Pros And Cons Of Supermax Prisons
Supermax prisons are often referred to as the prison within a prison. With the increase of prison population throughout the nation and the increase in violence, prison officials sought to curb the rate of violence. Their answer was the supermax prison system. Designed to hold hundreds of inmates in Administrative Segregation, prison officials sought to lower violence by housing the worst offenders in solitary confinement (Latessa and Holsinger, 2011, pp. 79-81).
Proponents of the supermax systems argue that these new state of the art prisons help control the violence among prisoners by isolating the most violent inmates. By isolating the violent inmates, the rates of staff assaults and inmate on inmate assaults are lower. “Prison officials
claim that Marion, Pelican Bay, and the other supermax-type control units reduce violence in the rest of the prison system (Latessa and Holsinger, 2011, p. 81).” However, many studies disagree with their views.
Opponents of the supermax system often cite mental health as the reason for the supermax failure. The entire purpose of the supermax systems is to isolate the problem inmates, and many of them are released back into the normal prison population with “feelings of resentment and rage and exacerbated mental deterioration (Latessa and Holsinger, 2011, p. 81).” Many struggle dealing with the long term isolation and become a greater risk to the prison population as a result (Latessa and Holsinger, 2011, p. 81).
With the failure of the supermax system to keep inmates mentally healthy, the question becomes how to keep the dangerous offenders away from the general population while maintaining the sanity of those in isolation. Correctional officials should begin with regular mental checkups on inmates in isolation. Training officers for the signs of mental breakdown is imperative, seeing that they see these inmates regularly, they should be able to see the signs before they begin to manifest. Also, inmates in solitary confinement should be given the ability to work and have a life outside of their cells given good behavior. By giving them greater interaction, staff maybe able to slow down the rate of mental issues within the supermax system.
Proponents of the supermax systems argue that these new state of the art prisons help control the violence among prisoners by isolating the most violent inmates. By isolating the violent inmates, the rates of staff assaults and inmate on inmate assaults are lower. “Prison officials
claim that Marion, Pelican Bay, and the other supermax-type control units reduce violence in the rest of the prison system (Latessa and Holsinger, 2011, p. 81).” However, many studies disagree with their views.
Opponents of the supermax system often cite mental health as the reason for the supermax failure. The entire purpose of the supermax systems is to isolate the problem inmates, and many of them are released back into the normal prison population with “feelings of resentment and rage and exacerbated mental deterioration (Latessa and Holsinger, 2011, p. 81).” Many struggle dealing with the long term isolation and become a greater risk to the prison population as a result (Latessa and Holsinger, 2011, p. 81).
With the failure of the supermax system to keep inmates mentally healthy, the question becomes how to keep the dangerous offenders away from the general population while maintaining the sanity of those in isolation. Correctional officials should begin with regular mental checkups on inmates in isolation. Training officers for the signs of mental breakdown is imperative, seeing that they see these inmates regularly, they should be able to see the signs before they begin to manifest. Also, inmates in solitary confinement should be given the ability to work and have a life outside of their cells given good behavior. By giving them greater interaction, staff maybe able to slow down the rate of mental issues within the supermax system.