Was gonna hijack this thread but decided not to, since my question really isn’t that similar. Anyhoo…why are some people sent to Supermax? I mean, is the Unabomber really going to be a threat to the other inmates? Shouldn’t it be reserved for the the Hannibal Lecter types?
As the other thread shows, this is a subject that could be discussed at length in “Great Debates” or elsewhere. For this forum, I think the factual answer is that inmates are sent to a supermax facility either because they are a threat to other inmates or staff or because they require additional levels of supervision. I’d suspect the unabomber probably falls into the latter category, because they are either concerned about him making contact with people through the mail or building an explosive device within the prison.
More often though, the people who fall into this second category are drug dealers, gang leaders, or members of organized crime who attempt to continue their activity from behind bars.
Wikipedia’s entry for ADX Florence says that 22% of that institution’s inmates have killed a fellow prisoner and another 35% have attempted to kill an innmate or a guard.
In our system, inmates end up in supermax when they cause too many problems that can’t be handled within the normal maximum security institution. Repeated violence against staff or other inmates, repeated maladaptive behavior (flinging poo and worse), repeated inability to function in a non-threatening way with even the minimum of privileges.
Either the chief psychiatrist or the chief psychologist can nix the transfer. Both must be consulted about it. In point of fact, I could nix the transfer, if the inmate’s medical needs could not be met due to supermax status, but I can’t think of many cases where that would be necessary.
I don’t know how it is in other states, but in Wisconsin I believe it is up to the corrections system to decide on placement. The judges and politicians can order that they be locked up for a certain length of time, but the system that handles them while in custody still gets to decide what level of service/security they need.
I am not a fan of the supermax concept. I believe the subsequent mental damage done by long stretches in supermax-style lockups makes it more difficult and more costly to house them in the long run, and reduces greatly their chances of making it on the outside if/when they get released. And 97% of our inmates won’t die in prison.