Beyond the Gates: Profiles of American Corrections Environments

Through an immersive and enlightening tour of select institutions, Beyond the Gates: Profiles of American Corrections Environments provides students with a unique overview of American corrections from its inception through modern practice.

The opening chapter presents a brief overview of corrections, after which a collection of facility profiles provide the reader with a summation of the prison's history and construction, as well as its current practices and reflected trends in contemporary corrections management. Also included in each profile are biographies of notable inmates and significant decisions brought forth from each facility that have helped form best practices in the field. Correctional facilities featured within the text include San Quentin, Attica Correctional Facility, Colorado State Penitentiary, Huntsville Unit, Penitentiary of New Mexico, Rikers Island, United States Penitentiary Leavenworth, and ADX Florence. An appendix provides students with an applied project in which they are challenged to design a prison environment that reflects some of the most critical elements of corrections.

A brief and practical introduction to the ins and outs of correctional facilities, Beyond the Gates is an excellent resource for courses and programs in corrections.

Katy Cathcart, Ph.D. is a senior instructor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. She began her career in criminal justice at the Colorado Department of Corrections as a correctional officer and rose to the rank of lieutenant during her 15-year tenure. Dr. Cathcart has conducted numerous research studies within prison environments throughout the United States. She holds a master's degree in criminal justice administration and a doctoral degree in education leadership, research, and policy.