Prison Overcrowding in the US - Research Paper Example

Corrections Corrections Statistics of overcrowding prison The American justice and prison system seems to be facing a lot of problems. Overcrowding of the prisons is one of the main issues that is under spotlight, where it seems that the federal prison system is not able to keep up with its large influx of inmates. It is seen that one in every two hundred people are behind prison walls which means, that the level of influx is increasing and the already existing ones behind bars also remain. Thus, this increase is hard to sustain. It is observed that the rate of this influx has slowed but long serving sentences to criminals has put problems forward for the state, mainly overcrowding. 17 states are in the spotlight where the population of prisoners is higher than the capacity of the prison cells to hold them, which not only causes problems for the prison policies but also shows that the facilities designed for the captives are lacking. It was observed that at the end of 2013, Illinois alone housed 48,653 prisoners while, the prisons are modeled only to hold 32,075 prisoners. This meant that the prison system is operating at 151 percent of its actual capacity. North Dakota accordingly has been housing 150 percent of its prison capacity capacity(Wilson). Prisons in all the states in America are facing the issue of overcrowding and inmates tend to take advantage of it. If prison budgets are not increased, then there will be no facilities for inmates to get back on track which means the cycle of crime is to continue without an out. As the prisoner influx increases, the number of prison guards is seen to be decreasing. In 2005, the government reduced the number of guards which means that the imbalance of ratio not only proves hazardous to life inside the prison but might impact the life outside the prison walls as well (McLaughlin). There are many ways by which the problem of overcrowding can be overcome which includes updating laws and reviewing the prison state conditions. Tackling prison overcrowding is an important issue that needs to be dealt with. If the budget of the prisons is not increased to sustain prisoner influx, then it is deemed that it might promote the states to have an early release option for prisoners. California is one such example where the overcrowding situation led the Supreme Court to order to reduce the population of its prisoners by 30,000 on the base facts that it was against the constitution (McLaughlin). In conclusion, serious efforts need to be made to reduce the inmate population and control the influx while sustaining a population that is not hazardous to either the inmates or the federal justice system. The reduction in the population in prisons can only be met if the laws are reformed and prison sentences are reduced and overviewed, again. Building more prisons would prove a feasible answer but providing the right type of facilities to the inmates might cross the present prison budget. Overcrowding conditions can only be met with if the law and penalties given are taken into account and reviewed. Causes of Prison Overcrowding Prison overcrowding is a problem faced at large by the justice system and the large influx of prisoners is hard to maintain. It is seen that there are many causes of the problem of overcrowding in prisons but the most important one is that the design capacity does not meet the criminal justice level. The justice system runs in a fashion that favors longer prison sentences which has proportionally played a key factor in causing an increase in the inmate crowd. There were certain offenses which did not deem prison sentences but now the justice system has made it compulsory which in turn has led to an increase in the inmate population. Certain drugs and Driving While Intoxicated are some offenses that now carry heavy penalties with them and also have lengthy sentences associated with them, that has led to an increase in the prison population. Another factor that has seen to increase the population of prison mates and in turn resulted in overcrowding is the change of rules relating parole. Modified laws have resulted in an increase in the eligibility period which means that prisoners now have to serve more time before they can apply for parole, which was previously not the case and prisoners after sometime after review of their case could be discharged on parole, easily (McShane and Williams 1996). The overcrowding in prisons has led to a greater strain on the prison system where some prisoners who are going through the period of awaiting trial are also kept in prisons proportionally increasing the population of inmates. The decline in prisoners and their imprisonment mostly, depend on the increase in other displacement facilities. Minor offenses such as drug can be countered with opening more rehabilitation centers for example as Thailand did, which led to a reduction in the rate of imprisonments. Similarly, other viable displacement options can be set up to counter the growing population of prisoners (Morgan 2015). In conclusion, while there are many causes that have resulted in the increase in the prison population which has made it hard for the federal justice system to cope with the growing influx of inmates, the key factors to this mostly are long term serving sentences and penalties for offenses that previously did not exist. Minor offenses are even charged with long term sentences and even if the crime rate is dropping, the already existing population in prisons is way out of proportion to sustain and needs to be greatly reduced. The cause for overcrowding points out the flaw in the justice system and that the reforms made have done good but have surfaced up drawbacks that need to be met with as well. Paroles and other orders of “good behavior” that led to the release of prisoners on early basis now require new conditions that take longer time to be met with, which has also caused a major overflow of prisoners. Leading crimes to incarceration Every justice system around the globe has certain flaws and this is also true of the American justice system that has its flaws surfacing up and there is an urgent necessity to deal with these flaws. It is witnessed that many prisoners are incarcerated based on factors such including social, economical, cultural and political ones. There is a dire need to reevaluate the justice system and even though the crime rate is low, the incarceration rate is high. This is a signal for the authorities that the matter needs to be effectively dealt with. It is seen that a contributor in the incarceration rate is the size of the prison population. It is related that an increase in 10 percent of the incarceration rate will result in a 2 to 4 percent decrease in the crime rate (Stemen 8 and 9). In the United States, the crime rate has steadily declined over the years and the figure is dropping but it is seen that individuals who have a lower income still experience a rise in certain types of crime despite of the reduction in the national crime rate (Incarceration in the United States 6). It is also seen that the young adults basically those who are under the age of thirty years and belong to the families that have a lower income rate, tend to be the victims of incarceration mostly in drug related offenses, property issues, involvement in physical fights and gang related crimes. In short, the youth belonging to lower income families or those who earn low to sustain a living are most likely to be convicted in felonies resulting in incarceration. All of this can be explained by the prevailing socioeconomic conditions and the lives of people in poor neighborhoods which then leads to an increase in property and drug related crimes that mainly attracts the young adults (Incarceration in the United States 9). In conclusion, the leading causes in the incarceration of crime rates can be owed to the socioeconomic factors and the society in general of which the individual is a part of. Poverty, lower income rates lead to drug trades and property offenses which contribute to a leading factor in the crime rate increase. The national crime rate might be dropping but there are still places where the crime rate it high and flourishing and this is seen to be tied directly to the financial and social conditions prevailing in the area. Incarceration rate is steered by three factors that include crime rates, prison sentences per crime and the time to be served which not only indirectly increase the crime rate (Incarceration in the United States 11), but also serves as leading cause in the rise of incarceration rate. Minor crimes but long prison sentences are also a contributing factor in the flawed justice system which needs to be revised by the policy makers if the mistakes in the present federal justice system are to be amended. Psychological impact of the correctional system on both the inmates and the society When a person enters the correctional system of the federal state prison then the only valid option for an individual is to go with the cycle and cope with all the complexities. The correctional system and the management of the inmates plays a vital role in incarceration. The system that involves the attitude correction of the inmates is complex ranging from their behavior in the prison cells and then their behavior in the society. How criminals respond to the law system observed in prisons and how the society then responds the people who get out of prison, is an intermingled cycle and has aspects that need an in depth psychological analysis (Levesque 547). The behavior of prison towards the criminals plays a vital role psychologically and there are a wide range of effects ranging from isolation, violent behavior to emotional over control and dependency on the institution itself. It is observed that solitary confinement for prisoners who are deemed to be violent results in worse psychological stress. Prisoners in isolation tend to go in deep depression. However, those kept with other prisoners tend to exhibit very high sensitivity towards any stimulus and exhibit more violence on collective basis as well which leads to the formation of prison gangs and supermax units (Haney 2001). It is also witnessed that the inmates that are released from the prison system have a hard time adjusting in their surroundings and mostly find it hard to belong in the “society” again. Isolation and the psychological impact of prison systems marks their mind in a manner that the thought process is still stuck in the federal justice system and does not deem it suitable to adjust or conform with the society. It is clearly seen in studies that the post trauma experience of the prisoners that the imprisonment leads to, jeopardizes the mental well-being and it becomes difficult to integrate themselves back into the community of the world that is free. It is seen that the social world tends to treat criminals like outcasts and seeks to sideline them from education or job opportunities which not only shatters the façade of normality the convicts wear to adjust in the system but also serves as a stimulus for an even worse destructive form of behavior. On a societal level, criminals are not accepted and close networks that gave the feel of belonging, end up side lining the individual which only negatively effects them (Haney 2001). Impact on the economy In the last few years, the crime rate has fallen in the United States but the incarceration rate is high which has not only led to issues such as overcrowding of prisons but also has far larger implications on the economy. Observing the statistics for the United States only, it is seen that there has been a 400% jump in prison population and which has led to a proportional increase in the prison constructions as well. It is estimated by the United States Labor Department that the number of employees and supervisors to keep the prisons running will grow to 9% in between 2008 to 2018, while the probation and parole officers will increase by 16%. This points out to the growing economic strain that the states have to endure at the cost of keeping prisoners and providing them with the facilities to maintain a sustainable environment and place of living for the prisoners (Kirchhoff 2010). Statistics indicate that 1.8 million people in the United States alone are behind prison walls and yet alone in 1995, 150 new prisons were made to keep up with the growing influx rate in an attempt to accommodate the prisoners. This highlights that the prison system and the industrial integrity of it is becoming a vital component of the United States economy and the budget needs to be increased in order to meet the demand of the influx. If this situation is not handled, a deteriorating justice system is not far away (Evans and Goldberg 6). The growing rate of incarceration and the inadequate prison budget to sustain lives is not sufficient enough and has led to a strain on the economy which in turn has resulted in many other problems. The crime rate might not be growing but the longer sentences have led to a major strain on the prison budget held by the states. A number of prisons in the United States are trying to reduce the prison population by bringing in reforms in the justice system which might lead to a lesser strain on the economic system and help counter the negative menace of globalization. Minor drug related crimes that previously had long prison sentences are now being reviewed by the Congress and the Senate judiciary committee which might help in lowering the size of the prisoners to a sustainable amount where it would not stress the economy. Since, 2007 many states have been trying to reduce the prison budget by making correction and limiting the sentence policies of certain crimes. This has pushed for not only a change in policy but has also made impacts so that reduction of sustaining cost limits to reduce the stress on the already deteriorating economy (Kirchhoff 2010). Programs and solutions to decrease violence within the jail and prison systems It is observed that the individuals that enter the prison correction system in the end become more psychologically damaged and the wheel continues to bring in more influx rather than decreasing it. Researchers are working to find the factors that are linked with a rise in the criminal susceptibility of a few individuals. A definitive conclusion has not been reached but it has been seen that legalizing abortion has led to a reduction in crime. On the other hand, lead exposures have resulted in an opposite impact and preliminary studies have revealed that lead exposure has a direct relationship with crime. Understanding the root causes that lead to crime can result in lowering the crime rates in the country (Resnikoff). In the book "Essential of Corrections", the authors argue that the solution to decrease violence within jail and prison systems is not to instill fear. Fear driven inmates tend to react more violently to the outside environment that not only diminishes the progress of them returning to normal lives but psychologically is harming as well. It is necessary that to lower the violence rate within the prison system, the inmates are provided with adequate resources and whatever the substantive challenge they may pose, it should be met with by the legal frame of reference and assistance. An inadequate prison system that does not meet the demand of the prisoners not only gives rise to violent behavior in the prisoners, but also the violence may cross boundaries outside the prison walls as well. There can be two ways to reduce the violent behavior exhibited by the inmates and one of them that can be implemented immediately is bringing leniency in the laws and the sentences that are given to prisoners. This would not only have a positive impact on the population in the prisons but offenders might not continue to break the law. Tougher punishments invoke more violence among the inmates (Mays and Winfree 2009). In conclusion, violence within the jail system is common and needs to be dealt with because it causes not only physical but also psychological implication for the inmates. The first step that can be taken to counter the problem is bringing some reforms in the laws by reducing sentences that ensure early release of juveniles and proper counseling that will help them to not get trapped in the cycle of crime and punishment, again. Tough policies not only impact the economy to sustain lives in prisons but also invoke psychological anger within the inmates that has led to violent behavior. If reforms are brought in the law and minor punishments are given for petty crimes, then the level of violence can be greatly lowered and within years it would be seen that not only the issue of overcrowding but also financial implications will be met with. References Goldberg, E., & Evans, L. (2009).The prison industrial complex and the global economy. Oakland, CA: PM Press. Haney,C. (2001). "The Psychological Impact of Incarceration:Implications for Post-Prison Adjustment." U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Retrieved from http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/prison2home02/haney.htm#IV Kearny, M., Harris, B., Jacome, E., & Parker, L. (2014)."Ten Economic Facts about Crime and Incarceration in the United States." The Hamilton Project. Retrieved from http://www.hamiltonproject.org/files/downloads_and_links/v8_THP_10CrimeFacts.pdf Kirchhoff.M Suzanne. (2010). "Economic Impacts of Prison Growth." Congressional Research Service. Retrieved from https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41177.pdf Levesque, R. J. R. (2005). The psychology and law of criminal justice processes: Cases and materials. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Mays, G. L., &Winfree, L. T. (2009).Essentials of Corrections. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. McLaughlin, M. (2012)."Overcrowding In Federal Prisons Harms Inmates, Guards: GAO Report." Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/prison-overcrowding-report_n_1883919.html McShane, M., & Williams, F. (1996).Encyclopedia of American prisons. New York: Garland Pub. Morgan, N. (2015). "Overcrowding: Causes, Consequences And Reduction Strategies." The United Nations Asia and Far East Institute. Retrieved from http://www.unafei.or.jp/english/pdf/RS_No80/No80_08VE_Morgan1.pdf Resnikoff, N. (2015). "Mass incarceration not major driver of US falling crime rates, finds study." Al Jazeera America. Retrieved from http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/2/12/more-incarceration-wont-bring-down-crime-says-new-study.html Stemen, D. (2007). Reconsidering Incarceration:. Federal Sentencing Reporter, 19(4), 221-233. doi:10.1525/fsr.2007.19.4.221 Wilson, R. (2014). "Prisons in these 17 states are over capacity." The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/09/20/prisons-in-these-17-states-are-filled-over-capacity/ Read More