Prison Organization

The organization of a prison is very important in meeting the goals of the prison system. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the prison organization detracts from the goals of the prison system. This essay will begin with a summary on the goals of the prison system followed by a brief outline of the organization of a prison. After the goals and organization are discussed, the two concepts will be combined to show how prison organization detracts from the goals of the prison system, especially providing a safe environment, meeting inmates’ needs, and rehabilitation. This paper will conclude with a brief summary of the findings that the organization of prisons detracts from the goals of the prison system.

Goal

The goal and purpose of a prison is much more complex than to just incarcerate a multitude of offenders. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the mission of the prison system is to protect society as a whole by placing offenders “in the controlled environment of prisons and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law-abiding citizens” (Federal Bureau of Prisons, n.d., para. 1). More simply stated, prisons aim to provide an environment that is safe and secure, meets inmates’ basic needs, and to provide an environment that is conducive to deterrence, incapacitation, retribution and rehabilitation (Kifer, Hemmens & Stohr, 2003). In regards to prison organization, rehabilitation and meeting inmates’ needs is especially important and these are goals that are often not met. The goal of rehabilitation within a prison is not necessarily to enter offenders into treatment to manage their behavior or conditions, rather it is to prepare offenders to enter back into society successfully (Bayley, Gutierrez, Stringham & Kapenda, 2012).

Prison Organization

Within the organization of a prison, the hierarchy begins with the warden (Seiter, 2014). The warden’s job is incredibly difficult, as they have to take the policies presented to them by the director of the state department of corrections and put them into effect throughout the prison (Peak, 2007). Wardens are also responsible for ensuring that day-to-day operations within the prison run smoothly (Peak, 2007).

The staff members who report to the warden are known as deputy, assistant wardens, or associates (Seiter, 2014). Their main job duties fall into three major categories: custody, services and treatment (Seiter, 2014). Staff members within the custody department are responsible for maintaining a safe and secure environment within the prison (Seiter, 2014). The custody department is sometimes referred to as correctional services, and is the largest department in terms of staff within a prison (Seiter, 2014). The services