The Pros And Cons Of American Prison Reform

The American prison system, has become the largest in the world; However, it wasn't always the largest. In the 1990s, legislation that was tough on crime, and mandated prisoners to serve eighty-five percent of their sentences, was put into place in the state and federal level. The legislation caused the rise in prison population. Many prisons are now overcrowded and have deplorable living conditions. The American Prison System is crumbling and needs reform and, most importantly, rehabilitation. The high population in prisons across the country are astonishingly high. The high population is costly to the state(s) and the federal government. Having such a high number of prisoners means more money on guards and less on valuable public goods like roads and schools. Another cost for the public is having to deal with prisoners after they …show more content…
This act will “help inmates better prepare for life after prison”(Cornyn, Whitehouse). Senators John Cornyn and Sheldon Whitehouse, both believe that the prison system needs reform to solve the issues prevalent in the justice system. The Senators want to combat the population and prepare inmates for life after prison. The reform of the prison system makes “changes to mandatory minimum sentences for low-level, nonviolent offenders, the bill also includes legislation [Cornyn and Whitehouse] previously introduced to help inmates better prepare for life after prison”(Cornyn, Whitehouse). The ability to give inmates a chance to better themselves is a step in the right direction for a broken justice system that targets. This bill will make it a “ [requirement for] the Bureau of Prisons to provide inmates with vocational training, drug treatment and other recidivism-reduction programs”(Cornyn, Whitehouse). Much like in Hopkins time in prison, completing these programs will make it possible for inmates to get out earlier or on