As of 2019, prisons in the US, including military-run facilities, held a combined total of 1,380,427 inmates. Incarceration looks different from a century ago, with America’s federal prison system adopting a standardized approach aimed at helping inmates learn from their errors and acquire skills applicable to life beyond bars.
Drawing inspiration from military-operated facilities, the federal prison system emphasizes rehabilitation and skill development. Nonetheless, despite these parallels, the experiences provided by the two systems are markedly distinct.
What is a military prison?
Military prisons primarily serve to detain prisoners of war (POWs), unlawful combatants, individuals deemed a threat to national security and military personnel convicted of serious offenses. These facilities are typically categorized as either penal, focused on punishment and rehabilitation, or confinement-oriented, designed to house individuals considered security risks.
The US military’s correctional system comprises three tiers encompassing 59 prison facilities. Level One, the lowest, primarily accommodates pre- and post-trial inmates with sentences not exceeding one year. Level Two, housing the majority of prisoners, caters to those with sentences of up to seven years. Level Three, comprised of the most dangerous offenders, sees the use of the maximum-security facility at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Since the establishment of the first military prison in 1874, significant changes have occurred in their operation and the types of inmates detained. Following the cessation of the draft in the 1970s, charges shifted from desertion to more severe offenses. For instance, in 2002, prevalent crimes among military inmates included drug possession and trafficking. A considerable portion of these inmates were White males with high school diplomas who’d committed crimes against others.
The structured programs implemented in military prisons, such as vocational training, support initiatives and alternatives like boot camps, have proven largely effective over the years. Many of these approaches have been adapted for civilian use by the federal prison system. However, the question remains: how do the experiences of prisoners in military and civilian systems differ?
The facilities differ between military and civilian prisons
Military prisons uphold the same standards and protocols as the Armed Forces. Just like during basic training, prisoners are expected to keep their facilities clean and tidy. If something becomes unkempt, they can expect to be disciplined immediately. Thanks to military funding, the facilities for prisoners are already well-maintained.
Civilian prisons, on the other hand, don’t have the same luxuries as military facilities. Inmates are also expected to keep their living quarters clean, but do so with less discipline and even less funding. As such, cleanliness isn’t much of a priority in federal prisons.
Military prisons follow a strict daily schedule
Military prisons begin their day at 6:00 AM with roll call. In typical military fashion, inmates follow a strict schedule that consists of meals, maintenance and workshops. Weekends feature more time for relaxation and recreation.
Food is a big part of prison life, and military prisons are known for having much better meals than civilian facilities. Guards in military prisons have strict rules in place that prohibit inmates from taking food outside of the dining hall, while civilian inmates have little to no oversight regarding this, allowing for trading to occur. Federal institutions also have access to a commissary that allows prisoners to purchase food and other goods.
Civilian prison guards are more likely to be corrupt
Guards stationed at military prisons are typically military police or from a local security forces unit. As uniformed personnel, they have the same obligations as inmates to uphold order and maintain discipline. Since they’re trained to provide services to all branches of the military, they usually treat inmates with respect.
Unfortunately, many civilian prisoners clash with corrupt guards. There are “chill” ones who complete their rounds and retire to the break room, as well as overly-corrective guards who assert their authority through intimidation, building resentment among inmates. Some guards even abuse their power and take advantage of prisoners, something that happens less often in a military setting, where both guards and inmates are treated equally.
Military prisoners aren’t allowed to salute their fellow officers
While most aspects of life in a military prison are surprisingly similar to life in the service, one important tradition is actually prohibited: the salute. Military inmates aren’t allowed to salute officers; doing so is actually a punishable offense. Prisoners aren’t allowed to salute officers because it’s seen as inappropriate for a superior to return the gesture.
Ranks are also removed upon imprisonment. Lt. Col. Ken Pinkela was found guilty of felony assault, willful disobedience, abusive contact and conduct unbecoming of an officer after exposing a first lieutenant to HIV. He was ordered to serve out his sentence at the US Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth.
As one of the highest-ranking inmates, Pinkela struggled to come to terms with his loss of rank, which he’d worked for 20 years to achieve. “In Leavenworth, your former rank carries no weight,” he told The Marshall Project. “On the day I went in, the silver oak leaves emblazoned on my uniform that signaled what I was were taken away from me, and I became an inmate – a prisoner to a country that I swore to protect and serve.”
Use of solitary confinement
One of the more harrowing parts of imprisonment is solitary confinement – or “the hole.” The punishment is used in both military and civilian prisons if an inmate disobeys an order or commits an offense. According to Quartz, solitary confinement in the US is “inflicted upon at least 80,000 inmates, including juveniles, often for months or years.”
Military prisoners can be placed in solitary for up to six months, where they sit in an eight-by-seven-foot room with a toilet, sink, bed and light. They receive no human interaction, with food shoved through a small slot in the door. Sometimes, all it takes to be thrown into solitary is having old toothpaste.
Former US Army soldier Chelsea Manning, who was imprisoned at Fort Leavenworth, was threatened with indefinite solitary confinement for possessing expired toothpaste, dropping food on the floor, and allegedly having copies of Vanity Fair and Cosmopolitan.
Rehabilitation of prisoners
One of the main objectives of prison is to rehabilitate criminals and prepare them for reentry into society. Rehabilitation programs are especially important for military prisoners who will be given a dishonorable discharge upon their release, as they’ll need a new skill or trade upon reentering the civilian world. Military prisons offer training for inmates in carpentry, auto repair, cooking, hospitality and more.
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Civilian prisons also provide inmates with opportunities for learning and growth. Resources to obtain high school diplomas, learn skilled trades and special programs for substance abuse are provided. Inmates can also take college courses, at their own expense. Unfortunately, these opportunities are not as readily available to civilian prisoners as they are to military inmates.
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