Prison System Are Overcrowded

Did you know that the United States currently imprisons more than 2.2 million people off their population? Making it the nation with the most increased imprisonment rate worldwide according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. This shocking statistic alone uncovers that the prison systems are overcrowded, understaffed and expensive to keep up with. This means many children and families have a loved one or someone they know behind bars. Which also leads to questioning when overcrowding began?
America is known for its freedom and diversity among foreigners and different racial groups. It is also known for its status to keeping order and establishing laws which prosper the nation. Prisons play an important role in maintaining order and ensuring …show more content…
Marc Mauer, the executive director of the Sentencing Project, expresses “Lots of people think that 80 percent of the people who are locked up are there for low-level drug offenses, and that’s not even close to being true.” Every single person who is in the system has committed a crime to put them behind bars. They are paying for the crimes they committed. Nothing reassures the community that the offender won’t make that mistake again and with a more severe outcome. He also states that half the people in prison today have committed a violent crime. Implicating that since they have committed a violent crime, they are a danger to society and should be kept away from everyone. Gary York, a CorrectionsOne publicist, also supports this fact pointing out that, “The sudden release of such a large number of inmates can result in missing important information in an inmate’s criminal history. There is the possibility of past domestic violence or weapons charges being overlooked.” Although, safety is the top priority that should be taken into measures many believe that inmates aren’t capable of surviving in society on their own. They will conduct good behavior and be released only to fall back into the same paths because that is all they know. They have no guide or plan to living a crime-free lifestyle. This is not an easy task to tackle; they aren’t …show more content…
According to Connect Network, “It has been proven time and time again that education programs in prison help to give inmates a second chance.” Rehabilitation will challenge inmates to open up and face problems instead of running from them and turning to substances that tear them down. They will have the opportunity to engage with the outside world without been looked down on because of their prior mistakes. Often times inmates fear they won’t make it because they are looked as evil and unworthy of bettering themselves. “Even after being released, they face a world of cruelty, misunderstanding, and prejudice.” (Hannah Lavin) Not only will they be introduced to back into society, but they will have support and acceptation from the community. Rehabilitation provides employment and counseling opportunities as well. Once inmates gain their freedom they will need money to adapt on their owns and return to living their lives. Employment is an integral role to feeling independent and not having to depend on “wicked” money to survive. Teaching them punctuality, work skills, and responsibility. Jobs depend on them for their talents and skills. Similarly, counseling focuses on their emotional and mental health. Expanding their personal and social insight on goals they should establish for themselves. But, also teaching them to take