9781422282625

13

Chapter One: Understanding Incarceration

Encounters with police can be scary for little kids, even in situations where the officer is just trying to help.

someone goes to state or federal prison is determined mostly by what type of crime was committed. There are also several different types of prison, includ- ing minimum security and maximum security facilities. Prisoners in a minimum security facility have usually committed less serious crimes, and they have more freedom of movement within the prison. CRISIS AFTER CRISIS Like the concept of family, the concept of incarceration is more complicated than it sounds. Sometimes the experience of incarceration is described as “a series of crises.” Every situation is different, but in general it goes like this: there is an arrest, there is a wait for a trial (or plea deal), and then there is the trial (or plea deal). If the person is convicted, he or she is sentenced, meaning that a judge or

Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs