Prison Overcrowding
Prison Overcrowding
Sherita Bowens
American Intercontinental University
April 24, 2010
Abstract
Prison overcrowding is one of the many different problems throughout the world that law enforcement faces. Prison overcrowding not only affects those in law enforcement, it also affects the taxpayers in the community as well. The problem of overcrowded prisons is being handled in many different ways. Some of these ways have been proven to be sufficient and successful while others have not been so successful.
Prison Overcrowding There is no right or wrong way to address the problem of prison overcrowding. One way to address this situation is to build bigger prisons. However, building bigger prisons affects the wrong people. By building bigger prisons, the taxpayers in the communities have to pay more money, which is not fair. Taxpayers in the community should not have to spend more money to help build bigger prisons, especially since there are other solutions to prison overcrowding that are positively effective for both the inmates and the taxpayers, like privatizing some of the state’s prisons and introducing educational and treatment programs. Although prison overcrowding affects many countries throughout the world, it is a much bigger problem in America. Today America is number one when it comes to having the world’s highest rate of incarceration. “Federal and state prisons already are stuffed with a third more inmates than they were built to house” (Clash, 2007, p.66). Prisons that were built years ago are not capable of housing the many inmates that are being sent to prison today. “The population in carceral establishments has increased considerably in the past twenty years, in both Canada and the United States” (Landreville, 1995). Most states are addressing increased incarceration rates by building bigger prisons. However, “the more money a state spends on building and running prisons, the less there is for everything else, from roads and
Sherita Bowens
American Intercontinental University
April 24, 2010
Abstract
Prison overcrowding is one of the many different problems throughout the world that law enforcement faces. Prison overcrowding not only affects those in law enforcement, it also affects the taxpayers in the community as well. The problem of overcrowded prisons is being handled in many different ways. Some of these ways have been proven to be sufficient and successful while others have not been so successful.
Prison Overcrowding There is no right or wrong way to address the problem of prison overcrowding. One way to address this situation is to build bigger prisons. However, building bigger prisons affects the wrong people. By building bigger prisons, the taxpayers in the communities have to pay more money, which is not fair. Taxpayers in the community should not have to spend more money to help build bigger prisons, especially since there are other solutions to prison overcrowding that are positively effective for both the inmates and the taxpayers, like privatizing some of the state’s prisons and introducing educational and treatment programs. Although prison overcrowding affects many countries throughout the world, it is a much bigger problem in America. Today America is number one when it comes to having the world’s highest rate of incarceration. “Federal and state prisons already are stuffed with a third more inmates than they were built to house” (Clash, 2007, p.66). Prisons that were built years ago are not capable of housing the many inmates that are being sent to prison today. “The population in carceral establishments has increased considerably in the past twenty years, in both Canada and the United States” (Landreville, 1995). Most states are addressing increased incarceration rates by building bigger prisons. However, “the more money a state spends on building and running prisons, the less there is for everything else, from roads and
References: 1. Clash, J.M. (2007, September 3). Jailhouse stocks. Forbes, (180)4, 66-66. Retrieved from Academic Source Premier Database. 2. Gonnerman, J. and Brown, E. (2008, August). Slammed. Mother Jones, (33)4, 44- 46. Retrieved from Academic Source Premier Database 3. Jailhouse blues. (2010, February 13). Economist, (394)8669, 37-37. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. 4. Kaiser, R.M. (2004, April). Correctional programming: A value-added service. Corrections Today, (66)2, 8-13. Retrieved from Academic Source Premier Database. 5. Landerville, P. (1995, January). Prison overpopulation and strategies for decarceration. Canadian Journal of Criminology, (37)1, 39-60. Retrieved from Academic Source Premier Database.