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Special Populations in Corrections

      Book Publication

January 2025

Cuffed Woman

Corrections is a complex, challenging, and vital component of the criminal justice system in the United States. Its function is to carry out the sentences imposed by the courts and to do so while protecting society, vindicating victims, safeguarding the rights of those placed into correctional custody, and, in many if not most cases, treating and rehabilitating convicted offenders so they can return to society as productive, law-abiding citizens.

Our nation’s correctional institutions are filled with individuals from diverse backgrounds with varying degrees of physical, mental, and social needs that make them more vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation, and victimization, and therefore, require additional care and protection from corrections professional. Discrimination may be based on the inmate’s nationality, ethnicity, race, sex, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, gender identity, age, physical disability, and mental health. Special populations pose unique additional challenges for jail and prison management and staff, who must often respond in nontraditional and innovative ways.

Thus, certain groups are particularly vulnerable to physical, sexual, and financial victimization including but not limited to, juveniles, the physically and mentally disabled, drug and alcohol dependent individuals, those with HIV and other highly communicable diseases like tuberculosis, older prisoners, female prisoners, racial minorities, sex offenders, and those who identify as LGBTQ. Collectively, these individuals are categorized as special needs. The special needs of such offenders and the specific requirements of correctional facilities are the focus of this book, which is authored by Dr. Michael Pittaro. The book provides a comprehensive look into special populations within our country’s vast correctional system (institutional and community-based) and takes a practical and accessible approach to deliver content that students can readily apply to their daily work in the field.