Survey of pennsylvania jail wardens: An examination of visitation policies within the context of ecosystem theory

In recent years, jails have become more interdependent with the community, and policy demands have helped create a system that is becoming more open. The research discussed in this article focuses on the changes involving inmate visitation and attitudes of jail administrators using the concepts of ecosystem theory. The authors use an ecosystem perspective to suggest that clarifying and standardizing policies, increasing collaborative efforts between county facilities, developing specialized training for correction officers, and improving methods of disseminating information to visitors will help lessen some of the problems administrators normally associate with visitation.