There have been many hypotheses regarding the incarceration of offenders necessitating many changes over the years. The previous section on the history of the Chester County Prison is illustrative of some of those changes. When the current Prison was being planned in the 1950's the prevailing philosophy was to focus on rehabilitation programs for prisoners. At that time the County allowed inmates to work and provided little or no educational opportunities, determining that education was best left to the State system. However, the trend of thought from the late 1970's through the 1990's became that educational services were essential if inmates are to succeed in society. There has also been a recent trend in philosophy that inmates should be responsible for their own actions. This has led to the development of the inmate financial responsibility program. The program was designed in an effort to impress upon the inmates that they are liable and responsible for certain institutional costs, even though they are incarcerated. Frivolous medical claims, over the counter medications, and restitution for institutional damages caused by an inmate's irresponsible action are examples of some of these responsibilities. In addition, with the revision of Act 33, which allows the adult incarceration of some juveniles charged with violent crimes, the Prison has had to adapt its security and rehabilitative programs even further.
Though originally constructed as a farm prison, Chester County Prison economic changes have made it impractical and too costly to operate a farm. Also eliminated as a result of economic and population changes were facilities for rug weaving, chair caning, and a cannery. Inmates still have the opportunity to work in the kitchen, laundry, housekeeping, canteen and maintenance departments in the prison. The new Community Corrections Center built in 1993 provides dormitory-style living arrangements for those inmates who are nearing the end of their sentences and have jobs working throughout the community. In addition, inmates without jobs in the community, but who are fit to work outside the walls of the main prison on lawn maintenance and snow removal crews, kitchen and maintenance crews at the Center as well as at Pocopson Home are also housed at the Center.
In addition to work programs, inmates are also offered the opportunity to participate in a variety of rehabilitation programs during their incarceration. Programs such as Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Education Diploma (GED), Literacy Tutoring, Stress/anger Management, Thresholds (addresses decision-making skills), and Parenting Skills are all administered through the Prison Treatment Department. In addition, Drug and Alcohol Programs, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Help Counseling, Veterans Drug and Alcohol, Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime (TASC), and Treatment Alternatives to Prison (TAP) are all available to the population. These programs are designed to assist inmates in self-examination in order for them to re-enter society in a positive and constructive nature
The Prison also provides the inmates with medical and psychiatric services through a contracted service program. These services are provided by licensed professionals at no cost to the inmate.
The inmates’ spiritual well-being is attended to via religious services offered through the Prison's Chaplaincy. County Corrections Gospel Mission provides the inmates of Chester County Prison religious programming and spiritual servicing through the institutional chaplain and his network of religious associates. The inmates are encouraged to participate in the many religious programs of all faiths offered through the many churches and ministries of the county on a daily basis.
Other services include Library privileges, Law Library materials, Visiting privileges (both personal and professional), and Athletic Programming in order to provide for the inmates’ recreational and social needs.
Just as basic penalogical philosophies have changed over the years, so to have those regarding Security Staff. Prior to the 1940's, prisons employed guards, whose primary responsibility was keeping close watch over prisoners in order to prevent misconducts or escapes. A guard possessed no special skills except being tough, and had little compassion for anyone. He was quick to use force because he knew of no other means of control. The primary requirement for prison employment in those days was brawn rather than brains; as a result, houses of detention attracted the sadist and the brute. During this era the press, movie companies, and authors stereotyped prison guards as wall walking, gun toting, club swinging monsters that inherently distrusted anyone and found his pleasure in the mistreatment of prisoners.
Today’s correctional professional is a far cry from that stereotype. The modern correctional environment requires that correctional officers be educated (many are college graduates) and possess exceptional communication skills. The function of the correctional officer is to maintain order and discipline by earning the respect of the inmate population through effective communication and firm but fair treatment of all. Correctional officers at Chester County Prison are among the best trained and most professional in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, receiving eight weeks of training in their first year, and in excess of 40 hours of ongoing training each year thereafter. In addition to weapons and defensive tactics, officers must also successfully complete annual training in suicide prevention, CPR/First aid, effective communication, report writing, and conflict resolution, just to name a few. This extensive training provides officers with the tools to recognize and effectively deal with potential problems before they occur, as well as provide “first responder” service when emergencies do occur.
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