Corrections Professionals Oppose Restrictive Mandatory Sentencing Rules as Proposed by President Ford - July 9, 1975

Sep 28, 2026

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Analysis of responses from corrections officials across all 50 states to President Ford’s proposal for restrictive mandatory sentencing, emphasizing opposition to mandatory prison terms without parole and support for indeterminate sentencing tied to rehabilitation. It reports survey findings on sentencing views, community rehabilitation programs, and goals for adult versus juvenile corrections. The issue also covers the naming of a new director for the National Institute of Corrections and a major hostage incident at a Canadian prison.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

In 50-State Survey

Corrections Professionals Oppose Restrictive Mandatory Sentencing Rules as Proposed by President Ford

New Hostage Incident Rocks Canadian Prison

# CORRECTIONTS ● Prison Management TechniquesDICGHST● Training and Career Development● Rehabilitation and Treatment Concepts● Parole and Probation Trends ● Literature and Products # A Complete Information Exchange for the Rehabilitation and Correction Professional RICHARD J.0'CONNELL,Publisher CHARLES A.BAILEY,Editor Published bi-weekly by Washington Crime News Services 703-941-6600.S60 per yeor;multi-copy rates and 30-doy trial subseription availaoble on request. Vol.6 No.14 July 9,1975 # In 50-State Survey CORRECTIONS PROFESSIONALS OPPOSESTRICT MANDATORY SENTENCING RULEAS PROPOSED BY PRESIDENT FORD There Is A Trend To SentenceAccording To The Offense InsteadOf The Offender.I Don't Buy That.' State-level prison administrators are gener-ally opposed to mandatory prison sentences assuggested by President Ford in his message toCongress on crime late last month(see story,Vol. 6,No.13,p1). Seventy-two percent of the correctionschiefs interviewed in all 50 states said they areopposed to sentencing offenders to mandatoryterms behind bars without chance of parole.The poll was taken before President Ford's June19 speech by Corrections Magazine,a publicationsupported by the American Bar Association. On the other hand,most of the correctionsadministrators said indeterminate sentencing andthe opportunity for parole motivates inmates totake advantage of various rehabilitation programswhich might keep them out of prison in the future.The corrections officials added that even thoughthere are few valid studies on the impact of prisonrehabilitation programs,they should neverthelessbe continued and in some cases expanded. Sixty-two percent of the officials disagreedwith the statement that institutional correctionalprograms have no effect on the rate at which ex-convicts recidivate.Forty-eight percent of the (Continued on Page 2) ● Community Guidance Programs NANCY VAN WYEN,Subscription Director 7620 Litle River Turnpike,Annandale,Virginia 22003.Phone CORRECTIONS INSTITUTE DIRECTOR NAMED Dr.Sherman R.Day,a 37-year-old psychologist,corrections administrator and educator,has beennamed the first director of the National Institute ofCorrectionsDay's appointment was recommendedto the Attorney General by the NIC advisory board,a 16-member panelof government officials andprivate citizens who set policy for the Institute.TheInstitute was created within the U.S.Bureau ofPrisons by the Juvenile Justice and DelinquencyAct,which was enacted into law on Sept.7,1974.The NIC’s purpose is to help federal,state and localcorrections agencies through management training,research and evaluation,clearinghouse and infor-mation services,policy formulation and implemen-tation and technical assistance. IN THIS ISSUE Corrections Pros Oppose Mandatory Sentencing1Corrections Institute Director Named1New Hostage Incident Rocks Canadian Prison2Ford May Pressure Gun Dealers2Michigan Prison Population Reaches Capacity3Across The States-4Supreme Court To Rule On Inmate Transfer Rights5LEAA Commits $2.3 Million To Fight Career Crooks 6Govt.Policies Mean Too Much Unemployment7Special Report:Corrections Poses Questions7Bureau Of Prisons Opens New York Jail8 DL administrators of adult prisons praised communityrehabilitation efforts such as work-release andhalfway houses as the most effective means ofequipping the inmate for return to society. At the same time,nearly half of the officialssaid the main reason for prisons is public protec-tion.Only 24 percent rated rehabilitation as themain goal of prisons for adults.But 51 percentof juvenile corrections officials rated rehabilitationas their number one goal. S 4L In recent times,corrections reformers haveargued that rehabilitation has been a failure andmandatory sentences would serve to deter crimes.Ford and Attorney General Edward Levi haverecommended that mandatory sentences-some-times as short

FAQs

What do corrections chiefs across all 50 states say about mandatory sentencing without parole?

Seventy-two percent of the chiefs interviewed said they are opposed to sentencing offenders to mandatory terms behind bars without a chance of parole.

Why do many corrections administrators support indeterminate sentencing?

Many say indeterminate sentencing and the opportunity for parole motivate inmates to take advantage of rehabilitation programs that may keep them out of prison in the future.

What happened in the Canadian prison hostage incident reported for July 4?

An inmate at the British Columbia Penitentiary took the prison barber hostage for eight hours, holding a straight razor to his throat while demanding an immediate independent psychiatric examination.

Sep 28, 2026

Upload by Damian