This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (13) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Pizarro, J. Articles by Stenius, V. M. K. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Supermax Prisons: Their Rise, Current Practices, and Effect on Inmates

Rutgers University

Vanja M. K. Stenius

Rutgers University

In recent years, a number of new approaches in corrections have developed, one of which is the super-maximum, or "supermax," prison. This article explores the roots of these institutions, explains how they operate, and examines their potential effects on inmate populations. The extant empirical research on supermax facilities suggests that these institutions have the potential to damage inmates’ mental health while failing to meet their purported goals (e.g., deterring inmates in the general prison population from committing criminal acts inside prison), resulting in added problems for correctional administrators and increased economic costs to public budgets without apparent benefits.

Key Words: supermax • solitary confinement • prison administration • administrative segregation

The Prison Journal, Vol. 84, No. 2, 248-264 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0032885504265080


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Lovell Patterns of Disturbed Behavior in a Supermax Population Criminal Justice and Behavior, August 1, 2008; 35(8): 985 - 1004. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. M. Pizarro and R. E. Narag Supermax Prisons: What We Know, What We Do Not Know, and Where We Are Going The Prison Journal, March 1, 2008; 88(1): 23 - 42. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. P. Mears An Assessment of Supermax Prisons Using an Evaluation Research Framework The Prison Journal, March 1, 2008; 88(1): 43 - 68. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. L. Sundt, T. C. Castellano, and C. S. Briggs The Sociopolitical Context of Prison Violence and Its Control: A Case Study of Supermax and Its Effect in Illinois The Prison Journal, March 1, 2008; 88(1): 94 - 122. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. L. O'Keefe Administrative Segregation From Within: A Corrections Perspective The Prison Journal, March 1, 2008; 88(1): 123 - 143. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Lovell, L. C. Johnson, and K. C. Cain Recidivism of Supermax Prisoners in Washington State Crime Delinquency, October 1, 2007; 53(4): 633 - 656. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. P. Mears and J. L. Castro Wardens' Views on the Wisdom of Supermax Prisons Crime Delinquency, July 1, 2006; 52(3): 398 - 431. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. M. Pizarro, V. M. K. Stenius, and T. C. Pratt Supermax Prisons: Myths, Realities, and the Politics of Punishment in American Society Criminal Justice Policy Review, March 1, 2006; 17(1): 6 - 21. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. P. Mears and M. D. Reisig The theory and practice of supermax prisons Punishment Society, January 1, 2006; 8(1): 33 - 57. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. Useem and A. M. Piehl Prison buildup and disorder Punishment Society, January 1, 2006; 8(1): 87 - 115. [Abstract] [PDF]