Minimum Security Prison

Introduction

The United States has the world’s largest prison population and has one of the most unique prison systems known today. In the United States, there is over two million people incarcerated, due to incarceration being the most popular form of punishments known to our county. Convicted offenders charged with felony offends are incapacitated in facilities known as prisons. Today, all prisons in the United States are broken down into four divine categories ranging minimum-security institutions to supermax facilities. Prisons are identified by the level of security of their inmates (SUO, 2016). In the state and federal correctional systems, security levels are mostly designed to separate non-violence offenders from violence offenders.

The prison facilities are designed to accommodate the inmate’s daily life behind bars. Offenders are assigned a prison based off their sentence, previous convictions, or type of conviction. In each level of prison inmates have access to particular programs for rehabilitation and educational purposes. After reviewing inmates criminal history, background, level of aggressiveness, and other factors corrections officials determine to which facility a convicted offender should be sent. Prisons in each level of security house a host of offenders ranging from white collar crime offender to murders.
Security Levels and Characteristics
To keep prisons operating effectively and inmates and prison staff safe, prisons are broken down into security levels. The four most common security levels include maximum security, medium security, minimum security, and supermax security. All four security levels are designed to accommodate the type of inmates that is housed there. In order to prevent prison rape, escapes, riots, suicides, and attacks prisons maintain high levels of security in each facility.
The highest level of prisons is the maximum-security prisons.

In these prisons prisoners are not allowed to move around freely. These prisons house death row inmates, 3rd strike offenders, inmates with violent criminal history or have committed violent crimes while incarcerated. Maximum security prisons are designed to provide prison staff with less interaction time with inmates. The doors are extremely heavy and inmates are locked in their one man cell typically 23 hours a day. These prisons have small windows and a slot for the inmate’s food tray. Inmates in maximum security prison have little or no interaction with

others.
Medium security prisons house more offenders than any other security level. Medium prisons are for repeat offenders involved in nonviolent or semi violent crimes (SUO.2014). In medium security prisons inmates are offered more rights and luxuries. In these prison inmates are allowed to interact with each other. The prisoners found in medium-security prisons are not viewed as dangerous as those in maximum-security prisons (SUO,2014). Just like maximum security prisons, medium security inmates are housed in one man cell but they have more opportunities to leave and interaction with other inmates.
The lowest security level prison is the minimum-security prison.

Minimum security facilities often house those who committed white collar crimes, or low level drug offenses. The design in minimum security prisons may consist of open living areas or two-more inmates sharing a cell. Typically, minimum security prisons are overcrowded. The latest innovation in prison security is supermax prisons. These prisons are staffed, equipped, and designed to house the most dangerous prisoners. The typical supermax inmate is one who murdered other inmates or guards after already being incarcerated at a maximum-security facility (Suo,2014). In supermax security prisons inmates are considered high risk. Most inmates are sentencing long sentences, life sentences, or on death row. In supermax prisons inmates are isolated from each other for their safety. Vistiaton and outside communcaton is extremely minimum. In supermax prisons inmates are confined to their cell 23 hours a day with one hour of recreation a

day.
Programs
In today’s prison system inmates are provided with many different programs. Not all programs are available in every level of security. For example a minimum security prison may offer more program than maximum security because maximum security prison inmates are isolated and has little interaction with other others or staff. All programs are used to rehabilitate or education inmate. In supermax and maximun security prisons there are little to no programs offered to inmates. In medium security and minimum security prison inmates are offered program such as:
• Faith based prison programs
• Prison education programs
• Conjugal visits
• Prison contemplative programs
• Drug treatment program
Classification
Corrections officials determine which facility a convicted offender should be sent with internal and external classifications. The classification process is typically the same for every offender. During the first classification, the custody level is determined. The custody level varies depending on the sentence imposed on the offender. The custody level is then used to determine which correctional facility an inmate should reside in. The second classification determines where an offender should be placed in the facility determined in the first classification. In order to maintain a safe living community within each prisons, officials will not violent offenders with non-violent offenders. for example a murderer would not be place in the same facility as a white collar crime offender. Correction official also take note that gang member and murderer should not be placed together either. Since the prison population is so diverse various parameter are considered which classifying offenders. The parameter include:
• Sentence information
This helps official place offenders in facility that would best fit he or she crime and the courts purpose of incarceration.
• Criminal history- Criminal history because it gives officially more insight on the offender past criminal charges.
• Institutional placement- This is an internal classification process that assess aspects of the offender life in order to place the offender in an more effective housing area, work area, and program.
• Personal History- By reviewing each offender’s personal history, staff can effectively determine the appropriate living environment.
Conclusion
To keep prisons operating effectively and inmates and prison staff safe, prisons are broken down into security levels which include maximum security, medium security, minimum security, and supermax security prisons. Maximum security prisons house death row inmates, 3rd strike offenders, inmates with violent criminal history or have committed violent crimes while incarcerated. Medium prisons are for repeat offenders involved in nonviolent or semi violent crimes (SUO.2014). Minimum security facilities often house those who committed white collar crimes, or low level drug offenses. Prisons offer inmates programs are used to rehabilitate or education inmate. Most common programs offered to inmates are faith based prison programs, prison education programs, conjugal visits, prison contemplative programs and drug treatment programs. Corrections officials determine which facility a convicted offender should be sent with internal and external classifications.