The Effectiveness of American Prisons

This course will focus on American prisons as it relates to preventing crime and preparing people for returning to the community. The United States is well known for having high rates of incarceration. But do prisons actually work at preventing crime? In this course, we will consider the purpose of imprisonment, the "pains" of incarceration, and the process of adjusting to life in prison. We will also explore prison rehabilitation opportunities and the challenges of returning to the community after incarceration. We will examine the literature on prison adjustment, review the national research on prison effectiveness, and explore first-hand accounts about prison life.