Corrections Research Paper and Evaluation

Corrections Research Paper and Evaluation

Team B

CJA/484

January 13, 2015

Felicia Hogan

Corrections Research Paper and Evaluation

Since the beginning of civilization, there has been some type of correctional institution used to incapacitate and punish individuals for acts against society. Fast-forward 1000 years and correctional institutions are still in use today, however, there have been some added components such as parole, probation, and community correction programs. This paper will inform the reader about the various processes of jails, prisons, probation, parole, juvenile and community corrections. It will also evaluate past, present, and future trends pertaining to the development and operation of institutional and community based corrections, examine the correctional organization and administration functions that reflect operations and fiscal demands, as well as assess the security, technology, management, and control functions within correctional environments. Finally, the author will explain the various educational and treatment programs used in rehabilitation efforts for institutional and community corrections.

The purpose of incarceration is not only to punish an individual for their crimes, but also to rehabilitate the offender so they may have a better understanding of what they did wrong and live a better life outside of the criminal justice system. A process occurs following the arrest of an individual. Once they arrive at the jail facility, the individual is registered into the system and usually searched; to make sure no contraband is brought into the jail facility. Then the inmate is booked, the inmate's name and crime are entered into a computer. Next, the inmate is fingerprinted to confirm their identity (Berman, 2014). Then the individual is given a mug shot, which can not only further identify the suspect, but can also identify a person's physical condition at the time of arrest (Berman, 2014). Once fingerprints and name are taken, the jail administration can check for warrants as well. Medical information is also taken at the time of booking, to check for diseases or conditions that need medical attention. This is to protect the inmate, other inmates, and jail personnel as well (Berman, 2014). Once the suspect is booked into the jail completely, then the suspect is put into a classification. Classification is based on the charge of the individual, past record of violence, mental and physical condition of the individual, and even the amount of cooperation by the suspect. For example, if the individual were not cooperating, they would need to be put in a higher security classification to prevent