Supermax housing: Placement, duration, and time to reentry

Daniel P. Mears and William D. Bales

Journal of Criminal Justice, 2010, vol. 38, issue 4, 545-554

Abstract: Despite the growth in and debate about super-maximum security housing, there exist few studies of inmates' experiences or placement in supermax incarceration. The lack of research on this new type of confinement assumes particular salience given criticisms that such confinement is excessive, that placement in it is arbitrary, and that it may have adverse effects on reentry into society. The goal of this article was to inform efforts to understand how supermax housing is used and to contribute to policy debates about this housing. To this end, it used data from the Florida Department of Corrections to investigate several dimensions of the supermax experience. These included the frequency of placement into supermax confinement, the duration of time spent in such confinement, and the timing of it relative to reentry back into society. In addition, the article explored factors, especially behavioral indicators, that may contribute to decisions to place inmates in supermaxes. The article concludes by discussing the study's findings and implications for research and policy.

Date: 2010
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