Correctional Boot Camps

Correctional boot camps are at times referred to as shock or intensive incarceration which utilizes the military boot camp model. These programs usually adopt physical exercises, ceremony, drills as well as uniforms in an attempt to inculcate discipline along with respect within offenders. Boot camps prisons initially were established within Oklahoma and Georgia back in 1963.

Characteristics of Boot Camps

Boot camps participants usually are demanded to follow a thorough daily schedule which include manual labor, drill as well as physical training. Similar to military boot camp participants wake up early every morning and are required to stay busy all day through varying activities with little resting time.    Conduct along with appearance of the inmates is regulated by strict rules. Correctional officers take the role of drill instructors and possess titles of reference: they utilize strong verbal tactics in order of discouraging opposition along with instigating behavior transformation in inmates. Further, punishments for misbehavior normally are swift and entail physical activity for instance pushups. When groups of inmates join in, an intake ceremony is conducted whereby they are immediately demanded to follow the existing rules, answer staff in particular ways in addition to standing attention. During the end of a participant’s term a small graduation ceremony is held to celebrate the program completion (U.S. Department of Justice 13).     

Boot Camp Prisons Ineffectiveness

Boot camp prison overtime has become controversial, since critics dispute that this kind of regimen seems not to decrease recidivism. The continued accusations of misconduct as well as abuse within boot camp prisons have led to the assertion that they have become punishment camps (Walters 2).

Researchers are concerned with the fact that inmates’ liberties are never observed since the offenders are coerced to perform functions that may not be good for them. Critics are of the view that summary punishments in addition to the staff yelling towards offenders are abusive: they therefore conclude that participants may leave the boot prison camps angry as well as damaged by the encounters MAIN 3). Additionally, it has been indicated that the military setting which is structured to make a unified fighting unit is inappropriate for juvenile offenders.  These camps have been under investigations with regard to abuse and mistreatment (Walters 3).

In spite of the political popularity of the prison boot camps researchers have observed no statistical difference towards recidivism amongst offenders who attended the camps and those who never participated. This means that the offenders who were engaged boot camps did not show lower recidivism rates in comparison to the ones who attended the normal prisons. Thus, the military component holds no effect on recidivism. Among the mainly worrying issues is the dropout rates; approximately a third of the offenders do not complete the program resulting their being sent to normal prisons MAIN 12). On the other hand the boot camp advocates observes the program has extended numerous benefits such as reducing costs as well as prison overcrowding. Additionally, the supporters indicate that offenders acquire discipline as well as accountability when they live the institution (Walters 3).

However despite the accountability and discipline extended by the military training when the offenders leave the camps they usually go back to the same neighborhoods where drugs, crimes in addition to other evils are prevalent. Thus boot camp prisons only effectiveness is the reduction of incarceration costs: the boot camps have no effect towards recidivism.

Works Cited

MAIN, FRANK. “Boot camp less effective than prison for gun offenders: study – Chicago Sun-Times.” Chicago : News : Politics : Things To Do : Sports | Chicago Sun-Times. N.p., 2013. Web. 1 Nov. 2014. <http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/23778153-418/boot-camp-less-effective-than-prison-for-gun-offenders-study.html#.VFUtnWeeq_I>.

U.S. Department of Justice. “Correctional Boot Camps: Lessons From a Decade of Research.” N.p., 2003. Web. 1 Nov. 2014. <https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/197018.pdf>.

Walters, Joanna. “New York’s boot-camp prisons get the boot | Al Jazeera America.” Fact-Based, In-Depth News | Al Jazeera America. N.p., 2013. Web. 1 Nov. 2014. <http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/12/9/new-york-s-boot-campprisonsgettheboot.html>.