’t Work Essay, Research Paper
Prison’s Don’t Work
In our society, the dual purpose of imprisonment is punishment and/or rehabilitation. Throughout the states, there is an increased prison population. For example, more than 40 states’ prison systems are under court orders to rectify overcrowding. Some prisons have what is called a “zero sum” status. A “zero sum” status basically means if a prison receives a new inmate, it is required to release a current inmate. If prisons are meant to hold criminals and punish them for their actions, why are they being let out due to mathematics?
Prison is thought of, by some, to be a terrible place that people would not want to be. So, why do people continue to break parole and end up back in jail? The rate for re-arrest for state prisoners within three years of release from prison is:
68% for 18-24 year olds
64% for 25-29 year olds
63% for 30-34 year olds
57% for 35-39 year olds
49% for 40-44 year olds
40% for 45- and older
There are prisoners who are released, but they don’t return to prison. Yet, the majority of prisoners released do go back to jail.
The rate for re-arrest is so high because criminals think they’re not going to get caught or they’re so emotionally desperate or psychologically distressed that they don’t care about the consequences. This apathetic attitude might not even matter, because around 90% of the men never get out of prison alive.
The really scary part is that younger prisoners are coming out of jail as more accomplished criminals. Young kids are kept in prison to long, and they learn from other criminals. When they are paroled, they are better criminals, and they won’t get caught as easily. How is jail working if criminals are being released better at their crimes from when they were first sentenced to imprisonment?
Conservative lawmakers want to try kids as young as thirteen in adult courts, and they are trying to place them in adult prisons. Although juvenile crime has become more pervasive and more violent , it is not fair to lock up young kids with hardened criminals. This will not lower the crime-rate, but just increase the prison population. While in these hardcore prisons, teenagers would be getting a criminal education instead of a real education.
Politicians claim that they support policies that are tough on crime and prisons, but they’re not. In “Why Prisons Don’t Work”, even Rideau said it himself, “If getting tough on crime resulted in public safety, Louisiana citizens would be the safest in the nation. They’re not. Louisiana has the highest murder rate among states.” Politicians have been saying that they are getting tough on crime to win votes, but in reality, they don’t want to let us know how uncontrollable prisons have become.
Instead of putting money into programs such as remedial education, psychiatric counseling, drug treatment, or vocational training, the government would rather put money into prisons. Some prisoners have the luxury of state of the art computers, the convenience of the Internet, and the pleasure of television. While schools are just now getting new computers with access to the Internet, prisoners have already had this pleasure of easy access to state of the art equipment.
Rehabilitation can work, but until prisons do more for rehabilitation prisoners won’t change. The convict who enters prison illiterate will probably leave the same way. The rehabilitation programs within the prison are obviously not working if 68% of prisoners, age from 18-24, are being arrested again. That is over half!
To be able to change you must have something to look forward to when you are released. When I was a young child, my best friend’s dad was in prison. I was too young to remember the crime or the sentence, but he did have to spend a lot of time in prison. While in prison, he knew that he had a beautiful wife and two wonderful daughters waiting for him at home. He realized that he had to change in order to be with his family again, and he did. He thought about his life, and he thought about their lives. He couldn’t bear to think of his wife raising two girls by herself, or of his daughters growing up without a father. He hated the fact that he was missing his children grow up and experience life. He realized he had to grow up and act like an adult. He had to change his way of life in order to live the happy, carefree life that he wanted for himself and his family. However, that is a specific case and one of the minorities. The majority of prisoners don’t care what happens to them. Usually they need a shrink, not a jail cell.
In conclusion, I agree with Wilbert Rideau that prisons don’t work. There is an increased population in prisons, but not a decrease in crime. Prison is a place for punishment as well as rehabilitation, but felons are being re-arrested and sent back to jail. Young criminals are coming out of jail with better criminal skills than when they were first sentenced to prison. Society has done so much to try to decrease crime rates, but do any of us really feel safe? I guess that’s just another one of the paradoxal progresses.
Другие работы по теме:
Mental Illness Essay Research Paper Eng 201Essay
Mental Illness Essay, Research Paper Eng. 201 Essay #1 Persuasive Essay Wisconsin has a problem on its hands and it is not being dealt with in the right manner. The problem keeps getting bigger and bigger everyday. Instead of giving treatment to the mentally ill, hospital facilities have pushed thousands of mentally ill people on to the street.
Angola Essay Research Paper I feel that
Angola Essay, Research Paper I feel that Angola prison system is a very effective correction system. The video demonstrated how the system has different setups to keep the prisoners working to keep them out of trouble. Although Angola is a rough maximum-security system, it seems to have great control over the inmates.
Capital Punishment 6 Essay Research Paper CAPITAL
Capital Punishment 6 Essay, Research Paper CAPITAL PUNISHMENTCapital Punishment or Life Imprisonment? I think that capital punishment should be use more often than just life imprisonment. Life imprisonment is just not working. The death penalty does have some cons but it has its share of pros too. Lets start with the pros.
Accomadating Prison Population Growth Essay Research Paper
Inmate Population In August 1994, the California Department of Corrections released its annual five-year facilities master plan for new prison construction. This plan, usually submitted to the Legislature earlier in the calendar year, was delayed so that the additional need for new prison beds resulting from the recently enacted Three Strikes and You’re Out legislation could be incorporated into the plan.
Mentally Ill In Jail Essay Research Paper
Mentally ill in jail The articles inform that more mentally ill people are in jail than in hospitals. According to statistics 159,000 of mentally ill are presently incarcerated in jails and prisons, mostly of crimes committed because they were not being treated. Some of them become violent and may terrorize their families and neighborhoods.
American Prisons Essay Research Paper The
American Prisons Essay, Research Paper The “Invisible” Problems of Racism The problem with racism is that many people don’t think it is. Many live their lives not even realizing what is happening the world around them. “Racism, here, nah.” Others know all about it, but they don’t realize that they themselves, yes, themselves, are racists. “Huh, I’m not racist.
Illegal Drugs Essay Research Paper Goals 2
Illegal Drugs Essay, Research Paper Goals – In order to solve the problem of drugs in this country, supporters want to inplement programs by stepping up enforcement of already existing drug laws and enforcing new ones. The war on drugs, should eventually become a responsibility shared by the federal, state, and local governments, along with every citizen of this country.
Controlling Immigration Essay Research Paper With the
Controlling Immigration Essay, Research Paper With the many different groups of people coming to this country in search of a better life. I believe that we should better control Immigration to the U.S.. Since I am born native to the U.S. it is hard for me to say that others are not allowed to come into the U.S. But throughout this report there is evidence why control of immigration is needed.
To Kill A Killer Essay Research Paper
TO KILL A KILLER A few of my friends and I once saw a bumper sticker that questioned, “Why do we kill people who kill people, to show that killing people is wrong?” Suddenly there
Modern Day Punishment Essay Research Paper The
Modern Day Punishment Essay, Research Paper The philosopher Plato once said, The Law, like a good archer, should aim at the right measure of punishment . In society today, crime and injustice rule the modern world. Because of this, prisons have become a permanent part of America s criminal justice system.
Incarceration Of Men Women And Juveniles Essay
, Research Paper Prison populations have been on the raise since the early 1970s. Today we incarcerate over 2 million men, women and juveniles in the various correctional facilities around the country. These facilities can range from local jails or detention facilities to the new so called “Supermax” prisons.
America Essay Research Paper America the
America Essay, Research Paper America, the "Revenge-Minded Nation," has created the conditions for a rising crime rate, and "invited her people in." Crime in America has become a multibillion dollar Corporation for the Judicial System. The Corporation itself breeds white collar Criminals.
Weed Essay Research Paper The Marijuana Reform
Weed Essay, Research Paper The Marijuana Reform Party believes: That adults who choose to use marijuana in the privacy of their own homes should not be subject to civil or criminal sanctions.
Crime And Punishment Essay Research Paper Crime
Crime And Punishment Essay, Research Paper Crime and Punishment Our topic for this paper is Crime and Punishment. There are several different issues on this subject. We chose three main points
Why The Electric Chair Is A Fair
Punishment Essay, Research Paper This topic is a very controversial one. The paper you are about to read could cause intense arguments between some groups of people. All that doesn?t matter to me because when you finish reading this, you will agree with me if you don?t already.
Ideologies Essay Research Paper IdeologiesAn ideology is
Ideologies Essay, Research Paper Ideologies An ideology is a set of ideas connected together that explain how government and society should be organized and what set of values the society should embrace. The concept of an ideology is a very slippery topic in that people range in the level or degree of their feelings.
Prison Alternatives Essay Research Paper Prison AlternativesPrison
Prison Alternatives Essay, Research Paper Prison Alternatives Prison inmates, are some of the most dysfunctional people in society. Most of the inmates have had too little discipline or too much, come from broken homes, and have no self-esteem. They are very insecure and are at war with themselves as well as with society.
Proposal To Cut Prison Funding Essay Research
Paper Dear House of Representatives, It has recently been brought to my attention that many citizens of the United States have been greatly concerned about the criminal justice system. These citizens are concerned that funding for federal prisons is taking away from the funding of schools and education for their children.
Mandatory Sentencing Essay Research Paper In recent
Mandatory Sentencing Essay, Research Paper In recent years several mandatory sentencing laws have been put into motion. The original goals of the mandatory sentencing laws were to stop repeat offenders and to exhibit a “get tough attitude” on crime. These laws have not been working as intended, instead mandatory sentencing has led to some unfortunate consequences.
Drug Use Essay Research Paper Drug abuse
Drug Use Essay, Research Paper Drug abuse takes a toll on society that can only be partially measured. While we are able to estimate the number of drug-related crimes that occur each year, we can never determine fully the extent to which the quality of life in America’s neighborhoods has been diminished by drug-related criminal behavior.
To Pay Or Not To Pay Essay
, Research Paper To Pay or Not to Pay June Stephenson?s passage is about how men commit the most crime in America and women are still expected to pay their unfair share for male pursuit. June suggests that since men outnumber women ninety-four to six men should pay one hundred dollars more in their IRS returns.
Overcrowded Prisons Essay Research Paper Many prisons
Overcrowded Prisons Essay, Research Paper Many prisons throughout the United States have been experiencing the problem of overcrowdedness. This is not a new issue though, in April of 1978 New York State was already feeling the affect of crowded prisons. In an attempt to alleviate the problem the state tried to buy Richers Island from New York City.
Rehabilitaitng Prisons Essay Research Paper Rehabilitating PrisonsTo
Rehabilitaitng Prisons Essay, Research Paper Rehabilitating Prisons To help the prisoners in american prisons the government should establish a more rehabilitating punishments as to giving loneger harsher time. Now some people say if they did the crime they should pay the time and then some. But, wait they are not thinking about the prisoners.
The Death Penalty. Right Or Wrong
Essay, Research Paper The Death Penalty. Right? Or Wrong? Capital punishment, or better known as the death penalty, is a very controversial issue in the United States today. The death penalty has been viewed by many people as wrong, while still other people see the death penalty to be acceptable in today s society.
What Is The Best Alternative To Prison
? Essay, Research Paper ?The U.S. prison population has tripled since 1980 so that on any given day there are 1.5 million Americans behind bars.? (Alternatives 1). There is a clear overcrowding problem in todays prisons. Why? I believe that the population explosion in the prison system is due to the increasing moral decline of America.
Overcrowding Of Prisons Essay Research Paper One
Overcrowding Of Prisons Essay, Research Paper One of America’s biggest problems today is the overcrowding of prisons. This began when the population of inmates started to soar in the 1980’s. With the increase of rapist, murderers, and drug dealers skyrocketing, there is no reason to this overpopulation.
Prop 21 Essay Research Paper Prop 21Education
Prop 21 Essay, Research Paper Prop 21 Education is the best part of life. Education can evolve you into a better person. Education can prevent you from committing crimes and will lead you to a prosperous life. Proposition 21; The Gang Violence and Juvenile Crime Prevention Act aims to incarcerate disturbed youth rather then educate them.
Capital Punishment Essay Research Paper Capital PunishmentI
Capital Punishment Essay, Research Paper Capital Punishment I believe that capital punishment should not only be enforced but it should be stepped up and more widely practiced. Too many bad people are filling the prisons, wasting taxpayer?s money; the situation is only getting worse. The criminals in today?s prisons aren?t being rehabilitated or made to feel sorry for their wrongs, they are trained to be better criminals.
Prisons Vs Resorts Essay Research Paper Prisons
Prisons Vs. Resorts Essay, Research Paper Prisons vs. resorts Imagine, you re sitting in a courtroom, where a murder trial has just taken place. The Judge says John Doe, you have been found guilty of murdering John Smith and Lisa Franks. Now comes the sentence. I hereby sentence you to 4 years at the Utah County Resort.