Prison violence overlook - Essay Example

When a criminal is constantly nagged, abused,condemned and ostracized by the society, one turns into a viler and bitter individual. Even showering pity will not help one bit. Heartfelt care and concern, an understanding approach, and tender regard for the feelings are necessary prerequisites to heal the inner wounds. Coupled with this, the society needs to forgive and forget ones past in order to help one to build a new identity. The inner-core of every individual is essentially good, even that of the worst villain.

It needs to be revealed to him to help him align with his true personality. Ones downward march to destruction and negativity can be replaced by an upward march to construction and positivity. Robert J Meadows writes, “ violence results from many factors, including but not limited to mental illness, racism, poverty, gangs, drugs, availability of guns, biomedical problems, media influences and family relatives.”(p.3) Everyone has the right to become a worthy individual and the proud citizen of his country in particular and the world at large.

The prime questions are, what sort of circumstances and mind-set pushes one on to the track of self and societal destruction? How self-reformation is possible? The managers of the society own the responsibility to open the door to a new realm, a new direction and provide a new lease of life to those who have been entangled in the web of crime. The causes due to which they took to the path of crimes are many-fold. Throwing light upon this aspect Meadow opines, “Those who are poor or disenfranchised turn to violence because it is a means to an end.

That is to say, society expects everyone to be winners, but not everyone has the same economic opportunity.”(p.4)An intensely shattered personality lies with the four walls of the prison and his/her psyche needs constant care. The criminals have great potentialities. They are gutsy individuals. In the absence of proper channelizing of their abilities, they have moved to the wrong track. But if checked and guided well in time,they can become good leaders. Their capacity for hard work is immense and there is something special in them.

Upon release or acquittal, one has to restart and rebuild life amidst a society that will not willingly allow the process of assimilation easily. Whether guilty or guilty, the prison stamp shall remain forever on the individual. For the hardcore criminals, prison is the place to plan the next bout of criminal activities, once they are out of the prison. This is the dangerous trend, and such people need to be provided with extensive counseling within the prison-premises, on a regular basis. The pre-conviction period also upsets the prisoner, due to the slow-moving judicial process.

Moreover, all laws, just because they are the laws of the land, are not faultless. A controversial law implemented in a worst manner is the ultimate calamity for the prisoner under trial. Such a law, if not amended or withdrawn, quickly, can ruin the delicate social structure based on human relationships. In an unfriendly system of jurisprudence, a prisoner under trial gets physically, emotionally and economically crushed. Robert J Meadows writes, “ when criminal professionals make mistakes, society suffers from the injustice.”(p.2) No doubt, there are genuine difficulties in running a reformation and rehabilitation program in a prison environment.

Prison authorities have to cope up with many other competing and compelling priorities. But there needs to be a system to oversee the reformation aspect. This is the responsibility of the Government as well as the society.