Prisons

Crime and Punishment

Controversy Over Prisons

Prisons have historically had a poor record in
turning offenders into responsible citizens or
rehabilitating them to society
Canada and the US have some of the
highest numbers of citizens in prison
compared to other industrialized nations

Controversy Over Prisons

Controversy Over Prisons

Prisons are a product of industrialized society
Little has changed about prisons over time
Types of punishment have changed
however, and most industrialized societies
no longer have the death penalty

Controversy Over Prisons

Prison reform is a controversial topic because
while individual human rights need to be
respected, people tend to be emotionally
affected by horrendous acts of violence

History of Prisons in Canada

First large Canadian prison:
Kingston Penitentiary
Followed by eight more across the country

History of Prisons in Canada

Provincial governments have established
their own prisons and jails
Today, about half of Canadas total prison
population serves two years or more in
federal penitentiaries for serious crimes
Other half serves shorter sentences in
provincial prisons for lesser crimes

History of Prisons in Canada

Canada spends about $4.3 million on its
federal and provincial penal system
Costs between $48,000 - $80,000 per year
to provide for an inmate
35 40% of inmates are non-violent drug or
property offenders
Currently 15,000 Canadians in federal prison
Canada abolished Death Penalty in 1963

History of Prisons in Malaysia

During era of British rule, prison institutions
were the responsibility of the individual
states governments
Prisons were built with the main purpose
of bring suffering
to the inmates in
hopes to deter
people from
committing crimes

History of Prisons in Malaysia

Trades were eventually introduced into
prisons and inmates were expected to
engage in carpentry, printing work, weaving
and sewing work, and metalwork

History of Prisons in Malaysia

After WWII, a Prison Office was established
to administer all prisons in Malaysia
After independence, prisons in Malaysia
slowly began to change and modernize
Currently 39,258 people in prison in Malaysia
Capital punishment exists for those who
commit murder, drug trafficking, treason and
waging war against the King

Prison Life
Physical conditions in prisons vary greatly
and are categorized based on their level of
security
Minimum, Medium, Maximum Security

Prison Life
Cells in most prisons are designed to hold
one to two people and typically contain a
toilet, washbasin, bunk, desk, and chair

Prison Life
Some prisons have smaller cells and no
windows while others are relatively
comfortable and let prisoners have
televisions, and access to gym equipment

Prison Culture
Often a violent culture exists within prisons
Many inmates suffer from violent assaults
and many are murdered
Abused by other prisoners or even guards
High suicide rates
Many prisoners continue to engage in
crimes in prisons such as theft, drugdealing, and counterfeiting

Psychological Aspects
Think about a time when you acted out of
character, either because of who you were
with or because of unusual circumstances
doing something because of peer pressure
even though you knew it was wrong
doing something because an adult or
authority figure instructed you to even
though you considered it wrong
Reflect on this silently but keep it in mind as
we work through the next activity

Stanford Prison Experiment

This website details an experiment that got
out of control and became a reality, with
interesting psychological consequences
Explores how people act brutally as a result
of situational influences and role psychology
(ex. guard vs. prisoner)

http://www.prisonexp.org/

Stanford Prison Experiment

Work through the slide tour on the website:
Read the information about the experiment,
look at the images, and watch the videos
Answer the discussion questions on a
separate sheet of paper
Email your answers
by the end of class

The Purpose of Prisons

PUNISHMENT
This is probably the only
goal that prisons
accomplish as conditions
tend to be poor
Harsh punishment may
protect the public while
the offender is jailed, but
may embitter the
prisoner so much that he
or she re-offends when
released

PUNISHMENT
In the case of young offenders, prisons may
teach them to act criminally they are often
called schools for crime

PROTECTION
Locking up a violent person removes one
offender from society, but there will always
be people who will break the law no matter
how severe the punishment may be

PROTECTION
A person who spends time in a criminal
environment in a prison is not necessarily
more law-abiding when they are let out

DETERRENCE
Public tends to believe that tougher
sentences will make potential offenders
think before they commit a crime and
therefore reduce the crime rate
This has been proven to not be true

DETERRENCE
Most violent crimes are caused by people
who are influenced by drugs, alcohol, or
impulsive anger
Individuals do not rationally consider the
length of
punishment
against
committing
the criminal
act

REHABILITATION
Good rehabilitation programs are expensive
and as a result, most governments are
unwilling to fund them
Overcrowding,
drugs, and
violence
undermine
the efforts of
prison staff to
deliver good
programs

REHABILITATION
Long sentences have the following impact
on offenders:
Make them more antisocial and violent
Make them unprepared for the normal
demands of society unable to function

Partner Work
Working with the person next to you, rank
the Purposes of Prisons in order from most
important to least important
Explain why you have decided to rank
them as you did
Explain whether or not your ranking would
change depending on the type of crime
committed
Be prepared to share your answers with the
rest of the class

Solutions to Prisons
Many people want to change the violent
environment of prisons and make the
following recommendations:
Increased money to relieve overcrowding
and to provide more and better-quality
rehabilitation programs
Prison sentences need to be reduced or
eliminated for non-violent crimes and for
minor drug offences to free up prison
space

Solutions to Prisons
Electronic monitoring devices should be
used for some offenders to allow them to
serve sentences outside of prison
Facts should be emphasized in the media
instead of appeals to public emotion and
fear tactics regarding offenders & prisons
Public needs to be educated on the fact
that violent crimes are a reflection of
deeper problems in society, such as
poverty, racism, troubled home lives, and
lack of support for families in difficulty

Alternative Prisons
Steps have been taken to improve the
conditions of prisons and focus on
rehabilitation
Consider the following Case Examples
Video: Bastoy Prison Norway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGTzbj3fRSw

Text p. 220 222

William Head Correctional Institution
Canada

Reflection Questions
How could the setting and physical designs of
Bastoy Prison and William Head contribute toward
the goal of rehabilitating the prisoners?
Discuss the features that make these prisons
different from traditional prison institutions
Why might some people react negatively to prison
facilities designed this way?
What are your personal opinions regarding these
alternative forms of prisons?
Do you agree/disagree with their design?
Do you feel it is fair for prisoners to have such
comfortable living conditions? Why or why not?