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PRISONS AND PRISONERS IN ENGLAND TODAY - A REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

NCJ Number
55553
Author(s)
ANON
Date Published
1978
Length
80 pages
Annotation
A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON PRISONS, PRISONERS, AND THE PRACTICE OF IMPRISONMENT IS PRESENTED IN AN ASSESSMENT OF PENAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN ENGLAND BY A CHURCH OF ENGLAND STUDY GROUP.
Abstract
SHIFTS IN PENOLOGY DURING THE 19TH CENTURY ARE REVIEWED, AND THE APPROACH TAKEN BY THE STUDY GROUP TO ITS TASK IS OUTLINED. THE SIZE AND NATURE OF ENGLAND'S PRISON POPULATION, THE STRUCTURE OF THE PRISON SYSTEM, THE SENTENCING PROCESS, AND REASONS GIVEN FOR IMPRISONING OFFENDERS ARE EXAMINED. THEOLOGICAL AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS PERTAINING TO PUNISHMENT AND IMPRISONMENT ARE DISCUSSED. ASPECTS OF PRISON LIFE, PARTICULARLY LINKS BETWEEN PRISONS AND THE COMMUNITY, ARE EXAMINED, AS THE ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT. THREE SETS OF VARIABLES SHAPING PENAL PRACTICES IN ENGLAND ARE IDENTIFIED: (1) THE SHIFTING BALANCE BETWEEN CUSTODIAL AND NONCUSTODIAL SENTENCES, AFFECTED BOTH BY CONCERN THAT RECOURSE TO IMPRISONMENT SHOULD BE MINIMIZED AND BY CHANGING VIEWS ABOUT THE OBJECTIVES OF PUNISHMENT; (2) THE CHOICE TO BE MADE WITHIN PRISONS REGARDING THE PRIORITY TO BE ACCORDED TO AN OVERTLY THERAPEUTIC APPROACH; AND (3) SOCIETAL VIEWS REGARDING THE EXTENT TO WHICH IMPRISONMENT SHOULD BE A PUNITIVE EXPERIENCE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT, BECAUSE NO SINGLE FORM OF PENAL TREATMENT HAS PROVED INTRINSICALLY MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN ANY OTHER, PENAL POLICY SHOULD BE CHARACTERIZED BY AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY AS CIRCUMSTANCES ALLOW. PRISONS SHOULD BE USED AS SPARINGLY AS POSSIBLE AND WITH THE RECOGNITION THAT, FOR THE MOST PART, IMPRISONMENT CREATES AS MANY PROBLEMS FOR SOCIETY AND FOR THE PRISONER AS IT SOLVES. IT SHOULD BE ACCEPTED THAT THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTER OF A PRISON SENTENCE IS THE EXTENSIVE DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY IMPOSED ON THE PRISONER AS PUNISHMENT, AND THAT TO EXPECT A POSITIVE CHANGE OF THE KIND IMPLIED BY THE CONCEPT OF REHABILITATION TO TAKE PLACE WITHIN THIS CONTEXT IS UNREASONABLE. THE EMPHASIS IN THE PRISON REGIME SHOULD BE ON WIDENING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRISONERS TO EXERCISE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. THE CHURCH AND PARTICULARLY INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN ALL OF SOCIETY'S ATTEMPTS TO DEAL WITH ITS MEMBERS WHO ARE CAUGHT UP IN THE CYCLE OF CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. (LKM)

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