Prison Officer Unions and the Perpetuation of the Penal Status Quo

On March 17, 2010, the nonpartisan, nonprofit Pew Center on the States released a report that began with a triumphant tone—“For the first time in nearly 40 years, the number of state prisoners in the United States has declined” (Pew Center for the States, 2010: 1). It continued optimistically, “the decline in 2009 could be a harbinger of a prolonged pattern” (6). The report reflected (and undoubtedly inspired) cautious optimism that policy makers would implement sentencing and prison reforms capable of substantially reducing penal populations and correctional spending over the long run. Propitious economic decline and backbreaking budget deficits are the main factors driving lawmakers to reconsider the penal policies, practices, and priorities that undergird “mass imprisonment.”1 Prison systems in many states are dangerously overcrowded, money to build additional facilities is scarce, and voters are reluctant to pass bond measures for prison expansion. Few resources are available for rehabilitation programs, medical and mental health care, and other prison-based services, eroding the already poor quality of life on the inside as well as leaving states vulnerable to court intervention (not to mention prisoner unrest). Moreover, sky-high criminal justice spending decreases resources for other vital, but underfunded, social services such as education (Austin et al., 2007; Jacobson, 2005; Greene and Mauer, 2010; Pew Center for the States, 2009, 2010; Steinhauer, 2009). These signs are not positive, but some believe that, in light of the dire economic environment and long-term drops in crime (particularly murder), policy makers will work to shrink America's enormous penal system (Simon, 2010: 373–374). Recent analyses suggest that the dip in imprisonment might be a short-lived event rather than the beginning of a long-term process. Marie Gottschalk (2010: 345–348), for example, argued that persistent economic decline might “foster public punitiveness” because politicians tend to scapegoat “others” (e.g., immigrants and the “marauding underclass”) in periods of financial free-fall and criminalize social protest of class inequality. Cracking down on crime is one way for the government to demonstrate that it is doing something to increase security and stability for working- and middle-class individuals teetering on the edge of financial disaster. That “something” might include hardening penal sanctions (including those targeting immigrants) and/or resisting sentencing reform, prison closures, and cuts to correctional budgets. A related reason for tempering optimism about the possibilities for upending mass imprisonment is that states have slashed resources for prison- and community-based service programs (Weisberg and Petersilia, 2010: 131). Therefore, considerable risk persists that parolees or individuals diverted from prison to probation or other community programs will return to crime. Without allocating sufficient resources to help ex-offenders obtain work, housing, and other necessities, the system raises the risk of parolees and probationers reoffending or violating the terms of their supervision. In addition, substantially of penal will that to mass imprisonment is a a on the for long-term sentencing and prison capable of mass It that, in prison and their have and will to to is than or the of a penal It and related reducing and that the the prison and it and the a of that mass as state to the penal on the because it is the and prison in the United States, and the In it is that the prison have on penal on to or the and that the prison is a because of prison The state has prison and budget of other to their prison systems to has to have the state to prison from to to is for and policy makers of prison in state to shrink penal system in the of budget with has a prison the is than in the the has not to the prison it has to state and correctional the to a prison that not the to the and in and to their in with other in that of the penal that reducing correctional and will public (particularly in prison and Moreover, in politicians might but not to be crime and related in in The first the that to the of the prison and to the penal The the of the and the in a the penal and the that the and to sentencing of mass imprisonment in that state 2007; and The the of the prison a with and to from the the that might help policy makers from prison as to sentencing and correctional A of the of mass demonstrate the prison prisoners and state and of and class 2007; 2007; and 2009). that mass imprisonment or that example, argued that has the of economic and a it has rather than of crime in and the of mass A in the of mass imprisonment the penal of America's prison is the of with in penal for example, that prison not in the prison in the states of and in terms of and prison These and the not began prison the the prison financial the could to and penal the prison prison with the resources to in the and penal imprisonment a but not sufficient for the of prison that the on penal on the of mass that the factors that the prison are not those that that the factors that mass imprisonment and those that to life the that prison in states are to the penal that a to and Gottschalk that the have a in the of to It as to a of that might public and other from prison as to sentencing policies, implement programs, or penal a of and it is to from the doing will makers will have to as to as to and Prison in the United States as of the public that in the in prison have in the of and states that not have prison are in states not have to a or or as a of their In in states with tend to be than in states the and in prison are with the of and of but a number are not with the or to the of in a Prison in the United States and the on prison in the United States, and the Prison in not their a to the government not to state the a The and the to prison and other correctional such as medical and and the the It a that in to the and prison not other state with the nonpartisan, with and from the the rehabilitation and that long in as well as and as the to crime the not prison in to the not a and the that prison terms and imprisonment for of the in mass imprisonment began in the and a budget of the with the prison to the to the a budget of Prison and of of and Center for and 2009 The resources to on that are The (not a or of signs the and the a the and it to and the the one of the to In the a state to and for the state and The the with the resources to the of prison and the It the that prison are public work “the in the on the that and that and for the capable of of public with the to the and Petersilia, it in financial and the to in it the of prison is than than the of Moreover, have a that to with to of their the the to and in from and to and prison and some politicians that the and the and a argued that, to and the a of that it nearly to The that it and the has to and from and of In years, the to and and of as well as that the of to the of and The a and of 1). In the to the and to and is prison than other in the in and other and criminal justice the of the and the of The has to and to example, the is and is are on as and and the to and it to on and rather than on The financial to and with other that could help it the the crime United of and the The resources to their the with and money of and of of is about the of financial could not because have the money to in with the the to the that in the the and to for and The for is not to that not for and to and their the help the from of in main the that prison are work the in the the that the than crime and public the for their public on crime and the public and the will the the and are a The has financial and and the have the their the and with the and other such as the the and the of a in the penal a is of with work are not with might in a not work to as a of their the and in the the is the of the rather than one In that would the prison other in the the to the of and The the and individuals have to the to implement on penal the and et al., In years, have to that to sentencing and to prison and that have from the and in penal In of the criminal in the reforms to in the that individuals with a of one or additional a as long as the of their prison are for The is for with of or and a for prison of to life and are not for of the et al., a of 2009, of the prisoners the 2009). are to life On that are than The state will in additional because of the the that the for than of the and and prisoners are to life for and The that to life for and in the The individuals for from a of of that would not have the that the would life In of a for a that would the and the of their would that be or and that the state life their or The would that the state in for to be as a for a to in a The the number of to for the and of voters with to in doing to a of prison and a from the to and the to would have to would to be a a of The to the It of the of to of and United for to a United for would as the for the of the than on the on of of from the and other a public example, on the A The for the as A and the be one and of a will be released of the are and with long of and will be on the United for that and not public in of voters on over the it began to that the of would on a of for a the of of and to the on would in additional to the for a of light on to In In to the for and of that a the on rather than a related to the to help a the to money and The the on the of On the the the in a time to measures time for on a to for than to the and the to the The the public to a of the on financial to the in the a the and of and of criminal and the a the would to and and example, the a in the the a and to A of the a with to the on as the will The over of in the a as the a that will The with a of the in of to be a to with long of the the of with a on The on United for (including those on the penal to and not about crime but about of other such as economic to quality of health care, and (e.g., and the on voters a penal policy will and in their are to it and The on on The of the voters but for the as the public the It continued to in the to the The on but that and to to to that such would in a social their and and for In doing the that and in on the United for the and it other (including in the the the and the state prison the and for with than to the the to with one 2010: the with the of public and that to the public the The would in in a to sentencing and The the of the to be the policy to the financial of for the The to shrink the prison targeting of or of would be for from prison to of (e.g., the of would be for a that the of would have would rather than or community sanctions such as the would have for and to additional for in programs, reducing their for of rehabilitation services, prisoners to programs that would to the time with to the prison the the of to shrink it the it would have the of for from to and diverted parolees the terms of their or from would have resources to that parolees services to their that in on state to in prison and could the state prison than and the number of parolees state than for the (e.g., the state and crime a to the The not a on or the The of that the a of the on the the the on not have the to a the in for in it on The a than and the on it not have money to a of the of the of and state to to for to their to the the of and “the have The that would it not money to their the on the that the would the the the to to to on public On the to the on and it to other nearly as money to of The on a the that the as the of and a of in the the that would for from to and would and on the the The the would the with public could their and The voters to The to the to is that for a penal as a one that voters to The and the that the in to mass It is the and a of individuals and with on crime and the and resources to the it is not a for the the has in the for with politicians (particularly and and and some and for budget state programs and and and the public of prison has and other of as and and the with as crime and in of the with and the and it to pass long-term sentencing reforms the process. with a or voters to be the the that to the risk of their or and The and related that voters measures and as and be not believe the the reason that policy makers and other to of the of to mass imprisonment in for from the and crime are down (and have down for and their to (Simon, of a penal The is Prison in other or with over penal and priorities and to mass policy makers to penal facilities and budgets. from to to a prison with than the to prison the of the from in to in increase of than the on prison that could not prison state budget deficits of than to implement reforms to as a of such and 2010; and Mauer, 2010; Jacobson, In the and 2009, prison from to In that the imprisonment from to and Mauer, 2010: The factors to the crime in in (e.g., decreases in and of from prison to reforms to the sentencing and of prisoners of and other and Mauer, 2010: Jacobson, The of has that factors will the prison on a has prison but it has and is the prison prison have and but not for and prison in their their in and a that a of public and is of the The of a other public of the (e.g., state and prison it and in the prison with the the number of from and to increase of than the not a in penal policy or mass the on (e.g., and and (e.g., and and the not a prison it the and from to the the over their work and in and In prison and in the of their in their to from and a The The because that the their to penal and that over their and and social and those of their in a is the money be a money and the correctional are a many and money from or and of that to a to in The has in the not to prison the prison began but it is to the it is to and to the correctional budget for down a of a and the of it a to security the to or other for the of of The and cuts would over has prison and (and on the of the is not has would to The the a to the public of not the would public 1). the of the and the and as correctional is related to the The prison system is and and sufficient or security to are not available 1). the state of in and prison in to the and the state money reducing the the In other the and rather than and 1). The and and of to or the of the that the will increase and example, the in the the in a a and and in the politicians to the budget of of a and it could the life and to not on and the the a a the of the as the on the a a with in The to The is will for prisoners from and and are and to be released from prison and and and The in that prison not but economic as and are not and the undoubtedly would In some prison system is the main 2009). the that it would the of the or government or of The a of economic with a of prison The has not in the prison and state politicians have with the The a of lawmakers and that their and have In 2010, the of a to and the state would not The of the the of and will be to the 2010: 1). the and of to and prison system will be a process. to the of prison to the The is a that penal and priorities in a state with and prison the is other prison is as as the the and it a of in the with some of the (e.g., the crime those with the the the the and other prison their from a and of their money to and their rather than those of the or in than one of prison in the United States are and (e.g., the for the to penal policy and 2009). of the could help to mass imprisonment and to to prison is (and is and than the The prison in not in that prison it in the way of reforms that have to a in the prison has than the because it not about the time began prison system is and it for to penal policy as in 2009). not the as the it is that to the prison system The in the the is to reforms to the prison over the long the is facilities and the will undoubtedly prison and the and down In their to their to or of in the penal that reforms will and in In addition, in to lawmakers reforms as for and to about and other The have sufficient resources to their because of their and and the are because of the prison In imprisonment the that the to A of the prison the of with a in and to the penal In the mass imprisonment in their but the are to that Therefore, the factors that mass imprisonment are not the factors that the to in will not be In and prison that might help policy makers and other as to implement sentencing and prison reform, penal and in correctional budgets. to in from the of their In states and have and of are middle-class the of the as a prison is one of number of that social to is in the many (particularly in and are Prison and their that might not the have the in prison about the penal the government and have as of economic Mauer, and that the economic of have et for example, that in in not of the prison prison or in and have that prison and et al., and prison be to other of et al., the economic of to might not be with The for economic et “the of the a the that are that the possibilities will and as in politicians and prison to and with the of and argued that states correctional In other be or is one way to of In of that will not but will in on that or to additional facilities in the that be and might well in to and that their are not to be to in is a way to and the that The state might programs or for to that would to other of work and the prison system (e.g., could in and the will as states from prison to could of their and would additional the state to from will to in that would or with for the states community as well as and to in the it is that state on to help prison and prison will to and the of will to with community and their prison the penal system for A of is to Moreover, the correctional will and That prison in and not for is believe that for and believe sentencing crime and In addition, the that the prison systems could to and are to the penal of Therefore, it is a to in economic The prison on crime and a that public and and of and that are with will to the of crime and mass in the of the years, politicians and of have on or on the of over penal policy 2007; is help to the public that mass imprisonment and prison public the that mass imprisonment because it money from and Moreover, it for and social policy makers the of the prison system public about is a way to the in the and in and prison in and of not their with the penal for the have not in public to the penal example, some that and to as some and other for long periods of and some that and the not to is in a to the about the and programs, and is a of the sentencing In on states the the of and long has in the that public is the the and is that are the are and their prison in 2010: It is that will as a for policy that might mass is on has that sentencing targeting and 2009). Therefore, might not might policy that would prison terms for of or long-term in imprisonment will reducing for those of or and has to the about imprisonment and penal has that to to cuts in mass in not sentencing reforms that would prison and it is that will the of to a mass budget from the and the of resources to other than might the sentencing reforms capable of and a prison In in public in and on policy policy makers and other the In doing might it for prison and related to voters (and measures to shrink the penal prison and the about would not be to and from to shrink the penal It to be in to not prison closures, and their to policy makers will to and it to that the are of argued not believe that to and their that of demonstrate that their the public are with and their are of public policy Prison state that the public but of could that prison are reforms that are in the public the could that the about and their than is for the and are of some in have In the years, the (particularly and have the as a of that politicians and prison and the correctional Moreover, the to the a that of prison and the state money has the to and policy to prison and prisoners the has and are to mass example, in a the the from as have a have a that the and that to build will be to build have a that not one of will be the of a in have a that of will be of a of the and in with the has for that for sentencing additional facilities to help and periods of for some ex-offenders It that would have for to life in prison to for a In addition, the a on of the Prison a court to prison as the of class The court that it for the government to prisoners with mental and medical health care, and it the state to prison from to is of prisoners 2009). the has other state of (and the of state for government the with the and other to measures that would have the of the (e.g., one would have the to from to for Moreover, the with other to help the The might be a of the prison with state the to work with other that a of is in is In years, the has undoubtedly it has with individuals and it such as prisoner and with the from and to and for some measures that could a in the penal the has that the of example, it began to about sentencing and prison in the the to and a sentencing that would have the to the sentencing 2009). In it other it for prisoners with life to and the state from to prison the (particularly to that the to the for a that would have it for some of life the of to their prison the that the the it of a of the that the to the and the resources to the resources and the to that In the the and The a it the in of the to in the prison the for the the the state of for the of prisoners might to their The argued that policy a of that the government from to The to the that the that, in the the prison the of that the not not with the states in that be prison state prisoners to and other that not the prison The to demonstrate to the that the is not of and have a the over to It to to the of for prison (not and to It not a of for or it the to the and (particularly is the to to those that would to or prison for many It is policy makers and other to shrink the penal system to that one and In addition, to the (and it doing it in the to or capable of the penal and other policy makers prison are to not to prison for their or to penal as politicians state and their for of and politicians are to to shrink the prison not prison for the to and state that policy because of for not not the for as to it is a for not to from sentencing and prison closures, be with that prison work, and and In other be for not for that, and prison the quality of life for and and in makers that mass and will have to to might be to state prisoners to prison and other for their of or that “the not penal to policy capable of crime down of lawmakers and other have to that such is and Moreover, to that or of the penal are to in of prison and their will to with the and the of for long-term reforms capable of the penal system will that and from mass is of the of include and and and is the of The and the Prison in

Criminal justice · Criminology · Imprisonment · Mass incarceration · Officer · Political science · Prison · Sociology · State (computer science · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Homelessness and Social Issues · Law

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