Incarceration is not the same for all criminals. Furthermore, not all states and counties are the same.
If you have a conviction for white collar crime, you may be wondering about your incarceration. Likely, you want to know if it will be different from those convicted of more violent felonies. The short answer: they’re different. For the longer answer, keep reading. While some call white collar prisons “resort prisons,” the dividing line is the protections for the outside world. To put it plainly, the biggest difference is the amount of security in the prisons for each type of offender.
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Incarceration Type and Violence
Typically, white collar crimes non-violent in nature. They typically do not cause direct physical injury or harm to the victims. Therefore, white collar criminals get special sensitivity in some cases. In fact, in most cases, major-league, white-collar criminals don’t face much prison time. Consequently, the time they do spend in prison is in low-security penitentiaries where they enjoy freedoms unknown to other felons.
Minimum Security vs. Maximum Security Prisons
Prisoners who fall into the minimum security threshold typically sleep in dormitories or bunk beds with lockers. They use the lockers to secure their possessions. Also, there is very little supervision over the internal movements of prisoners, They are often given the freedom to wander the grounds and visit the different areas of the prison. Minimum security prisons often include libraries and entertainment rooms in which to read or watch television.
Minimum security facilities generally have a single fence that is watched, but not regularly patrolled. Prisoners often work off some of their time on community projects, like roadside litter cleanup or by working at a wilderness conservation. In most states, prisoners in minimum security facilities are allowed to access the internet and have more chances to see visitors.
The conditions of a minimum security prison are vastly different from maximum security prisons. In max, the prisoners have individual cells with sliding doors. A secure station controls when they open and close. It’s not uncommon for prisoners in maximum security prisons to spend 23 hours per day in their cell. When out of their cell, prisoners remain in the cellblock or an external cage. Movement in and out of these cellblocks is only with restraints and correctional officer escorts.
White Collar Criminals Adjust Well to Prison Life
According to researchers at the University of Cincinnati and the University of Missouri, white collar criminals adapt to prison just as well as other types of felony offenders. In some cases, they do even better. It’s true! The results of the study show that white collar criminals do have the same negative experiences as others. However, although this is the case, it is not true that white collar criminals don’t experience their own discomforts in a prison setting.
The assumption that white collar criminals can’t adjust to a prison environment is simply not true. Many theorize that because of their middle-class lifestyle, they struggle to acclimate. However, the truth is they are no more different than anyone else. In reality, white-collar criminals have the same number of problems and suffer from the same issues. In fact, in some cases, these offenders actually adapt better than others.
Criminal Defense Attorneys
About Darren Kavinoky and The Kavinoky Law Firm.
Darren Kavinoky receives recognition over and over for his commitment to clients and for being a top California defense lawyer. The Los Angeles Magazine repeatedly regards him as a Super Lawyer , and the American Trial Lawyers Association highlighted him as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in California. Additionally, he is the legal analyst and special correspondent for the syndicated television program The Insider, and is a sought-after guest on shows that include Entertainment Tonight, Dr. Phil, NBC’s Today Show, and various programs on CNN and the Headline News Channel. Follow Darren on Twitter @DarrenKavinoky or www.DarrenKavinoky.com.
