New york times from from october 2014 - Assignment Example

Incarceration and the Reintegration of Ex-offenders Why has the US prison population increased steeply over the past 3 decades?First, pressure against crime during the 1980s and 1990s turned the issue into a bipartisan, political matter. Today, this demographic increase is a product of a bipartisan assessment of the criminal justice system (Williams and Vega 2014). Second, the allocation of funds for incarceration efforts rose steeply over the last thirty years to the extent that it surpassed those of other state functions.

Third, the marginalization of the employment sector towards depriving ex-offenders of employment opportunities compelled them to return to crime and eventually maintain the already soaring prison populations in the United States (Williams and Vega).2. It is hard for people with a criminal record to reintegrate in society; for example, to find housing and to find employment. How would a conflict-theorist analyze this problem?While the current criminal justice system functions on a model is evidence-based and ascertains what is practical, it surely lacks the opportunity for innovation and an intelligible plan for ex-offender reintegration.

Instead, the criminal justice system has a shortfall model for the reintegration of ex-convicts based on risks and needs (Williams and Vega). This model employs risk-oriented approaches to monitor former convicts closely using new technologies such as urine testing, cctvs, and connected devices and computers.3. Name two reasons in the news article explaining why “Ban the Box” laws are becoming more popular.First, this law is discriminative ethnically. Research shows that the law makes it harder for former African American convicts to get jobs than whites ones.

Second, the law contributes to potential increases in crime indirectly rather than curb it (Williams and Vega).4. What do you think of the “Ban the Box” laws? Will they work in favor of people with criminal records? Are you in favor of these laws? Why, or why not?I think this law is helpful but unlikely to succeed. The law will certainly work in favor of people with criminal records but not over the long run. The law has become more popular amongst certain states because of financial limits and not yearning to help ex-offenders.

However, I am in favor of the laws and reforms because broaden the employment opportunities of ex-convicts after their correctional rehabilitation, lower crime rates, and boost state economies.Works CitedWilliams, Timothy and Tanzina Vega. A Plan to Cut Costs and Crime: End Hurdle to Job After Prison. 2014. New York Times. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.