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Prison Reform in a Federalist Democracy

NCJ Number
172601
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 76 Issue: 4 Dated: December 1996 Pages: 495-501
Author(s)
H Toch
Date Published
1996
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A "career-planning" model -- centered around notions of advancement, progression, continuity, choice, and achievement -- should be used with long-term inmates.
Abstract
The career model presupposes case management. A staff member of the prison must work with the inmate to help him/her formulate short-term and long-term plans that are congruent with the inmate's interests. Further, the model presupposes opportunities for consultation and choice. The inmate must be able to review his/her career to date and decide whether to continue on a given path or explore new and different options. The model also presupposes a sequence of settings that is congruent with phases of the inmate's career. Some jurisdictions in the United States have an information system that makes it possible to keep track of prisoners individually, and in the aggregate such data are valuable for career planning. Other components of the career- oriented model are new kinds of reward systems that value inmate contributions in the prison system, as well as opportunities for inmates to improve the quality of life in the prison community. 4 references