Supermax prisons are a relatively new and expensive trend whose overall constitutionality is unclear. Are these institutions a fad or a wise investment?

In the second, " HYPERLINK "http://video.lib.uwf.edu/S/CJLSvideo/2nd/" t "_blank" Supermax: Prison Gangs and Racism Behind Bars," Ted Koppel talks with prisoners doomed to solitary confinement due to their gang affiliations. They discuss the dangers that drove them to join-and that keep them looking over their shoulders even in the so-called protective environment of a supermax prison. In part two, Mr. Koppel spends a night in solitary confinement to observe firsthand the effects of supermax on inmates-and to document the type of ex-convict who will one day be returned to society: racially intolerant, unrehabilitated, and psychologically and emotionally broken.

Here are some questions to think about as you watch the two videos:

1. What is a supermax prison?

2. What is the purpose of a supermax prison?

3. Who should be sent to a supermax prison?

4. What effect do you think a supermax prison would have on the staff who work there?

5. Would you want towork as a corrections officer in a supermax institution?

Finally, please read the report, HYPERLINK "http://www.schmalleger.com/schmalleger/corrections/supermax.pdf"Supermax prisons: Overview and general considerations. With what you now know about supermax prisons,answer the following questions: Do you think supermax facilities are a fad or a wise investment? It is worthwhile to pay the price for supermax confinement, no matter what it cost? Why or why not? What are the consequences of a supermax prison? Is there evidence to suggest that supermax prisons get inmates to modify their behavior so that they feel they do not need to resort to violence? Can we change offending behavior by locking people up in cages?
Please ground your discussion of these issues with the textbook, the report, and videos. I do not expect you to list an answer to each of the questions presented, but I expect you to draw connections between these videos and class material. Grades will be based on the following criteria: a) critical thinking; b) integration of materials; and c) grammar & mechanics.

This writing assignment should be 2-3 pages. Use Times New Roman 12 point font, double spacing, and 1 inch margins.