Cunningham Mark D, Reidy Thomas J, Sorensen Jon R
Behav Sci Law. 2005;23(3):307-20. doi: 10.1002/bsl.608.
Death-sentenced inmates in Missouri have been integrated or "mainstreamed" into the general population of the Potosi Correctional Center since 1991. By comparing the rate of violent misconduct among these mainstreamed death-sentenced inmates with that of the life-without-parole and parole eligible inmates under fully integrated conditions of confinement, this study provides the first empirical (statistical) evaluation of this innovative alternative to segregated death row confinement. The mainstreamed death-sentenced inmates committed no inmate or staff homicides, or attempted homicides. Comparison of their rates of institutional violence revealed frequencies that were similar to those of life-without-parole inmates, and well below those of fellow inmates who were sentenced to parole eligible terms. These findings cast serious doubt on the security-driven assumptions that have typified the segregation of death-sentenced inmates and have dictated highly restrictive confinement policies for this group. A conclusion that death-sentenced inmates can be safely integrated into a general prison population has significant implications for allocation of scarce fiscal resources and correctional staff, as well as for inmate mental health, particularly given the extended tenure that death-sentenced inmates typically serve between sentencing and relief/execution.
自1991年以来，密苏里州被判处死刑的囚犯已被融入或“主流化”到波托西惩教中心的普通人群中。通过比较这些被主流化的死刑囚犯与无假释可能和有资格获得假释的囚犯在完全融合的监禁条件下的暴力不当行为发生率，本研究首次对这种有别于隔离死囚牢房监禁的创新方式进行了实证（统计）评估。被主流化的死刑囚犯没有实施过囚犯或工作人员杀人或杀人未遂行为。对他们的机构暴力发生率进行比较后发现，其频率与无假释可能的囚犯相似，且远低于被判处有资格获得假释刑期的其他囚犯。这些发现严重质疑了以安全为由将死刑囚犯隔离的假设，而这些假设一直是对该群体实施高度限制性监禁政策的依据。死刑囚犯可以安全地融入普通监狱人群这一结论，对于稀缺财政资源和惩教人员的分配，以及囚犯心理健康都具有重大意义，特别是考虑到死刑囚犯在判决与减刑/处决之间通常要服刑很长时间。
