Up until the 1970s, policies regarding corrections were based on the principle of rehabilitation so that when prisoners were released they could successfully reintegrate into society. To increase the possibility for successful reintegration, prisoners were encouraged to amend their occupational skills and to receive treatment for any psychological issues they faced ranging from addiction and substance abuse to aggression. Since the 1970s, policy makers have shifted to a crime control model that has “cracked down on crime” and focuses on punishment as a form of prevention. This goal has been accomplished by lengthening prison sentences, mandatory minimum sentencing laws, and practically eliminating privileges in prisons with the No Frills Prison…
With a total prison population of 2,217,000 people as of 2013, the United States continues to have the highest prison rate in the world (Institute for Criminal Policy Research). In light of these numbers, it is clear to many that the United States is in need of some kind of reform in the way it responds to crime and carries out justice, however, there is much disagreement on what aspects of our criminal policies need to be reformed and in what way. Many factors play a role in the enormous prison rates in the United States, however, some of these factors raise concerns not only about the prison populations, but also bring up questions regarding economics, ethics, and the overall effectiveness of the United State’s current criminal justice policies.…
They make these irrational mistakes and have a clouded perspective of what will manifest from those actions. People like this need to know the ramifications to their actions. Every action has a equal or greater reaction. As a society we need to teach people that crime is not the only way to escape from their troubles. It possibly could seem as a loss of responsibility but it is not .…
This section seeks to examine the history and some effects of mass incarceration in Chicago. When looking at the data it is difficult to overlook the racial disparities. Take marijuana for example. Black and White use marijuana at similar rates. However, those end up being convicted for possession of marijuana in Chicago are mostly Black.…
I want to talk about incarceration in America. In the wake of the Ferguson unrest, I feel that it might be useful to shed some light on the issues that are driving the anger and protests there. To be clear, I am not making any comments directly about Ferguson, Michael Brown, or the on-going investigation. I think it 'll be helpful to first state that we sadly need incarceration.…
Presidents Nixon, Reagan, and Clinton all used “tough on crime” approaches in their campaigns, and at a time when crime was on the rise, citizens were attracted to these approaches. This led to increased amounts of police officers, and increased populations in jails that were already overcrowded. In fact, in a Texas prison in 1998, over 1,000 inmates were sleeping on prison floors already holding double the acceptable amount of inmates (Campers 15). The recent issue with prison overcrowding stems almost entirely from the war on drugs and war on crime. Tough on crime approaches, surfacing in the late 20th century, are one of the major causes for prison…
Mass incarceration is a unique way of saying that the United States has locked up a tremendous amount of the population in state and federal prisons, and even local jails. The U.S currently locks over 2.2 million human beings in cages, and many are for nonviolent offenses. What is this issue about? Mass incarceration rates continue to rise. There are spaces in the prisons and jails where there are situations such as no beds available.…
The sole purpose of prison is to punish criminals for crimes they have committed, protect citizens from crime, and rehabilitate those individuals to be honest, law-abiding citizens once they are released back into the public. Wilbert Rideau, author of “Why Prisons Don’t Work”, was in the Louisiana State Penitentiary and has first-hand experience with how the prison system works. Prison is the punishment, but the punishments within the prison are inhumane and ineffective. High re-offense rates show that the public is not being protected from criminals; nor, are they rehabilitating those individuals to be productive citizens. Prisons are harming the individuals inside of them more than helping, prisons do not work.…
Do people really understand what mass incarceration is? African Americans and Latino’s are the ones being thrown in prisons and jails over white people. Why is that? Who is protecting our society when individuals are being thrown in jails for committing nonviolent crimes? “African Americans are subject to legalized discrimination in employment, housing, education, public benefits, and jury service, just as their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents once were.”…
Throughout the semester, we have repeatedly discussed statistics regarding current crime and incarceration rates. In comparison to previous rates, from earlier decades, it is clear that society’s viewpoint on crime has changed significantly. Beginning in the early 1970s, the United States initiated a more punitive criminal justice system (1). In The Punishment Imperative, authors Todd R. Clear and Natasha A. Frost created a concept for the reasoning behind this mass incarceration. Referred to as the “Punishment Imperative,” its basis for reasoning focused on the symbolic image that crime held in society; meaning, as crime rates grew, the societal fear for basic safety began to emerge.…
Some say that prison is a place to reform an inmate so when they do come out of the system he or she can be a better citizen. With the number of inmate on the raise every year one would think that within the past 10 years there would have been some type of change in the prison system, with more people going to jail…
Of course, I understand the federal costs problem but is it only because of that? Why then don’t we liberate all thieves from prisons? If they didn’t hurt or killed somebody, then they’re simply not dangerous and, of course, they don’t belong in the category of violent crimes. If I compare to France, to be plead guilty for drug related crimes, is likely to be a heavy crime, and the consequences are equal.…
However, there is still the tremendous amount of aspiring young criminals who will always pose a threat. People need to focus on the main problem of fearing potential crimes committed. Wilbert Rideau is an example of a criminal behind bars, but has changed and places no fear in society. I believe prisons are necessary to keep criminals away from the world we live in until they realize what they are doing leads to negative outcomes and prisons are just functioning not well enough for…
In the United States, prison overcrowding has reached a crisis level as it becomes ubiquitous and continues to show no sign of abating within the foreseeable future. Courts in the country continue to sentence criminal offenders to serve various prison terms and fail to utilize various sentencing alternatives thus sustaining the problem. The problem has escalated in the last thirty years thus turning into a crisis. Between 1970 and 2005 for example, the inmate population in the country grew by 700% and has continued on an…
“The correctional ideology refers to a body of ideas and practices that pertain to the processing of offenders, as determined by law.” There are three main correctional ideologies: punishment, rehabilitation, and prevention. Throughout history, these have been the methods used to deal with offenders. The make-up of these ideologies connects to the public’s opinion of the criminals. Whether society has chosen an “eye for an eye,” a more humane standard, or a hope to prevent crime, these ideologies have no doubt changed throughout time to accommodate the public’s needs.…