2008 Woodie Awards
Last LUVIM program discusses prisons
Adria Eichner
Issue date: 4/26/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 3 next >
On the evening of Tuesday, April 19, a large group of students gathered in Philips Memorial Library to learn more about the prison system in the United States. Many students who were in attendance came from the fields of criminal justice or sociology, but there were also attendees from a wide variety of other majors. Three West Chester professors were the main speakers for the evening, and through their knowledge and experience, students were given the opportunity to explore the sometimes hidden world of life behind bars.
This was the last LUVIM program of this semester, and it was chosen through a survey of over 200 WCU students. The name of the actual program was, "America?s Underground Prisons & Prisoners: The Cost To Humanity." The three professors who were asked to participate were: Dr. Brian O?Neill of the Criminal Justice Department, Dr. Anthony Zumpetta of the Sociology Department, and Dr. Randolph McVey of the Criminal Justice Department. Each of these men has experience not only in the field of teaching but also within some area of the correctional system so they were very well informed on the topic of prison life.
A main issue that was discussed concerned whether prison conditions were too rough or too easy for inmates. Each speaker acknowledged that the hardest part of being in prison is not the physical aspect but the psychological. Inmates have no control over the most routine life choices, and the monotony of such scheduled living can take a toll on one?s emotional state. It was also acknowledged though that this kind of structure is probably necessary in order to ensure the safety of both the prisoners and the prison workers. There was also an extended conversation about the living conditions in the prison system, including the opportunities for recreation and luxuries.
Many people view things such as exercise equipment, movie rentals and televisions as items that should not be available to those who are behind bars. The professors made sure to stress that these small rewards provide incentives for good behavior and distractions that could reduce the amount of prison violence.
This was the last LUVIM program of this semester, and it was chosen through a survey of over 200 WCU students. The name of the actual program was, "America?s Underground Prisons & Prisoners: The Cost To Humanity." The three professors who were asked to participate were: Dr. Brian O?Neill of the Criminal Justice Department, Dr. Anthony Zumpetta of the Sociology Department, and Dr. Randolph McVey of the Criminal Justice Department. Each of these men has experience not only in the field of teaching but also within some area of the correctional system so they were very well informed on the topic of prison life.
A main issue that was discussed concerned whether prison conditions were too rough or too easy for inmates. Each speaker acknowledged that the hardest part of being in prison is not the physical aspect but the psychological. Inmates have no control over the most routine life choices, and the monotony of such scheduled living can take a toll on one?s emotional state. It was also acknowledged though that this kind of structure is probably necessary in order to ensure the safety of both the prisoners and the prison workers. There was also an extended conversation about the living conditions in the prison system, including the opportunities for recreation and luxuries.
Many people view things such as exercise equipment, movie rentals and televisions as items that should not be available to those who are behind bars. The professors made sure to stress that these small rewards provide incentives for good behavior and distractions that could reduce the amount of prison violence.
RSS Feed