Federal and State Prison System

Federal and State Prison System

Heather Gray

CJS/230

October 10, 2011

Ivan Biss

Federal and State Prison System

The federal and state prison systems has several similarities as well as differences. The are both unique in the methods used to keep their system running properly. What is known as the state prison system was found in the 1900s. (Foster, p.121) Sing Sing, which is a well known prison is a state system that was created in the early 1800s. It is still in used today and is one of the oldest state penitentiaries in the United States. Most the the U.S. prison population is held in a network of small state prison. The Department of Corrections has experienced problems with the rise in criminal population, which has caused the system to see overcrowding which is a concern for the state system. This system oversees adult felons, juveniles and other housing facilities. (Foster, p.122) Millions of dollars are spent on several state prison systems, for example, California has a high budget just to continue to provide food, guards, and other things needed to run prisons on a daily basis.

There are several state institutions that may posses one or more security levels. There are five security levels all together in the state prisons. These different levels can house those who have been convicted for various crimes such as, sex-offender, drug users and dealers, or those who commit domestic violent crimes. They are maximum security, close-high-security, medium security, open-security and one that is far recent is maximum security (Foster, p.123). Maximum security are the older penitentiaries that have “lowest ratio of inmates to guards”(Foster, p.123). With high security there is not much restrictive and the ratio to guards may be higher. The newer state systems are usually medium security which house inmates you may not be as dangerous. Minimum security prisons houses inmates with “short terms” (Foster, p.124) and those who are close to their...