New Technology in Prisons and Jails: New Technology in Prisons and Jails: Impact on Safety, Cost, and Offender Impact on Safety, Cost, and Offender

RehabilitationRehabilitationNov.17Nov.17thth 2009 Lecture 2009 LectureProfessor James ByrneProfessor James Byrne

Hard And Soft Prison TechnologyHard And Soft Prison Technology

Hard TechnologyHard Technology Contraband detection devices used Contraband detection devices used

in prison/jailin prison/jail Duress alarm systems for Duress alarm systems for

corrections officers in indoor and corrections officers in indoor and outdoor settingsoutdoor settings

Language translation devices for use Language translation devices for use within prisons within prisons

Remote monitoring of inmate Remote monitoring of inmate movements in cells and throughout movements in cells and throughout prisonprison

Perimeter security technology; new Perimeter security technology; new cell extraction technologycell extraction technology

Less than lethal force in prisonLess than lethal force in prison Othe r(e.g. the Supermax prison) Othe r(e.g. the Supermax prison)   

Soft TechnologySoft Technology inmate classifications systemsinmate classifications systems New monitoring technology for inmate New monitoring technology for inmate

phone calls and financial transactionsphone calls and financial transactions Within-prison crime analysis and Within-prison crime analysis and

response capabilities (examination of response capabilities (examination of incident/sanctioning patterns, incident/sanctioning patterns, including transfer, segregation, loss of including transfer, segregation, loss of privileges, etc. identification of high privileges, etc. identification of high rate offenders and/or prison hot-spot rate offenders and/or prison hot-spot locations)locations)

Information sharing with community Information sharing with community corrections, police, treatment corrections, police, treatment providers (continuity/seamless providers (continuity/seamless system), and public health systemsystem), and public health system

Monitoring of inmate health problems Monitoring of inmate health problems (e.g. mental and physical)(e.g. mental and physical)

Other (e.g. testing new technologies Other (e.g. testing new technologies in a simulated “mock” riot; using in a simulated “mock” riot; using software to model death row outcomes software to model death row outcomes

What is the Link between New What is the Link between New Technology and Safety?Technology and Safety?

Staff SafetyStaff Safety: Public vs. private; : Public vs. private; security level variationssecurity level variations

Inmate SafetyInmate Safety: Variations by type of : Variations by type of injury( self-injury, assaults by injury( self-injury, assaults by inmates, assaults by staff)inmates, assaults by staff)

Community SafetyCommunity Safety: Escapes: Escapes

Is New Technology Cost Effective?Is New Technology Cost Effective?

Cost of CorrectionsCost of Corrections: 60 Billion and : 60 Billion and climbingclimbing

Cost of New TechnologyCost of New Technology: People vs. : People vs. thing Technology; short-term control thing Technology; short-term control vs. long term changevs. long term change

New Technology and Justice New Technology and Justice ReinvestmentReinvestment

What is What is Justice ReinvestmentJustice Reinvestment? ? Reallocation of prison funds to Reallocation of prison funds to community corrections initiativescommunity corrections initiatives

How can How can Simulation ModelingSimulation Modeling be be applied to impact assessment? BJA applied to impact assessment? BJA studystudy

Can We Use Technology Change Can We Use Technology Change Prisoners: What Works?Prisoners: What Works?

Technology of ControlTechnology of Control: we can : we can reduce inmate-on inmate violence reduce inmate-on inmate violence using control strategies, but it will using control strategies, but it will increase the level of self-injury and increase the level of self-injury and assaults on staffassaults on staff

Technology of Offender ChangeTechnology of Offender Change: : Prison programming mattersPrison programming matters

Prison Violence Prison Violence

A review of the official data on the extent of the prison violence problem (murder, rape, and assault) suggests that the most serious forms of violence are rare in federal and state prisons

The rate of violence in federal and state prisons is actually slightly on the decline, despite the doubling of our prison population in the last decade (Useem & Piehl, 2006).

Numbers Vs. RatesNumbers Vs. Rates

Examination of data from the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities revealed that “the number of assaults, including both physical and sexual assaults, was 32% higher [in 2000] than in a similar period preceding the 1995 census” (Stephan & Karberg, 2003, p. vi).

In 2000,there were 34,000 inmate-on-inmate assaults reported.

Do We have a Prison Violence Do We have a Prison Violence Problem?Problem?

The DebateThe Debate: Official vs Unofficial : Official vs Unofficial Estimates of the Level and Rate of Estimates of the Level and Rate of Violence in Prison vary significantly Violence in Prison vary significantly for both violence and disorder.for both violence and disorder.

Prison vs. Community SafetyPrison vs. Community Safety: A : A Recent BJS Report found that the Recent BJS Report found that the Likelihood of homicide victimization Likelihood of homicide victimization among prisoners was 9 times greater among prisoners was 9 times greater in the community than in prison.in the community than in prison.

Mapping Offender Reentry: Why Mapping Offender Reentry: Why Do It?Do It?

High Risk Offenders vs. High Stakes High Risk Offenders vs. High Stakes OffendersOffenders: Who should we Target?: Who should we Target?

High Risk LocationsHigh Risk Locations: Can we change : Can we change community risk level?community risk level?

High Risk TimesHigh Risk Times: When are returning : When are returning offenders most likely to fail?offenders most likely to fail?