One of the most controversial topics in the world today is trying to figure out ways to decrease any prison from becoming overcrowded. Many prisons house offenders that receive sentences from their trial. There is a lot that goes into the prison being overcrowded. Judges weigh the offender’s options that he or she may face before getting their sentence. For instance, during the pretrial a judge may look at the offender’s record to see if he or she is a great citizen and they took a minor step out of line; or if they intentionally went out of their way to commit a crime. Then the judge may decide to give them probation, or put him or her into treatment programs to consider saving prisons money. The ones the judge decides to put straight into
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In Paul Heroux’s author of the article Reducing Prison Overcrowding, Improving Justice and Preventing Crime, he suggests “A brief list of alternative sanctions includes: Electronic Monitoring; Drug Courts; Mental Health Courts; Domestic Violence Courts; Day Reporting Centers; Restorative Justice; Community Service; Fines; Probation; and Parole” (Heroux, 2011). Obviously these alternative sanctions are for an offender that has committed a minor crime and could be let off easy. Depending on the crime that was committed, the offender he or she may be granted probation or parole. You may be asking yourself how probation and parole can keep the prison from overcrowding. Well, it’s simple, the main object probation and parole serve is to monitor the offender’s good behavior by letting them participate in society and get back into their daily routine. Generally an offender receives a probation or parole officer that contacts or visits daily to check up on how they are doing everyday as well. Tim Lockette who writes for The Anniston Star in Alabama states “One in every three of your inmates is eligible for parole” (Parole, probation issues keeping prisons overcrowded, 2014). Well another thing is that throughout the United States is that Alabama has one of the higher incarceration rates too. So Lockette provides us with a stunning statistic that may surprise …show more content…
Many question the judges sentencing that offenders receive to place them in jail or prison because they are just flat out dangerous and remain a threat to be put in a treatment or a particular program that suits the offender’s needs. Treatment programs only pertain to drug abusers and addicts. Nonviolent offenders can possibly even participate in community service or house arrest. In many states, I think they favor the early release and the granting of parole to those offenders who aren’t really a threat to make room for the new prisoners who deserve to be in prison. The article states a good point about alternatives to reducing prison population and overcrowding:
Along the same lines, many opponents believe that community-based corrections programs can also be used as an alternative to incarceration, at the discretion of judges. If criminal offenders were allowed to hold jobs paid for by state subsidies, critics note, they could learn and hone valuable skills while serving the community. Coupled with monitored house arrest, they suggest, the overall cost would be far less than that of traditional incarceration and would better rehabilitate offenders. (Prison Overcrowding,
In Paul Heroux’s author of the article Reducing Prison Overcrowding, Improving Justice and Preventing Crime, he suggests “A brief list of alternative sanctions includes: Electronic Monitoring; Drug Courts; Mental Health Courts; Domestic Violence Courts; Day Reporting Centers; Restorative Justice; Community Service; Fines; Probation; and Parole” (Heroux, 2011). Obviously these alternative sanctions are for an offender that has committed a minor crime and could be let off easy. Depending on the crime that was committed, the offender he or she may be granted probation or parole. You may be asking yourself how probation and parole can keep the prison from overcrowding. Well, it’s simple, the main object probation and parole serve is to monitor the offender’s good behavior by letting them participate in society and get back into their daily routine. Generally an offender receives a probation or parole officer that contacts or visits daily to check up on how they are doing everyday as well. Tim Lockette who writes for The Anniston Star in Alabama states “One in every three of your inmates is eligible for parole” (Parole, probation issues keeping prisons overcrowded, 2014). Well another thing is that throughout the United States is that Alabama has one of the higher incarceration rates too. So Lockette provides us with a stunning statistic that may surprise …show more content…
Many question the judges sentencing that offenders receive to place them in jail or prison because they are just flat out dangerous and remain a threat to be put in a treatment or a particular program that suits the offender’s needs. Treatment programs only pertain to drug abusers and addicts. Nonviolent offenders can possibly even participate in community service or house arrest. In many states, I think they favor the early release and the granting of parole to those offenders who aren’t really a threat to make room for the new prisoners who deserve to be in prison. The article states a good point about alternatives to reducing prison population and overcrowding:
Along the same lines, many opponents believe that community-based corrections programs can also be used as an alternative to incarceration, at the discretion of judges. If criminal offenders were allowed to hold jobs paid for by state subsidies, critics note, they could learn and hone valuable skills while serving the community. Coupled with monitored house arrest, they suggest, the overall cost would be far less than that of traditional incarceration and would better rehabilitate offenders. (Prison Overcrowding,