CMY3705 EXAM PACK

CMY3705 EXAM PACK Discuss the plight of offenders in the prison system as victims within a correctional context (25 marks) 1. Introduction The most vulnerable individuals whom are most vulnerable and experience unique problems in the correctional setting are female prisoners, male inmates, older inmates and juvenile prisoners. It has proven quite problematic ensuring that the latter mentioned detained prisoners are neither victimised nor exploited. 2. Definition of Key Concepts Prisoner - a person who is deprived of liberty against his or her will. This can be by confinement, captivity, or by forcible restraint. The term applies particularly to those on trial or serving a prison sentence in a prison. 3. Female Prisoners Sexual abuse of female prisoners can be operated by factors such as allowing unsupervised access of male staff to female facilities, insufficient disciplinary action against guards who engage in sexual misconducted, and allowing practices that are inherently cruel and degrading and are open to abuse, for example, allowing male staff to conduct carnal “searches” of clothed female prisoners. Such issues can be alleviated by ensuring that female prisoners are supervised only by female staff Mothers in prisons also pose issues as their incarceration is more likely to result in a serious family disruption to the family. In addition, the constant conflict, guilt and frustration due to the separation from their family and being unable to care for their children adds to the strain of their imprisonment Due to female prisons being smaller, there is less economic justification for a wide variety of programmes found in male prisons. Access to services such as treatment, training, recreation, vocational and educational programmes, is more limited to female prisons; this is due to the fact that these prisons have limited space and the number of female prisoners is felt to be too small to warrant the additional cost programmes and facilities 4. Male inmates Certain prisoners are targeted for sexual assault the moment they enter prison; their age appearance, sexual orientation, and other characteristics such as small size physical weakness, shyness and uncertainty mark them as candidates for sexual abuse by inmates. 4.1.Prison male rape For a heterosexual, male rape is the most fearful event, in relation the witnessing or experience thereof, especially if it is their first confrontation with same sex contact. As a heterosexual male victim can respond physically to stimulation, such as getting an erection and/or ejaculate during the sexual act, this will result in the male victim perceiving himself as homosexual or bisexual due to his physiological sexual response; in essence, he will question his own sexual identity and manhood Objects can be used and forced oral sex is also prevalent. Victims are often manipulated into exchanging their bodies for favours and privileges. Some prisoners will form “protective” sexual partnerships to avoid continual victimisation. To escape being abused by many, they choose one partner who might protect them from abuse by others. The motivation to exchange sex for protection often includes fear and stems from coercion.