How Prison Systems Work in the US compared to other First World Countries - Essay Example

Module How Prison Systems Work in the US compared to other First World Countries Incarceration is used as the primary form of rehabilitating and punishing wrong doers in many countries around the world. Therefore, prison systems are necessary in every society, as they help to enforce rules that preserve law and order. The prison systems ensure that the general population is safe by correcting wrong doers and warning future crime perpetrators. The United States of America has a more rigid prison system that holds the largest number of incarcerated people on the globe (Liptak). America definitely has the highest rate of imprisonment considering that it has about five percent of the world’s total population, but holds a quarter of the world’s convicts. In every one hundred thousand Americans, about seven hundred are imprisoned while some first world countries like Germany and Netherlands have less than ninety incarcerated individuals per one hundred thousand people. These figures clearly indicate that there is a problem with the justice and the prison system in America (Subramanian and Shames 5). Germany ad Netherlands are able to enroll most of their prisoners in rehabilitation programs due to the small number, therefore, reducing the probability of the offenders to engage in crime (Riggs). This just shows that other first world countries handle wrong doers with greater efficiency than the United States of America. Firstly, the American prison system takes the wrong approach towards the process of rehabilitating and punishing wrong doers. A different approach should be used to punish and rehabilitate individuals who have committed minor offences. Take the example of Germany. The country has a few wrong doers in its prisons because they take a different approach when correcting the offenders. In America, people are imprisoned for all kinds of offenses from minor offenses such as speeding and defaulting on debts to major offenses like murder. In Germany, a different approach is taken where fines are imposed on offenders rather than sending the individuals to jail (Subramanian and Shames 5). The prison system in Germany and Netherlands focuses on keeping the offenders especially for minor and nonviolent crimes out of prison. The prosecutors have the authority to divert cases that can see the offender locked up for six years or less from criminal prosecution. This is done by asking the offender to meet certain financial obligations or pay a certain sum of money to the Treasury Department. The two countries use these transactions and other penal orders such as community service, mediation and driving restrictions instead of sending offenders to the prison. On the other hand, the American system aims at sending the offenders to jail for crimes that are easily solved through fines and penal orders in other first world countries. The United States America also considers fines as accessory penalties that should be imposed together with incarceration. In Netherlands and Germany, fines act as the only sanctions imposed on an offender. This helps to keep the offenders out of jail. America should adopt such a system, which would ensure that people repaid their debt to the society and stayed out of prisons (Subramanian and Shames 8). It is also notable that Germany has fewer offenders due to its rehabilitation efforts. In America, the prison system is primarily designed to protect the public by keeping offenders away from the public rather than offering rehabilitation and educative services. On the other hand, German prisons are designed to educate, rehabilitate and teach the prisoners some new skills that can help them lead an honest life. In the Netherlands, the same happens. The two countries emphasize on rehabilitation and resocialization to change the offenders’ mindsets and keep them out of trouble in the future. This is the reason why the Dutch and German prison system are able to reduce crimes and transform prisoners to productive members of the society (Ward et al). The American prison system is completely different. America ensures that the offenders are face some jail time, probation and pay fines. The prison system books and ensures that it follows up the individual, which makes them eligible for a few job opportunities due to the conviction. The employers tend to get the feeling that they should be cautious when dealing with individuals who had been convicted. This comes from the manner in which the American prison system portrays the convicts and keeps tabs on them, therefore, making them suspicious (Riggs). This decreases the chances of ex-prisoners to gain good jobs, therefore, making it easy for them to engage in criminal activities. The American government should consider changing this practice as it fails to assist in transforming the lives of the concerned offenders (Subramanian and Shames 7). The American prison system is designed to keep the prisoners in jail for a longer time when compared to the prison system in Germany and Netherlands. Some nonviolent offenses such as refusing to pay taxes and possession of marijuana can get an offender a very long period in prison. As discussed in the preceding paragraph, in Germany and Netherlands, many nonviolent crimes are sanctioned through transactions in terms of fines (Liptak). Other crimes that may require an individual to serve time in jail are usually given less time than in America. In Germany, ninety-two percent of convictions requiring an offender to serve some jail term only last for a period of two years. However, only a small percentage of these offenders serve some jail time since seventy-five percent of the convictions are suspended. On the other hand, America prison system ensures that the average offender serves at least three years in prison. This means that the prison sentences are usually longer than those of Netherlands and Germany (Riggs). The long sentence is combined with isolation from the society, which adds anger and bitterness to the offender. The prison system in Netherlands and Germany is more humane towards the prisoners than the American Prison system. Offenders serving time in Dutch and German prisons are provided with improved living conditions, where they can cook their own meals, wear their clothes and receive remuneration for the jobs that they carry out in the prisons. They continue to enjoy their rights as society members. This means that they can vote, receive social welfare and visit their homes often. Solitary confinement is rarely used and when utilized, it cannot exceed a certain period. In Netherlands, some prisoners are allowed to go home during the weekends and report back to prison at the beginning of the week. This also allows them to practice the various skills learned in prison (Liptak). German and Dutch prison systems do not incarcerate mentally unfit offenders with the others. This has been the case in America, where some offenders who have been diagnosed with antisocial behaviors are allowed to integrate with the others. Treating the prisoners humanely helps them to realize their mistakes and attempt to change their behavior and conform to the society. On the other hand, the American Prison system treats its prisoners inhumanely by denying them various rights and punishing them, therefore, creating bitterness and the urge to revenge. This only aggravates the situation, hence compelling the offenders to commit other crimes. It is important for the government to change this situation and promote humane activities in the American prisoners (Subramanian and Shames 8). In America, the prison facilities have been privatized, therefore, hindering the rehabilitation process and other initiatives to reduce the number of prisoners in the country. This is due to the fact that the number of prisoners determines the amount of money earned by the concerned corporations and businessmen. The larger the number of prisoners the higher the profit. Therefore, the corporations involved in running the prison system are not concerned about the rehabilitation of offenders but they are interested in increasing the number of offenders. This is the reason why the sentences are longer in the United States, as the corporations have ensured that the politicians ascertain that the laws and the situations do not change. The prisoners also provide cheap labor for the production of certain items like ammunition and body armors. The corporations view the prison system as a business, therefore, work hard to ensure that very few offenders are rehabilitated, which leads to more crimes in the country. In Netherlands and Germany the prisoners are controlled by the government, therefore, ensuring that the public wellbeing as well as that of the prisoners is considered. America should implement a similar strategy that will ensure that prisons are controlled by people with good intentions for all the citizens (Ward. et al). Works Cited Liptak, Adam. "U.S. prison population dwarfs that of other nations." The New York Times. N.p., 23 Aug. 2008. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/world/americas/23iht-23prison.12253738.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Riggs, Mike. "Why America Has a Mass Incarceration Problem, and Why Germany and the Netherlands Dont." The Atlantic Cities. N.p., 12 Sept. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politics/2013/11/why-america-has-mass-incarceration-problem-while-germany-and-netherlands-dont/7553/ Subramanian , Ram, and Alison Shames. Sentencing and Prison Practices in Germany and The Netherlands: Implications for the United States. New York: Vera Institute of Justice, 2013. Print. Ward, Katie, Amy Longaker, Jessica Williams, Amber Naylor, Chad Rose, and Cynthia Simpson. “Incarceration within American and Nordic Prisons: Comparison of National and International Policies.” National Dropout Prevention Center. ENGAGE. Clemson University, 1 Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. http://www.dropoutprevention.org/engage/incarceration-within-american-and-nordic-prisons/ Read More