Short Essay on Open Prisons System in U.S.A !
During the nineteenth century open air prisons were in existence in America in the name of prison-farms. The convicts who were nearing the end of their sentence were generally transferred from conventional prisons to these open farms in forests as labourers. But these camps deferred from modem open-institutions atleast in one aspect, that is, they were not the honour camps but were literally the “slave-camps” for prisoners who were made to work under heavy guard and surveillance.
Experience with these prison labourers was quite encouraging. It was therefore, realised that majority of these prisoners could be trusted if engaged in corrective work outside the guarded enclosures under unarmed supervisors. Although the system involved a risk of prisoners escaping from work-site, but the number of actual escapes was so negligible that this mode of helping and guiding prisoners was adopted as an integral part of correctional programme in the United States.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The greatest service done to prison community under the system of open-air institution was to develop self-reliance and self-confidence among the prison inmates by resorting to minimum security measures.
There was yet another reason for the evolution of the system of open prison camps. The problem of overcrowding in prisons had been engaging the attention of prison authorities for quite some time. The problem became more tense in times of war and political upheavals when a large number of offenders were required to be dumped inside the prison cells. With a view to reducing overcrowding, some of the prisoners were picked up to be quartered into open-air camps.
It was noticed that the system offered better opportunities to convicts for their rehabilitation and self-reformation. Another advantage of the system was that it achieved economy in expenditure on prisons and thus contributed, substantially to reduce the burden on State exchequer. Initially, only selected prisoners were booked to open-air institutions after a careful scrutiny so that they could be better-risks.