There are threads on the dope and elsewhere that discuss the different security level of prisons. The offenders deemed to be the most dangerous are sent to supermax prisons, and the offenders who are deemed to be of minimal risk but for some reason can’t be immediately released on probation or parole are sent to country club prisons, and there are a number of intermediate categories.
Now, the chances that I’ll actually end up in prison appear to be minimal to remote at the present time, but if American movies have taught me anything, the chance is never completely absent.
Is there anything I can do now to help ensure that, if I somehow end up convicted of a felony, that I will end up in the lowest security category possible? Is it all based on the offense for which the person is convicted (e.g. murderers always go to supermax, rapists go to high security, drug dealers go to medium security, and insider traders who bilked Wall Street investors out of 100 million by manipulating securities go to minimum security even if they are known to have a bad temper), or are there outside factors that are considered? For example, I am currently a member of a religious community and actively attend services. Does that count for anything? Would furthering my education help so that I can say to the presentence report officer that I have a MS and not just a BS? Would actively volunteering in the community now help, so I can say that I deserve low security because of all the time I spent at the food bank back in 2012? Does being married as opposed to single help, or does having more kids help?
The one single best thing you can do is move to the right European country, e.g. Norway.
In the UK the categories are theoretically based upon both the risk of your escaping and the damage you would cause to society were you to be released. They have very broad guidelines when interpreting this, but basically the most of it comes down to your criminal history.
In other words, commit a white color crime. Don’t stab infants to death.
There’s two factors, what you conviction is and how you’ve behaved since you’ve been in custody. The first you can’t control, the second you can. I don’t think finding Jesus or having an education makes a difference. Generally on death row you’re going to Supermax no matter how you behave, (except in MO and CA to name two you get better conditions if you behave). Child rapists go to Supermax for their own protection. But if you’re a drug dealer or a creative accountant, if they keep finding shanks in your cell and you keep gassing guards it’s going to affect where you’re put.
By the way, don’t assume your chances of going to jail in America are slim. As I understand it a third of black men go there. The only explanations for that are either intentional racism on a massive scale (we can rule that out I tihnk), an enormous genetic propensity amongst black people to commit crimes (I also think we can rule that out), or an unintentional racism in a system that is very capable of condeming people to decades inside for very minor things - in which case the system can very very quickly change to sending a third of all men to prison.
So, there are no factors that can affect human behavior other than genetics?
You left out a fourth option, which happens to be closest to the truth: an enormous statistical/cultural/socioeconomic propensity amongst black people to commit crimes.
I don’t think we need to get into a side discussion about blacks and crime. Let’s stick to the specific question in the OP, that is, how to increase chances to go to low security facilities. If you want to discuss blacks and crimes or prison, start a new thread in Great Debates.
Leaving race aside, the best thing you can do is to become enormously wealthy. This will allow you to hire the best lawyers which will either be able to keep you out of prison entirely, or plea bargain you down to a charge which gets you into a low security prison.
Your best bet? Focus on programs. Find out what types of programs only exist at the prisons you want to go to and then work on getting yourself assigned to that program.
For example, you find out that there’s a special program for rehabilitating prisoners with histories of drug problems via a boot camp environment and it only exists as a pilot program at Camp Fed, where you want to go. Well start researching the program and find out what the criteria are for the program. Then make yourself look like an ideal candidate - tell your counselor you’ve used a lot of drugs and you feel that was a major contributor to your criminal history; and tell him you grew up in a broken home with no good role models; and tell him you wish you could make a clean break with your past and start over again in a new environment that gave you positive reinforcement for good behavior. And if he doesn’t get the hint tell him you’d like to apply to the new boot camp program you’ve heard about. If you’ve laid the groundwork properly, he’ll decide you’re qualified for the program and assign you to it - and being assigned to the program comes with an automatic transfer to Camp Fed, where the program is at.
[QUOTE=North Carolina Department of Public Safety]
…Newly admitted inmates are transported from county jails to one of 11 prison receiving centers where the risk assessment process begins… Upon admission, processing and evaluation of offenders begins. They are put through a series of evaluations, including medical and mental health screenings. Prison classification specialists develop an individual profile of each inmate that includes the offender’s crime, social background, education, job skills and work history, health, and criminal record, including prior prison sentences. Based on this information, the offender is assigned to the most appropriate custody classification and prison…
[/QUOTE]
So it seems that factors like prior education, work history, and social background (whatever that means) can matter.
That doesn’t always work. Sure, being wealthy is good for keeping you out of prison. But it can work against you if you end up getting convicted and sent to prison anyway. Somebody might decide that your wealth makes you a higher escape risk and that justifies putting you in a more secure prison.