Shock Incarceration

Goals of Shock Incarceration

Shock incarceration programs exhibit three of the four typical goals of a correctional agency: deterrence, punishment, and incapacitation. By attempting to make time spent in the shock incarceration program so unpleasant that inmates will not want to return, the program works to deter future criminal behavior. As shock incarceration programs are typically viewed as more severe than probation and less severe than regular imprisonment, they qualify as proportional punishment. Long-term imprisonment or an intense period of control will incapacitate offenders from committing crime.

The one goal that is not addressed by shock incarceration programs is rehabilitation of inmates through a treatment regime. Rather than engaging in therapy or counseling, inmates spend a larger portion of their day in military drill and ceremony or other physical activities. This fourth goal has been more recently addressed by boot camp programs that combine the militaristic style of shock incarceration programs with treatment components.

History of Shock Incarceration

In 1888, New York's Elmira Reformatory was the first correctional facility to incorporate shock incarceration programs. It was during this era that antilabor laws deemed the inmate labor system illegal. Prior to the formation of these laws, the majority of an inmate's day was spent in some form of trade or labor that resulted in marketable products used to support the prison operation. Because inmate labor was comparatively inexpensive, prison officials were able to market their products at a much lower cost to the consumer, thereby undercutting the prices of other manufacturers' goods. As a result, unions and manufacturers bonded to fight for legislation that prevented competition from the inmate labor system.

One of the indirect effects of this legislation was that the prison administrators had to find other ways to occupy their inmates' time. The New York reformatory was the first administration that suggested militarystyle training as a useful substitute. Prison officials incorporated military organizational aspects into almost every facet of the correctional facility, including inmate schooling, supervision of inmates, physical training, and even parole practices. The military style training was also used as a tool to help inmates reform their behavior and learn various marketable, honest skills during their time in the Elmira Reformatory. In addition, the military discipline helped to provide obedience, attention, and organization to the prison environment.

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