Supermax Prison Research Paper

Words: 590
Pages: 3

When prisoners are sentenced to prison, they are diverted to correctional facilities that are appropriate to their offense. Since the mid-1980s, some correctional facilities have been expanding with Supermax prisons. Supermax prisons are in a separated wing or annex of existing prisons. They were first introduced after many prisoners wounded officers at maximum-security penitentiaries. These prisons slowly altered their polies, practices, and retrofitted their building to what it is now, a Supermax prison. The first Supermax prison was opened in Florence, Colorado devised to hold the most violent criminals. There is not an abundant amount of research on Supermax prisons because it is difficult to get inside the facility. However, there has been a monograph and a memoir recently published …show more content…
During Ronald Regan’s presidency, a conservative political belief began. This ideology emerged from public fear of criminals and the desire for greater punishments. Another factor was the growth of career correctional administrators for Supermax prisons. Without the leadership of correctional officers, Supermaxes may never been created. Although the cells vary prison to prison, most are built with the dimensions of 12 by 7 feet. A normal cell is furnished with a bed, a desk, a stool, a toilet, and sink. For safety the light in the cell remains on all night long. The prisoners are locked up 23 hours of the day. When they are not locked up, they are under stiff supervision of the officers. Furthermore, the prisoners also have no personal privacy. Unfortunately, while serving their sentence, inmates often develop severe psychological disorder in Supermax prisons. This is due to the isolation, lack of a meaningful life, and little human interaction. Due to the high expenses of Supermax prisons, the future may entail combining with traditional prisons to create a wider