Prison facilities

For inmates, the prison facilities go a long way towards creating a sense of community behind the walls of the penitentiary. In the past, however, the nature of prison facilities available to inmates has been a contentious issue among those who believe that penitentiaries and correctional facilities should be punitive rather than reformative, and therefore inmates should only be entitled to the bare minimum for survival. The counter argument, of course, is that it's these very prison facilities that help to reform and rehabilitate inmates over the course of their sentences, so that they can become positive and productive members of society upon their release. So what are the standard prison facilities available to inmates at a correctional facility? And how do they contribute to the rehabilitation process?

Most correctional centres have a chapel or multi-faith worship centre. The chapel may offer services such as individual or group counselling, to help inmates deal with emotional problems or addictive behaviours. Some prisons also have a separate mosque in addition to the chapel. To aid in rehabilitation, most penitentiaries also have educational centres. The educational centre usually includes a library, and it is here that inmates can take advantage of distance learning university programs and adult courses. All penitentiaries have an exercise yard, which is generally a large open area outside surrounded by fences which can be used for exercise or socializing.

Naturally, the compound will also contain an infirmary where inmates can receive medical and dental attention. A variety of segregation cells are often a feature of correctional centres - these exist mostly for the protection of high risk inmates, and they include Segregation units, Vulnerable prisoner units, Safe cells and Isolation cells. Depending on the level of security required at the penitentiary, other features may include gyms and shared kitchen areas. Lastly, all correctional centres have visiting rooms for friends and family.

Why not take a tour of a correctional facility near you to get a better picture?