When
you hear the word prison, what do you think of? Most of us may picture may something
like this…
The daily life of an inmate in
prison seems to be extremely routine. We picture a person who is incarcerated
waking up, eating, playing cards, showering, and possibly spending time in the
yard working out. Recently while watching the show “Lockup” on MSNBC a
correctional institution in Louisiana came to my attention. Elayn Hunt
Correctional does not, in anyway, fit this stereotype. This facility is a maximum
security prison housing maximum, medium and minimum security males. Elayn Hunt
has enough space for 1,510 males and is able to hold nearly 500 more who are
there for intake. In addition, there are 170 beds reserved for participants in
their IMPACT program. The IMPACT program is one of the many programs this
facility has that sets it apart from many other prisons across the United
States.
The
IMPACT program was created at Elayn Hunt Correctional in 1987 and has been
operating ever since. it resembles military style training and the inmates are
referred to as “students” Although some people believe that the program is not
effective there are many supporters who believe it is. The male inmates that
are involved in the IMPACT program are usually those with substance abuse problems.
This factor plays a role in the two step program the program has in place. The two
step program includes an intensive incarceration period followed by community service,
therapeutic treatment with focus on self-discipline and substance control
rehabilitation. Their community service greatly benefits the local college Louisiana
State University. The inmates will help out on the campus by doing landscaping
work, flower bed maintenance, and contributing to cleaning up after sporting
events. This program not only benefits
the inmates participating but also saves the state a lot of money. For every
one hundred inmates the state of Louisiana saves $1,068,000.00 because the work
the inmates do is usually paid work.
The IMPACT program is not the only
thing unique about Elayn Hunt Correctional. They have a traveling sports
program for the inmates to participate in. For an inmate to be eligible they
need to be either a minimum or medium security inmate. Currently about 800 of
the inmates at Elayn Hunt participate in at least one of their organized
sports. The sports offered are football, volleyball, softball, boxing, and
basketball and benefit the offenders in many ways. The male participants as
well as the staff believe that this program teaches the inmates a lot as well
as keeps them busy while serving out their sentences. The teams they are a part
of give them a sense of family, keep them out of trouble, relieves stress,
requires engagement in teamwork, teaches them athletic discipline and
sportsmanship, and also is a sense of organization for them.
The football and boxing programs
are the most sought after in this institution. The football team practices at
the correctional center and also has trained some inmates to be referees. The
Buccaneers (their team name) travel to other prisons in the state to compete in
single games or tournaments and have won many in the past. The boxing team also
travels and the inmates on the boxing team take it extremely seriously. One inmate,
Clifford, “The Black Rhino” Etinne, who was serving a 10 year sentence, was a
member of the boxing team at Elayn Hunt and upon release actually became a
professional boxer. His hard work in this program paid off and he even faced
off against Mike Tyson during his boxing career.
Some people may be skeptical about
inmates participating in these types of programs. The arguments range from
safety to the offenders not really being punished. For the years that Elayn
Hunt Correctional has had this program there have not been many incidents of violence.
The inmates see it as a privilege and don’t want to be suspended from the team.
If there is a violent event the person will be suspended for a year from the
sport he is playing. None of these men want that to happen. As for the
punishment perspective everyone is going to have their own opinion about that.
Personally I think it is a beneficial program to have because of the
educational aspect it has for these men.
Sources:
I defiantly agree with you and how people's perspectives of prison life is a lot different than it really is. We have programs in both women's and men's facilities as well as juveniles to hopefully deter inmates. We even use today in the military to help people have self discipline. I think that programs could go both good or bad, but in general if inmates want to better themselves then they will keep their self discipline and stay within a program. Plus a majority of the time they only offer the programs to people who meets certain criteria. I believe in trying to help recidivism by programs.
ReplyDeleteThe IMPACT program definitely seems like a good program to have, especially since it seemingly benefits both the community and inmates. I think it is important to keep inmates busy because that reduces bad behavior and mental illness. My only criticism of the program is that it is only for minimum and medium security inmates. What about the maximum security inmates? These individuals will be released one day too. I can understand some hesitancy to allow maximum security inmates from partaking in this type of program, but if not this program then another program should be created that keeps those individuals active as well. It is certainly a positive thing that IMPACT helps to teach the inmates a sense of unity while keeping them out of trouble.
ReplyDeleteThe IMPACT program is a great program to use and they do save a lot of money because of their program. The program keeps them active and shows them discipline instead of just rotting in a cell. It gives them something to do. It keeps them out of trouble and it teaches them how to work with others, its a great program. I like the fact that they help clean the university, and it saves the university from paying others to do the same thing. They should have more programs like this in different states
ReplyDeleteI just made it through boot camp at elayn hunt correctional center and it was the hardest thing ive ever done in my life. Its not like what u see on tv its far worse. Your in prison so the drill instructors, which is just different prison guards with military background, can do whatever they want to u and u have to take it if you want to go home. They beat the living shit out of you if you dont comply. I was beaten and slammed several times for things as small as wiping sweat off my face while standing in line. Another inmate in my platoon had his face slammed into the concrete while he was on the ground for nothing. His chin was split open from the bottom all the way to his upper jaw. Several inmates have died over the years also from dehydration out in the field with the drill intructors driving them for hours with no water. Another inmate was beaten into a coma and died two days later by drill instructors bc he smarted off and said he quit. Its not like boot camp is supposed to be. The impact program at elayn hunt is far different and way worse from any other boot camp in the United States. Its 6 months of pure hell and torture. U can die in the program very easily. The only positive thing i got out of it was my g.e.d. and also took some welding courses. But that was still not worth my life. Oh and by the way im a 1st time offender and was only serving a year and a half for a possession of marijuana conviction. I figured hey i can do the boot camp for 6 months and go home early. I didn't realize how bad it was until it was too late. If u quit then they also add more time to ur sentence so ur caught in a trap once ur in the program. Louisiana is the most corrupt, lowest poverty level of all 50 states but has the highest incarceration rate out of all 50 states. I know people in angola doing life without parole for a 3rd offense simple possession of marijuana conviction!!!! Thats were everyones tax dollars are going to stupid shit like that. Any non violent inmate should not be doing that much time i dont care if its his 10 th offense poss of marijuana charge thats insane. Thats basically murder. Life in prison is murder. Its a long drawn out death sentence. Thats why its called life bc thats what the state took from you when you were found guilty, was the rest of ur life. So basically theres thousands of inmates incarcerated in Louisiana for the SAME EXACT THING!!!! Wtf is really going on?? It needs to be stopped!! The judges and d.a. are classifying these people with families and children as career criminals and giving them life for the 3rd offense of the tiniest amount of drugs. Even some inmates that were caught with a little bit of cocaine or heroin are getting 30-40 years to life. For what?? Bc they had a drug problem. A rehab program would benefit them more than anything. Idc how u look at it life in prison is basically murder and the punishment does not fit the crime
ReplyDeleteU should come to turkey and be cought with pod. Thats where life ends... Sorry but the US is uncapeble of getting their criminals in shape... Thats where radicalism comes from. No good way to help people... Bye
DeleteU should come to turkey and be cought with pod. Thats where life ends... Sorry but the US is uncapeble of getting their criminals in shape... Thats where radicalism comes from. No good way to help people... Bye
Deleteimpact saved my life it was a great program
ReplyDeleteNeva eva, that programm is useless.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that ll help is to harm the harmer. Kill the Killer and rape the rapist, he sells drugs, bring him on drugs and have him feel the pain. Robbery,take his left hand. Fraud, take his right arm. I ve seen the dokumantary. Nö one of that guys will remain silent they ll take,kill,rape and so on. How long will u spend taxpayers money for these scum?
Neva eva, that programm is useless.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that ll help is to harm the harmer. Kill the Killer and rape the rapist, he sells drugs, bring him on drugs and have him feel the pain. Robbery,take his left hand. Fraud, take his right arm. I ve seen the dokumantary. Nö one of that guys will remain silent they ll take,kill,rape and so on. How long will u spend taxpayers money for these scum?