Final Day - Teresa

When I first decided to do criminal justice I thought I had a clear idea of what the Justice system looked like. My idea of jail was a cement complex surrounded with barbed wire. I thought the prisoners were all terrible people under strict surveillance at all times. Though our investigation of the Belknap house of Corrections and the Nashua Street Jail I learned that there are different types of prisons with varying degrees of protection and procedure. The Belknap House of Corrections was relatively relaxed. The lower security prisoners were allowed to wander around a little, there were classes that the inmates could take and many were released on work detail during the day. At Belknap the guards and staff took a great interest in trying to improve the lives of the inmates so when they got out they would be able to be active contributing members of society. The Nashua Street Jail on the other hand was what I had originally imagined a jail would look like, minus the barbed wire fences. The Jail was very strict and there was constant violence and hatred between the inmates and to the gaurds. The main goal of the jail is to hold the inmates, there are no classes, work detail, or freedoms. The inmates never even saw the sun except through barred windows. The Nashua Street Jail was depressing. I would not want to be arrested after seeing what I have seen at the two jails. The court house was also different than I expected. I originally believed that lawyers would meet their clients right after they get arrested and that when they go to court the room is quiet for the arraignment. I learned that lawyers sometimes meet their clients right before the arraignment and have only a couple of minutes to prepare their case. The courtroom was also very noisy with many things going on at a time. The defense attorney Chris Keating, who we met with, was much as I originally thought a defense attorney would be. I learned a lot about how cases are tried and what citizens rights are under the fourth amendment. After the experiences of this week I have come to a greater understanding and appreciation of the criminal justice system.