The Problems of Current US prisons and Solutions to Correct Problems
Currently, more and more medias begin to talk about the problems of the US prison system, including the total volume of the prison system, the treatments of prisoners and the high quantity of reoffender. Some say that the total volume of the system is too small to accommodate current quantity of prisoners hence inmates may not stay well. And others say that the current correction system in the united states is not reasonable enough to effectively reduce the quantity of inmates. Thus in my opinion, I think that the current problems about the US prison systems are high inmate density, the lifestyle for inmates to stay in prisons and poor rehabilitation mechanism. Government …show more content…
Author Petersilia told us a statistic “In 2009 the number of Americans behind the bars had increased for the 37th year in a row provoked a fresh round of national soul searching.” (P301) “Norway spends on the Halden prison runs to more than $93,000 per inmate per year, compared with just $31,000 for prisoners in the United States.” (Benko, The Radical Humaneness of Norway’s Halden Prison) These examples told us that the increasing of prisoners caused that the average cost on each inmate reduced a lot, which cannot guarantee the life quality of each prisoner. Not only the budget but also the rules in US prisons are big problems. “Inmates at the ADX spend approximately 23 hours of each day in solitary confinement. Jones had never been so isolated before.” Imagine that if someone was detained in a small area 23 hours per day, 365 days per year, how about the feeling of that person? Even though the people who was treated like that are prisoners, inmates are people instead of animals. Dr. Doris Gundersen, who is a forensic psychiatrist, was allowed inside the ADX to give us an evaluation: “After evaluating 45 prisoners, she estimated that 70 percent met the criteria for at least one serious mental illness.” (Binelli, Inside America’s Toughest Federal Prison) Obviously, current function to manage prisoners will obey one of the major purpose to detain …show more content…
“You will find it very difficult to attend a college, and may find it nearly impossible to get a job, because criminals often leave prison with a large amount of debt - from court fees, conviction penalties, probation fines, and especially from child support bills.” (Glazek, P310) This is a real portray to a person who has just get off from the prison in the US. Neither any company nor any college will receive them. This proves that almost no rehabilitation training, including helping inmates to get some specialty, was done by the current prison system. If prisoners could not get a good job or attend a school in the society, they may feel boring, feel themselves are useless, abandon themselves to crime again, and finally, second times in prison. This will, definitely, increase the quantity of prisoners and cost more budgets. Thus, the way that we should do to help the united states establish a reasonable rehabilitation system is the most important things. The prison system in Norway introduced a very advance concept to us: “The Correctional Service emphasizes what it calls “dynamic security,” a philosophy that sees interpersonal relationships between the staff and the inmates as the primary factor in maintaining safety within the prison.” (Benko, The Radical Humaneness of Norway’s Halden Prison). Prisoners could learn how to communicate with others by contacting with prison staffs. Also, Prisons in Norway hope
Currently, more and more medias begin to talk about the problems of the US prison system, including the total volume of the prison system, the treatments of prisoners and the high quantity of reoffender. Some say that the total volume of the system is too small to accommodate current quantity of prisoners hence inmates may not stay well. And others say that the current correction system in the united states is not reasonable enough to effectively reduce the quantity of inmates. Thus in my opinion, I think that the current problems about the US prison systems are high inmate density, the lifestyle for inmates to stay in prisons and poor rehabilitation mechanism. Government …show more content…
Author Petersilia told us a statistic “In 2009 the number of Americans behind the bars had increased for the 37th year in a row provoked a fresh round of national soul searching.” (P301) “Norway spends on the Halden prison runs to more than $93,000 per inmate per year, compared with just $31,000 for prisoners in the United States.” (Benko, The Radical Humaneness of Norway’s Halden Prison) These examples told us that the increasing of prisoners caused that the average cost on each inmate reduced a lot, which cannot guarantee the life quality of each prisoner. Not only the budget but also the rules in US prisons are big problems. “Inmates at the ADX spend approximately 23 hours of each day in solitary confinement. Jones had never been so isolated before.” Imagine that if someone was detained in a small area 23 hours per day, 365 days per year, how about the feeling of that person? Even though the people who was treated like that are prisoners, inmates are people instead of animals. Dr. Doris Gundersen, who is a forensic psychiatrist, was allowed inside the ADX to give us an evaluation: “After evaluating 45 prisoners, she estimated that 70 percent met the criteria for at least one serious mental illness.” (Binelli, Inside America’s Toughest Federal Prison) Obviously, current function to manage prisoners will obey one of the major purpose to detain …show more content…
“You will find it very difficult to attend a college, and may find it nearly impossible to get a job, because criminals often leave prison with a large amount of debt - from court fees, conviction penalties, probation fines, and especially from child support bills.” (Glazek, P310) This is a real portray to a person who has just get off from the prison in the US. Neither any company nor any college will receive them. This proves that almost no rehabilitation training, including helping inmates to get some specialty, was done by the current prison system. If prisoners could not get a good job or attend a school in the society, they may feel boring, feel themselves are useless, abandon themselves to crime again, and finally, second times in prison. This will, definitely, increase the quantity of prisoners and cost more budgets. Thus, the way that we should do to help the united states establish a reasonable rehabilitation system is the most important things. The prison system in Norway introduced a very advance concept to us: “The Correctional Service emphasizes what it calls “dynamic security,” a philosophy that sees interpersonal relationships between the staff and the inmates as the primary factor in maintaining safety within the prison.” (Benko, The Radical Humaneness of Norway’s Halden Prison). Prisoners could learn how to communicate with others by contacting with prison staffs. Also, Prisons in Norway hope