For serious crime:

• Entry into the system is voluntary
  
• Possible sentence reduction acts as incentive for applicants
  
• Focus is on removal of cycles of behaviour
• Involves close psychological monitoring
• Convicts can be removed from the system at any time through their own choice or if their behaviour necessitates it

Detox

One of the main features of this prison will be a detox unit, that exists somewhere between the cycle breaker and the first prison, where inmates break all physiological addictions to drugs, including nicotine, alcohol, hard drugs and psychoactive medication (such as prozac). Time spent in the main cycle breaker prison has to be done completely drug free and the prison is secured against drugs being introduced.

While a drug such as nicotine may not be considered an addiction that underlies criminal behaviour, the purposes of the cycle breaker system lie beyond merely addressing criminal behaviour, and include improving the health and other outcomes for the inmate.

Psychological Profile

The cycle breaker system will be closely monitored by trained psychological professionals. Before entry each defendant is assessed for behavioural patterns that are likely to have contributed to the offending, such as drug habits, family relationships, psychologcial disorders, anger problems, or peer group pressures. A psychological profile is developed and used during the prison process, being added to with each assessment. This profile becomes an important part of the system helping to determine each step in the inmate's behavioural modification and rehabilitation process. It also becomes a major factor in how long the person remains in each part of the system.

Eliminating Behavioural Patterns

Alongside physiological addictions offenders are treated for their destructive behavioural patterns and poor behavior patterns are 'deleted' as far as possible within time and individual character restraints. It is estimated that a useful period of time to spend in this prison would be 2-3 years after which the inmate can make a submission, again to a judge, to move onto the next stage, the reform prison.

Prison Culture

In the cycle breaker prison the opportunity for development of a prison culture is kept to a minimum. This is aided by creating an environment in which behaviour is focused on and inmates are treated with respect and courtesy, not as criminals, but potentially useful citizens with a contribution to make and who have chosen to mend their ways.

Behaviour Modification

In the main part of the cycle breaker prison, inmates experience a level of deprivation that is considered sufficient to break the offending behaviour patterns as judged by psychologists and other professionals. No fixed time is given for the process, it being dependent on the progress of the inmate, not on any arbitrary time span. However, one to three years for the process is probably all that is required. During that time any of the following deprivations may apply:

• Visitors or telephone contact with anyone outside the facility is severely restricted. People reinforce behavioural patterns, whether they are family or friends. Some inmates might have no contact with some people. All visitors would be non-contact to remove possibility of items being passed from the outside.
• Privacy may be curtailed by use of closed circuit TV system from which authorities can monitor behavior.
• Social contact with each other may be limited, encouraging focus on own situation. Limiting social interaction reduces the chances of creating a prison culture, which can be detrimental to the modification process, and reinforce criminal patterns.
• No psychoactive drugs are permitted.
  

During the process of withdrawal and behaviour deletion, inmates are encouraged to participate in new activities. The time spent in the cycle breaker will be hard and inmates will be desperate for things to do. This desperation can be used to provide motivation for activities in the reform part of the process, which follows. In preparation inmates are encouraged to look forward to and to think about what they would like to do and be in their lives, and what they would like to eventually get from the process they are going through.

Removal of Rights

It may be necessary for entry to the system that inmates formally agree to have specific human rights curtailed. In order for the system to succeed it is important that inmates are not treated with kid gloves and that authorities are not vulnerable to litigation. While it is important for psychologists to warn inmates when they think that their safety might be under threat by continuing with their process, they should not be removed without their own consent.

Protecting the rights of people who have, in many cases completely removed the right of other people to live is a bit of a contradiction. There is little use in a process of behaviour modification, for instance, if health authorities rush in too soon while an inmate is suffering the painful consequences of drug withdrawal.

Judgments will have to be made weighing up the costs and benefits of continuing with any individual’s treatment. An inmate should at any time be able to cease the cycle breaker treatment and return to the first prison, and have another attempt later if they so wish.

Atmosphere in the prison

The atmosphere in the cycle breaker prison is likely to be negative and inmates may, because of their suffering, build huge resentment against society. Wardens should treat them with respect, avoiding name calling and abuse, and constantly emphasize that it is the behavior that is bad and not the person. They should avoid treating inmates maliciously, something that will only reinforce resentment and jeopardize progress further down the system. The focus of the prison is habilitative and staff are trained to understand that all inmates volunteer for the treatment and that behaviour patterns can be removed leaving self-esteem intact.

Contact with outside world

Inmates will have minimum contact with the outside world. Family members may visit to observe through the security system or through one way glass observation walls. They may not be allowed any contact, but they can watch and make sure that their relative is alive and well. The observation room can also be used for the media and as a viewing room for other people contemplating a life of crime.

Once inmates have done their time in a cycle breaker prison then they may apply, in front of a judge, to move to a reform prison, which is a minimum security prison that is focused on enabling individuals to rebuild. By the time they leave the reform prison, inmates should have a vocation and be ready to re-integrate into society.

The Reform Prison

The reform prison is a microcosm of society at large. From the time they arrive residents are in training or work five days a week. The vacuum that was created during the cycle breaker process is filled with people teaching them things to improve their skills and work to pay their rent. They are swamped with enough material coming from teachers and media about society at large to balance up with whatever prison culture may develop through interaction with other inmates. They choose a vocation that they can train in and study or work towards, and they work in prison gardens and factories. Inmates are fed positive vibes and given confidence building activities and live in an atmosphere that is like a business or school. Each person has value, has strengths, and can be a success in society. In consultation with their psychological profile inmates are exposed to a greater level of stimulation slowly, being gradually given more contact with people from outside and within the prison, and more freedoms and privileges.

Atmosphere of Reform Prison

The atmosphere would be positive and encouraging. Inmates are not brainwashed, they are given freedom of choice in what they aspire to, and attempts are made to treat them in the same way as at a school or business. They are slowly given their rights back as they develop until by the time they leave they are almost fully restored. Any resentment and anger they might have towards society is gradually worked on and channeled into constructive pursuits by prison workers. There is a lot of contact with wardens and amenities such as TV become freely available.

Prison Culture

As in the cycle breaker prison the ability for inmates to develop a prison culture is minimized. This is done by swamping them with culture items from outside the prison in wider society, such as teachers, vocational guidance people, and various media. It is unavoidable that some culture will develop. Hopefully, as a result of the cycle breaker process this will be quite different to what it is now.

Prison Work

It would be beneficial for both the prisoners and society (in terms of cost) for prisoners to work.  There are many ways to make this happen:

• They could be employed within the prison, eg: gardening, cooking, maintenance
• The prison could operate a small business such as recycling, chosen because it is usually a council subsidised operation that does not conflict with private enterprise. 
  
• They could be employed within the community.

In all cases, inmates would return to the prison at nights.

 

Returning to the Community

After 1-2 years in the reform prison, the inmate can apply, again through a judge, with a psychologist present, to return to the community. At this stage they should have some job prospects, if not an actual job.

The whole time that the inmate is in the cycle breaker system, their sentence remains what it was when they were first sentenced by the judge. At any stage in the process, if the inmate reoffends, legally they may be returned to the first prison without any further judicial proceedings. (Measures would have to be introduced to prevent this loophole from being abused).

Retaining the original sentence helps maintain a \'hold\' on the inmate during the cycle breaker process. Even when they are released from the reform prison it would be important to retain it as a safeguard against an individual fooling the system.

Failing the Process

At any stage in the cycle breaker system, an inmate who volunarily opts out, or commits a crime, can be returned to an earlier stage in the system.

Where possible inmates in both parts of the cycle breaker system should be treated with Unconditional Positive Regard. Behaviours, not people are bad. Inmates must be seen as beneficial members of society who have a potential to make a positive contribution. Similarly, judges when hearing applications to cycle breaker and reform prisons, can no longer think of them as criminals. Their criminality arises from behaviours that they have acquired much of which can be unlearnt, and many have the potential to be good people.

Complexity

The cycle breaker is definitely more complex than the current system, but all parts of western society are getting more complex, so it would simply be a reflection of social progress.

Death Penalty

If we have long term prison sentences to effectively remove people from society so that they cannot offend and assume that there is nothing we can do to change them, then we may as well re-introduce the death penalty and rid them from society in that way. Given that we do not have the death penalty then we should at least make the attempt to allow violent offenders to reform themselves, which is the purpose of the cycle breaker system.

Effectiveness

The cycle breaker system is more likely to be effective on younger offenders, who are more likely to be able to unlearn and then relearn behaviour patterns. With increasing age likelihood of success will diminish.

Scope

The cycle breaker system represents a large investment by society in the perpetrators of crime.  It is likely to be effective on about 50% of the criminal population.  The resources spent on changing the criminal behaviour of one individual not only affects that person but at least 20 other people closely associated with him/her, for whom that person is a role model, friend, relation etc.  The social benefits, therefore, of implementing such a system have ramifications far beyond criminal society.  A reformed criminal is less likely to lead their offspring into crime and is more likely to speak against their former behaviour within their community.  Meanwhile an unreformed criminal will still be in prison.

Psychological Measurement

Success of the cycle breaker system is dependent on improved methods for helping individuals undergo behavioural change and for professionals to measure it.