Prisons and Punishment

Sentencing Goals

•      Retribution

•      Deterrence

–  General

–  Specific

•      Incapacitation

•      Rehabilitation

•      Reintegration/Restoration

Intermediate sentencing

•      Split sentencing

•      Shock probation

•      Boot camp

•      Home confinement and electronic monitoring

Branding

Pillory and Stocks

Ducking Stool

Flogging

Riding the wooden horse

Early Models

•      Pennsylvania Model

•      Auburn Model

US Prisons
 1800s

Prison cell
1915

1915

Modern maximum security

Minimum Security

Prison Demographics

•      About 2 million in federal and state prisons

–  25% in California and Texas

•      About 700,000 in local jails

•      About 93% male

•      46% African American

•      17% Hispanic

•      43% no HS degree

•      More than half living in poverty

Privatization

•      Historical roots

•      Financing

•      Arguments for:

–   Money

–   Better employee control

–   Flexibility and accountability

•      Arguments against:

–   Money

–   Labor

–   control

Prison Labor

•      Keep inmates occupied

•      Rehabilitative value

•      Offset cost of incarcerations

•      Public works

•      Contract system

Life in Prison

•      Total institution

•      Degradation ceremony

•      Inmate subculture

–  Deprivation model

–  Importation model

•      Inmate code

•      Race

•      Gender

Pains of Imprisonment

•      Loss of liberty

•      Loss of goods and services

•      Loss of heterosexual relationships

•      Loss of autonomy

•      Loss of security

Death Penalty

•      Supporters – 50-64%

•      Opponents – 46%

•      Chiefs of Police

Buried in preparation for stoning

Burning at the Stake

Public Execution

Death Penalty in the US

•      Furman v. Georgia – 1972 violation of 8^th and 14^th amendments

•      Moratorium lifted in 1976

•      3,500 on death row

•      1016 executions

•      38 states authorize

^•       OK – 3^rd

•      36 botched

Death Penalty in OK

Death Penalty in OK

•      Electric chair until 1966

•      Switched to lethal injection

•      90 people on death row

•      3 women in 2001

Prohibitions on executions

•      Juvenile

–  Roper v. Simmons (2005)

•      Mentally Ill

–  Atkinson v. Virginia (2002)

Race

•      Race of the victim more predictive than race of defendant in who will receive death penalty

Deterrence and Money

•      Very little support for deterrence

•      Death penalty 2-3 times more expensive than life in prison

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