Prison System
Jeremey W Kuhnke
Karyn Goldmeier
American Correction
Phase Four IP
6-17-2012
To understand what classification is in the prison system, I feel we have to look at the history of it as well. In the 19th century classification was hardly used. It was mainly used to control the prison system populations. Things like age, gender and number of offenses were used to classify them. During the medical model years of the prison system, they used medical reason to classify inmates. This helped control the mentally ill from regular offenders. It wasn’t until recently that prison system started classifies inmates to better control the system and have a better impact on the inmate themselves. The “get tough on crime” years strained the prison system and its population. It caused overcrowding and increased the risk of violence in the prison system. Lawsuits and became common place for the states and a new approach was needed to classify inmates to better control the population. Today’s model is called the objective classification system. The system uses intensive analysis, diagnosis, and prognosis for each prisoner to classify their inmates. This system helps reduce the level of violence, escape attempt and suicides as well as assaults and other serous violent offence in the prison systems. (US department of Justice,2003)
The presentence report provides a case manager or case worker with valuable information needed to classify an inmate. This report is broken down into several parts. The offense part list the brief history of the criminal offense, victim impact, obstruction of justice, acceptance of responsibility, level of computation and the offenders behavior. The second part deals with the offender’s criminal history. The third part list the offender’s characteristics. Part d lists the sentencing options, which include any plea agreement options made by the offender or prosecutor’s office. Part e lists any factors that may indicate that a sentence of a different
Karyn Goldmeier
American Correction
Phase Four IP
6-17-2012
To understand what classification is in the prison system, I feel we have to look at the history of it as well. In the 19th century classification was hardly used. It was mainly used to control the prison system populations. Things like age, gender and number of offenses were used to classify them. During the medical model years of the prison system, they used medical reason to classify inmates. This helped control the mentally ill from regular offenders. It wasn’t until recently that prison system started classifies inmates to better control the system and have a better impact on the inmate themselves. The “get tough on crime” years strained the prison system and its population. It caused overcrowding and increased the risk of violence in the prison system. Lawsuits and became common place for the states and a new approach was needed to classify inmates to better control the population. Today’s model is called the objective classification system. The system uses intensive analysis, diagnosis, and prognosis for each prisoner to classify their inmates. This system helps reduce the level of violence, escape attempt and suicides as well as assaults and other serous violent offence in the prison systems. (US department of Justice,2003)
The presentence report provides a case manager or case worker with valuable information needed to classify an inmate. This report is broken down into several parts. The offense part list the brief history of the criminal offense, victim impact, obstruction of justice, acceptance of responsibility, level of computation and the offenders behavior. The second part deals with the offender’s criminal history. The third part list the offender’s characteristics. Part d lists the sentencing options, which include any plea agreement options made by the offender or prosecutor’s office. Part e lists any factors that may indicate that a sentence of a different
References: Echie K. (2012) The Roles And Duties Of The Parole Or Probation Officer In The Criminal Justice Field Library index webpage. (2012). Sentencing alternative sentencing. Retrieved from http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2553/Sentencing-ALTERNATIVE- Westmarland, N. (2009). Women and the Criminal Justice System. International Criminal Law Review, 9(2), 442-443