Are shock incarceration programs more rehabilitative than traditional prisons? A survey of inmates

Advocates of shock incarceration programs have proposed that through strict military discipline and the provision of treatment programs, boot camp prisons provide an institutional environment that supports rehabilitation. Using the Prison Environment Inventory, this study compares a group of shock incarceration inmates' evaluations of the environment with those of a group of inmates housed at a minimum-security traditional prison. Shock incarceration appears to be successful in providing external controls (e.g., safety, discipline) related to an environment that supports rehabilitation, but does not differ from a minimum-security traditional prison in providing support related to internal change (e.g., emotional feedback).