Intermediate Sanctions

Intensive Probation Supervision Programs Split Sentencing and Shock Probation Shock Incarceration (Boot Camps) Home Confinement and Electronic Monitoring

Intensive Probation Supervision

Provides direct and strict
Parole officer has a smaller caseload and more emphasis is placed on offender compliance with the conditions and supervision

Home Confinement and Electronic Monitoring

Ordered to remain confined in their own residence and compliance is monitored through electronic means
Schedules are worked out that allow the offender to leave his or her home for work, medical appointments and services, court-ordered treatment

Work Release

Finding a job is the most difficult issue for an ex- offender being released into society
65% of employers said they would not knowingly hire an ex-offender

Halfway Houses

Transitional programs- most are non-profit. Minimum security and support based
Community opposition- Citizen opposition to having community-based corrections in their neighborhood
Crime victims and police fear reoffending if released
NIMBY

10 Key Components

Seeks to stop the revolving door syndrome
1. Drug courts integrate alcohol and other drug treatment services with justice system case processing.
2. Using a non-adversarial approach, prosecution and defense counsel promote public safety while protecting p

The Youthful Offender and Criminal Justice System

Concept of parens patriae allows state government to act in place of parents
First juvenile court established in 1899 in Cook County, Illinois
Juvenile courts remove the child from authority of adult criminal courts

Classification of Juvenile Offenders

Status offenders: a child who commits an act that if they were adults, the court would not have any authority over them (i.e. runaways)
Delinquent: juveniles who commit an act that is criminal for both adults and juveniles

Due Process for Juveniles

Kent v. United States (1966)- First due process case heard by Supreme Court
McKeiver v. Pennsylvania (1971)- Juveniles do not have a constitutional right to a jury trial

Mens Rea and Youthful Violent Offenders

n Colonial America the age one could be found to form mens rea was seven
Does the youthful offender have sufficient mens rea to appreciate the criminality of his or her act? Many argue youthful offenders
1. Are not fully responsible for their criminal act

Classification of Juveniles

Centralized states- state agency has full control of delinquency services (probation, institutionalization, aftercare)
Decentralized states- characterized by local control
Combination states- a blending of local control with state oversight

Hybrid Youth Gangs

Have younger members Have more female members Less involved in drugs/violent crimes than traditional youth gangs

Female Gangs

Females tend to leave the gang around age 20 Commit fewer violent crimes than male gang members Tend to join gangs because of sexually victimization at home

Juvenile Substance Abuse

National Youth Anti-Drug Campaign Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)
Growing Problems:
- Methamphetamine use
- Prescription drug abuse - recorded rise in teenage use from 2003-2004

Strategies for safe schools

Reducing weapons on school property
Metal detectors
Paying for information
Reducing bullying - 2/3 of school shooters saw themselves as being bullied
Increasing police presence

Problems Created by School Safety Programs

Banning of cell phones
Transferring troublemakers to the juvenile court - a 300% increase in 10 years
Expelling of disruptive/violent students

What is Terrorism?

Terrorism is a strategy, not a person, group, or nation. Terrorism can be used both by governments and persons and groups opposed to government.
Terrorism is premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets by sub nat

Domestic terrorism

Domestic terrorism are acts committed in the US by individuals or groups that do not have ties with or sponsorship from foreign states or organizations.

International Terrorism

International terrorism are acts perpetrated by state- sponsored groups, international terrorist organizations, and loosely affiliated international extremists' groups.

International Terrorism

Loosely Affiliated Extremists - Al Qaeda, Sunni Islamic extremists, jihad movements
Formal Terrorist Organizations - Hizballah, Hamas, Al- Gama Al-Islamiyya
State-Sponsored Terrorism - Iran, Syria, Cuba, North Korea

Department of Homeland Security

A national effort to prevent terrorist attacks.
Mission - to identify the most catastrophic possible terrorist attacks and do what it can to prevent them.

Unity of Effort

Prevention of catastrophic terrorism is most dependent on a unity of efforts between federal, state and local agencies.

CONPLAN

US Government Interagency Domestic Terrorism Concept of Operations Plan - federal guidelines that designate which federal agency is the lead agency responsible for command and control in the event of a terrorist incident involving multiple federal agencie

Intelligence and Information

Joint Counterterrorism Task Forces (JTTF) - combined FBI and local law enforcement officers focusing on preventing terrorism
Fusion Centers - intelligence networks run by state or local authorities designed to collect, analyze, and disseminate LE-critical

Expanding Federal Powers

Enemy Combatant Executive Order - the cornerstone of the "War on Terrorism" issued by President Bush on November 13, 2001, providing for the detention of terrorists without access to due process rights and entitlement of the Geneva Convention.
Military Tr