This document discusses several special populations within the correctional system, including elderly prisoners, prisoners with HIV/AIDS, mentally ill prisoners, and long-term prisoners. It also covers the history of the juvenile justice system in the US and challenges in sanctioning and treating juvenile offenders, including those involved in gangs. Key topics include medical care and housing needs of special populations, debates around segregating HIV-infected inmates, high rates of mental illness among prisoners, the high costs of life sentences, and balancing rehabilitation and public safety in the juvenile system.

1. Correctional
Issues

2. Special Populations and
Juvenile Corrections

3.  Elderly Prisoners
 Geriatric offenders
 Housing
 Medical care
 Programs
 Release

4.  Prisoners with HIV/AIDS
 Higher rate of infection than general
population
▪ High-risk behaviors
▪ IV drug use
▪ Needle sharing
▪ Unprotected sex

5.  Prisoners with HIV/AIDS
 Segregation policies are controversial
▪ Advocates
▪ Prison violence decreases
▪ HIV-infected inmates benefit from removal from the
general population
▪ Additional health care and programs more available
▪ Better living accommodations
▪ More staff support and specialized care

6.  Prisoners with HIV/AIDS
 Safe environment for staff
▪ Correctional officers
▪ Breaking up fights
▪ Handling physically violent inmates
▪ Chance of virus transmission are reportedly low

7.  Mentally Ill Prisoners
 Deinstitutionalization
 More likely among violent offenders
 Less likely among drug offenders
 Differs by age, race, and gender
 Sexual abuse, homelessness, incarcerated family
member

8.  Mentally Ill Prisoners
 Challenges for correctional officials
▪ More fights
▪ More rule violations
▪ Counseling
▪ Medication

9.  Long-Term Prisoners
 Each life sentence costs taxpayers
approximately $1 million
 “Get tough” sentences mean more non-violent
long term inmates
 Not generally control problems

10.  Long-Term Prisoners
 Three main principles for managing long-term
inmates
▪ Maximize opportunities for the inmates to exercise
choice in living conditions
▪ Create opportunities for meaningful living
▪ Help the inmates maintain contact with the outside
world

11.  The Problem of Youth Crime
 In a typical year, about…
▪ 1,100 youths under the age of 18 are arrested for
homicide
▪ 4,200 for forcible rape
▪ 60,500 for aggravated assault
 Extremely serious juvenile crime is still rare

12.  The History of Juvenile Corrections in the
United States
 The Puritan Period
 The Refuge Period
 The Juvenile Court
Period

13.  The History of Juvenile Corrections in the
United States
 The Juvenile Court Period
▪ Parens patriae
▪ Informality
▪ Individualization
▪ Intervention
▪ Delinquent, neglected, dependent children

14.  The History of Juvenile Corrections in the
United States
 The Juvenile Rights Period
 The Crime Control Period
▪ Racial, demographic, and economic changes

15.  Why Treat Juveniles and Adults Differently?
 Juveniles are young and may easily change
 Juveniles have a high rate of “desistence”
 Juveniles’ families are an important part of their lives
 Juveniles are easily influenced by their peers
 Juveniles have little responsibility for others

16.  The Problem of Serious Delinquency
 Normal delinquency
 Status offenses
▪ Runaway
▪ Truancy
▪ Ungovernable
 Age appropriate behavior
 Social context

17.  Percentage of Petitioned
Status Offense Cases
Involving Female Offenders
1985–2002

18.  Sanctioning Juvenile Offenders
 Fragmentation
▪ Courts
▪ Executive branch
▪ County
▪ State
 Other factors to consider

19.  Sanctioning Juvenile Offenders
 Disposition of juvenile offenders
 Waiver
 Diversion
 Detention
 Juvenile probation
 Intermediate sanctions for juveniles
 Juvenile incarceration
 Juvenile aftercare

20.  The Special Problem of Gangs
 Most gangs nonviolent
 Custodial facilities
▪ Control
▪ Management of inter-gang conflict
 Community settings
▪ Hostile competition for prosocial programming
 Operation Ceasefire, Boston

21.  The Special Problem of Gangs
 Characteristics of Youth Who Belong to a Gang

22.  The Future of Juvenile Justice
 Public policymakers
 Public opinion
 Juvenile waiver
 Tougher probation
 Middle ground