WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PRISONERS BREAK THE RULES?
All prisoners are required to obey the rules established by the Department of Corrections.
Additional rules set by the prison unit where they are assigned.
Prisoners are given written copies of the rules when they are processed into the unit.
CONSEQUENCES FOR RULE VIOLATIONS
Violations of rules may be handled informally by verbal reprimand or by a more formal process where the correctional officer "writes up" the prisoner. A write up results in a disciplinary hearing. These hearings are usually very short, informal proceedings without lawyers and without a jury.
Punishment for most infractions involves being given extra work duty, being temporarily restricted to their cell or bunk, or experiencing temporary loss of recreation time, commissary privileges, and/or visitation rights.
For major infractions, the prisoner may be permanently demoted to a more restricted security class with fewer privileges or even placed in solitary confinement.
LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES
Prisoners usually get very upset when written up for a rule violation. All disciplinary cases they receive become part of their permanent record and may be used to deny them access to certain security classifications, prison jobs, educational programs, reentry programs, or parole.
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Prisons often focus on making good prisoners. But to bring recidivism rates down, prisons also need to prepare men and women to be good citizens.
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