The Correctional System: Problems and Prospects

Abstract

The prison is viewed as an element in the system of justice that operates under constraints imposed by the broader soci ety. Many of the contradictions observed in the prison's goals and in its achievement strategies have their counterpart in community disorganization. Accordingly, any major im provement in the prison's efficiency will probably require a fundamental overhaul of both the system of justice and the community's normative structure. Such overhaul encounters strong resistance from the community and the agencies of justice. Most current efforts at prison reform are therefore regarded as stopgap measures.