Touring a jail is an excellent method to learn more about how prisons work if you don’t know much about them. Many television dramas and films have featured prisons in recent years; raising questions like can you tour a prison?
What Is The Best Way To Tour A Prison
It is critical to first determine whether or not excursions are permitted in your state. Tours of any kind are prohibited in Michigan, for example.
There are some exceptions, such as if you are in college and studying criminal justice, your class or college may be required to visit a prison.
The first step in touring a jail is to find out if tours are permitted. Tours are prohibited in several states due to safety concerns as well as the disturbance they bring.
Random visitors showing up to “have a peek” in a prison can cause huge problems for both the staff and the convicts
What To Do If You Get Denied A Tour?
If you’re disappointed that you won’t be able to tour a jail, there are a variety of prison museums and recreations you can visit.
Although these institutions are not operational jails, they teach the public about what prisons are like, how they operate, and how convicts are treated.
There are even jail hotels where visitors can stay to obtain a true sense of what it’s like to be in prison without really committing a crime.
What Happens During A Tour Of A Prison?
Even while prison tours are not commonly available to the general public, this does not rule out the possibility of them taking place.
A “walkthrough” of the prison facilities is conducted as a tour guide discusses what he or she is showing the group. The tour follows a conventional format.
Regulations To Obey
- No chatting to the inmate
- Wandering away from the group, or mocking or explicit behaviors.
- One or two guards accompany tour groups to safeguard their safety, as well as to answer questions and serve as a resource for people on the tour.
- People who are permitted to tour prisons are either students who want to learn more about the field and location in which they hope to work after graduation, at-risk children and teens who need to understand the consequences of their actions, or government officials who oversee and supervise corrections in their jurisdiction.
One of the most well-known tours in the United States is based on A&E’s smash show “Beyond Scared Straight.” For those who are unfamiliar with the show, “Beyond Scared Straight” is a television show that follows approximately 8-12 teens who are on the wrong track in life.
These teenagers usually have a police record and have been arrested in the past. Beyond Scared Straight is only one example of a program that helps teenagers get back on track in the United States; there are many others.
These tours might range from a simple walkthrough to a full immersion experience. Internships are an example of how to tour participants might fully immerse themselves.
Full immersion does not imply that the person will be treated like an inmate; in this case, the “Beyond Scared Straight” program would be more appropriate
Finally, government leaders frequently visit jails. Many authorities enjoy visiting the correctional facilities they are responsible for. Candidates for public office may be invited to tour prisons, but only officials are permitted to do so in a formal capacity.
Why Are Tours Prohibited In Some Prisons?
Tours are not permitted in prisons due to security concerns. Each time a tour is conducted; there is an increased chance of injury, death, or disturbance in the institution. For many prisoners, the risk outweighs the benefit.
In addition, prisons dislike participating in tours due to the impact they have on convicts. The majority of convicts dislike tours and don’t want to be put on display to be “seen at.” It could be argued that prison tours represent a significant invasion of a prisoner’s privacy.
Taking females on a prison tour with all males, especially those who haven’t seen a woman in months can cause its own set of issues. The disturbance caused by the prison’s very rigid schedule can also be mentioned.
Prisons aren’t built for tours, and visitors aren’t allowed to walk in. Tours merely expose the institution to potential vulnerabilities and security flaws because prisons supervise every movement and meal. Prisons do not want inmates to leave before their term is completed; they are not designed to accommodate visitors
Tours are pre-approved, pre-planned, and closely overseen when they do happen. The excursions serve a more important purpose than simply “wanting to see what’s there.”
How To Intern Or Work In A Correctional Facility
This area is for anyone interested in criminal justice, criminal reform, or law enforcement. A visit to prison can pique someone’s interest in working in law enforcement.
Taking up an internship may be a terrific idea for people who wish to do more than just tour a prison. Prison internships are rarely what people expect.
Interns are often assigned to operations positions and do not interact with the inmates. Even if the most majority of internships do not need inmate interaction, there are still methods to do so.
The “Parole and Probation Internship” is a well-liked internship around the country. This internship entails the intern working alongside parole and probation officers. It is an excellent opportunity for someone interested in pursuing that field.
If you want to work in a prison but lack experience or education, enrolling at a community college can help you break into this field.
Criminal justice programs are offered at most community colleges around the United States. You can also apply for internships at the correctional facility where you want to work while in community college.