An Argument In Favor Of Prison Reform

There are more prisons than colleges in the United States. In the south, there are more people living in prison than on college campuses. How can this be? The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world with 707 adults per every 100,000 residents. To compare, the average rate is 100 adults per every 100,000 residents. (Ingraham) The number of the incarcerated is not stopping either. According to a 2012 Vera Institute of Justice study, within the last 4 decades the number has increased by 700%. So apparently, the arrangement placed is not working. On top of the failing system, the country’s taxpayers are paying for it, specifically, 39 billion dollars a year. (Kincade) A change is needed. The prison system needs to be reformed. The way to do this is to …show more content…
In most cases, prisoners are treated insubordinate and even less than human. “A sentence of imprisonment constitutes only a deprivation of the basic right to liberty. It does not entail the restriction of other human rights, with the exception of those which are naturally restricted by the very fact of being in prison. Prison reform is necessary to ensure that this principle is respected, the human rights of prisoners protected” (Why Promote Prison Reform?). People have to be reminded, criminals are people too. With rehabilitation, the prisoners would have an incredibly better chance at improving and becoming a more moralistic person. Criminon, a rehabilitation program, has had many successful results with reforming prisoners. One graduate stated, “This course has given me back faith in myself. Without Criminon taking the time to instill values and ethics into the lives of lost souls, I would still be living a life of confusion and ignorance. Thanks a million.” And another, a juvenile, wrote, “I can be something in life. Before I just wanted to be a gang member. Before, LIFE meant gang-banging. Now I don’t even want to associate myself with it” (Shea). Criminon