Customer Reviews

Encyclopedia of Prisons and Correctional Facilities

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The problem with a book like this is, the minute it's published, it's obsolete. Prisons are getting worse by the day. For instance, it states here that women at MCI-Framingham in Massachusetts, receive training in building trades and have access to programs through Boston University. That's not entirely true. "Programs" indicates something tangible like a degree but BU's endowment can only go so far; the state should kick in (especially since state law mandates it) but doesn't. Soon (as of this date Oct. 9, 2007), however, women at Framingham will be provided culinary arts and cosmetology programs, skills once considered traditionally "female" (and obviously still are). But they only have room for about 12 people at a time. There are roughly 1080 inmates in this 452 capacity prison. Right now, there is nothing else offered that is a marketable skill. And that's just the women's prison. An entire book would need to be written to touch on the severe deficiencies within the men's prisons.

I gave this book 4 stars because it doesn't cover enough about Massachusetts prisons, which I have discovered has one of the worst systems in the country. It is this silence that allows it to remain so. MA has the highest rate of over classified inmates (inmates who are in max should be in med, and med in min, etc.), second highest percentage of innocent people incarcerated (Illinois is number 1), the highest suicide rate in DYS in the nation, etc.

The books were not exactly what I expected. I was looking for books with more history and pictures. It seems like too much information is crammed into these books. Hence, the ENCYCLOPEDIA...but I wanted more detailed information and history and there are hardly any pictures.