The institution of prisons suffices for the discharge of various criminal functions and purposes. The model on which the prison is applied ought to inform the designs and structure of the institution with the aim of ultimately achieving the overriding objective. This paper shall examine the designs and structures recommended for custodial, rehabilitation and reintegration models.
The custodial model essentially suffices for incarcerating from the prisoners the public. For this reason, the model would be designed in a secure building. To this extent, the prisons should be located in remote areas away from urban centers. In addition, the prison boundaries and fences must be well secured and maximum security provided within the premises of the prison. The prisons would be cubicle based with each prisoner being assigned a personal cubicle. The policies to guide the prison shall focus on ensuring the prisoners are kept away from societal limelight and occurrences. For that reason, policies prohibiting interaction with the outside world will be developed. In addition, it would be prison policy to have the prisoners serve the full sentence so as to fully execute the custodial requirements. In terms of the prison programs, the general programs developed and implemented shall be those designed with the intention of consuming the attention of the prisoners so that they do not entertain any ideas of escape before the custody duration expires. In addition, program for a general development of the skills of prisoners would be implemented.
On the hand, for rehabilitation purposes, the prison would not be isolated or constructed away in some remote area. On the contrary, the prisons would be located within the community and prisoners given regular access to the community under the company of prison officers. The prisons shall be cubicle based in that every prisoner will be assigned a particular cubicle for his duration of stay in the prison. In addition, the prison policy shall be accommodative of regular interaction between the prisoners and the outside world via prison programs such as talks, community service and religious functions, among others. The programs shall be designed in line with an interactive and open policy that entertains learning skills and application of the same within a community setup. The prisoners will be taken through a number of activities that encourage the spirit of rehabilitation and the fact that human beings are often prone to errors and mistakes.
For reintegration purposes the prison shall be designed much like a learning institution. In that vein, the prison shall not be cubicles based as typical of the other two prisons. Rather, the structure shall adopt that of ordinary dwelling houses that have rooms such as sitting rooms, bedrooms and kitchens. This would be intended to develop the prisoners in an environment similar to the ordinary living standards and conditions. The policy shall entail a communitarian living and relationship where prisoners see each other not as prisoners but as a community of people. The programs within these prisons shall be community based with several chances availed to prisoners to interact with the outside world and act as one community. Over and above the community aspect, the prisons would run programs that develop the skills of the individual such as carpentry, welding and ironwork, among other craftsmanship programs. Finally, the prison would implement an open policy where any member of the community can visit and share with the prisoners on general matters.
References
Herring, J. (2011). Criminal Law. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Ildiko, S., & Arnaut, G. (2010). Suicide in Prison: A Qualitative Study. The Prison Journal, 80(3), 288-312.
Samaha, D. (2010). Criminal Law. New York: Cengage Learning.
