Preview

Prisons and Jails

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2210 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Prisons and Jails
Prisons and Jails
Jordyn Elby
CJA/204
University of Phoenix

Abstract
The criminal justice system in itself is wide and covers many aspects. The most important part of those aspects is the jails and prisons around the nation. These are the places that are going to separate those who offend away from the community and keep our community overall pretty safe. Even though there is a funnel system within the criminal justice system, it should be noted that jails and prisons are still overcrowded. Due to the overcrowding those within the criminal justice system had to find a place for those who are first time offenders and those who behave well in jail. Probation and parole are another very important aspect of the criminal justice system.

Prisons and Jails In the United States there are 1.6 million people that are incarcerated in the 128, 195 prisons (“By the Numbers: The U.S.’s Growing For-Profit Detention Industry,” 2012). According to “By the Numbers: The U.S.’s Growing For-Profit Detention Industry” (2012) in May of 2012 there were 217,690 federal inmates in which 27,970 of those inmates were incarcerated in private facilities. There are different types of prisons that are designed to house certain types of inmates. Due to the overcrowding in jails and prisons, the criminal justice system has created other alternatives for those who have offended. In the United States there are mainly four types of prisons. There is juvenile, minimum, medium, and high security prisons ("Types Of Prisons", 2008). The juvenile prison would be more commonly known as a juvenile detention center. A juvenile detention center houses inmates who are 18 and under. Any inmate who is not of age in most circumstances is not housed with the adult inmates. The minimum security prison houses those inmates who have committed crimes that would be considered white collar crimes (“Types of


References: By the Numbers: The U.S.’s Growing For-Profit Detention Industry. (2012, June). ProPublica, (), . Retrieved from http://www.propublica.org/article/by-the-numbers-the-u.s.s-growing-for-profit-detention-industry Friedman, P. D. (n.d.). Violent and Disruptive Behavior among Drug-Involved Prisoners: Relationship with Psychiatric Symptoms. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2761621/ How do prisons play an important part in the criminal justice system. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.chacha.com/question/how-does-each-type-of-prison-play-a-role-in-the-criminal-justice-system-how-do-the-criteria-of-each-type-of-prison-affect-sentencing Importance of Probation and Parole. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://students.cis.uab.edu/jeff1234/Importance_final.html Krestev, J. (n.d.). Effects of Imprisonment. Retrieved from http://www.uplink.com.au/lawlibrary/Documents/Docs/Doc82.html Prison. (2012). Retrieved from http://yorkcountypa.gov/courts-criminal-justice/prison/visitation/adult-visitation.html SCI Fayette. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://pennsylvaniaprisoncalls.com/sci-fayette-pennsylvania/ Taking justice into custody. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.lawfoundation.net.au/ljf/app/707A7486376EC7B2CA257494002567C1.html Types of Prisons. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.crimemuseum.org/library/imprisonment/typesPrisons.html What 's the difference between jail and prison?. (2002). Retrieved from http://www.sheriff.org/faqs/displayfaq.cfm?id=4f892698-5c5d-40f8-b159-c9a0b6ed66f3
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Private Prisons Pros And Cons
    • 1488 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Private Prisons Pros And Cons

    First, we have the safety concern that critics bring up when the topic of private prisons is mentioned. Secondly, we have the dependency issue they bring up when talking about data relating to the industry’s growth in the last decade. Finally, we have the issue of keeping inmates locked up in order for the private prisons to make more money. Since private prisons are in the business of making money, they are always tempted to cut corners to turn a greater profit each quarter. They do this by hiring people who are not properly trained when compared to a staff member who is employed by a publicly prison ran by the state. In fact “private prison employees receive 58 hours less training than their publicly employed counterparts” (Mason). A nationwide study found that “assaults on guards by inmates were 49 percent more frequent in private prisons” (Smith). The study also saw that inmate-on-inmate assaults were “65 percent more frequent in private prison” (Smith). Given these statistics, those who are critics of private prisons have a valid reason for concern. These statistics allow for critics to show that there is a strong possibility that the lack of training given by private prisons. Leads to a higher risk of violence within the prison walls. Since their staff members are not adequately trained to handle the duties they are required to perform on a day to day basis. Furthermore, dependency is an issue…

    • 1488 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Summary: The United States Prison System
    • 611 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Summary: The United States Prison System

    This memorandum serves as a proposal and examination about a significant issue; that has influenced the United States prison system. Because criminal activities are at an incomparable high, an expansion inside the prison population has incurred, resulting in a financial burden within the system. According to a review directed by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), they anticipated by 2018, overcrowding would move to over 45% over the BOP's maximum capacity. In addition, the prison cannot keep up such influx making a consequential problem for prison guards and inmates. As communicated by James, the quantity of the detainees housed in state and government correctional facilities climbed faster than facility capacity expanded. The…

    • 611 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Cja/234 Sentencing Paper
    • 1495 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Cja/234 Sentencing Paper

    In the United States the number of criminals incarcerated in state and federal correctional systems has grown massively over the past several years. The number of those incarcerated has the greatest effect on state and federal correction systems. From 1930 to 1975 the average incarceration rate was 106 inmates per 100,000 adults in the population (Mackenzie, 2001). These numbers remained relatively stable until after 1975 (Mackenzie, 2001). By 1985 the rates were 202 per 100,000. By 1995 it was 411 and by 1997 it was 652 including local jail populations (Mackenzie, 2001). At the end of 1998 more than 1.3 million prisoners were under Federal or State jurisdiction (Mackenzie,…

    • 1495 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Private Prison Research Paper
    • 581 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Private Prison Research Paper

    Private prisons scattered across the country house tens of thousands inmates. The companies behind some of the largest private prisons claim they are lifting the weight of taxpayer dollars funding federal prisons. In a billion dollar industry, many find it hard to believe that they’re not working for their own best interest. Humans rights organizations across the country have challenged the corporations behind the industry. These groups argue that this system doesn’t work to rehabilitate prisoners, but rather set their inmates up for failure; reaping in more profit for themselves.…

    • 581 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Corrections Timeline
    • 2546 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Corrections Timeline

    There is no doubt that America is one of the world’s most sophisticated and advanced countries. Therefore, the prison system must follow accordingly, abiding by the government regulated rules and regulations of equality and fairness that this country was founded upon. Unfortunately for some of the citizens of the United States, they do not always abide by these rules and regulations, which results in incarceration. The federal government, states, counties, and many individual cities have facilities to confine these people who become incarcerated.…

    • 2546 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Jails vs. Prisons
    • 1472 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Jails vs. Prisons

    People convicted for a short sentence or trials, detainees, suspicious people under trials are kept under jail. Jail has fewer amenities for its convicts as compared to a prison. It only provides the basic necessities of food, housing and safety to the prisoners. Jails operate camps, vocational trainings and other work release programs for the prisoners. Jails are within the country where the individual is arrested. Typically they are intended to hold persons for less than one year.…

    • 1472 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Should Prisons Be Allowed In America
    • 1962 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Should Prisons Be Allowed In America

    America’s prisons have a major importance in modern society. They are a huge contributing factor to the safety of our country and allow for proper and humane punishment for those who commit crimes. While America’s streets continue to be plagued by crime and dangerous people, prisons help significantly in decreasing the crime rate and removing those people from society in order to create a safer place for people to live. Although there are many pros that come with prisons, a handful of cons come with them as well, which allow for arguments to rise about whether prisons should be allowed in America or not. Prisons are a necessity in modern society that punishes and rehabilitates those who commit crimes with the purpose of protecting…

    • 1962 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Privatization Vs Incarceration
    • 1217 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Privatization Vs Incarceration

    “In particular, private prison companies have had either influence over or helped to draft model legislation such as, “three strikes’ and, truth-in-sentencing laws, both of which have driven up incarceration rates and ultimately created more opportunities for private prison companies to bid on contracts to increase revenue,” (Ashton and Petteruti 4). This disproportionately affects people who are non-white, poorly educated and of low socioeconomic status (Golembeski and Fullilove 1705). Greatly affected by the prison system are poor urban areas. There is an overrepresentation of the African-American population in our prison system. For example, 50 percent of the imprisoned population is African-American, however, African-Americans account for 12 percent of the U.S. population (Golembeski and Fullilove 1705). A significant part of our society is disenfranchised to live in a vicious cycle without proper support from our government and justice system (Victor Rios…

    • 1217 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Beyond the prison bubble
    • 259 Words
    • 1 Page

    Beyond the prison bubble

    In, “Beyond the Prison Bubble,” published in the Wilson Quarterly in the winter 2011, Joan Petersilia shows different choices about the imprisonment systems. The United States has the highest incarceration rate of any free nation (para.1). The crime rate over a thirty year span had grown by five times since 1960 to 1990. There are more people of color or Hispanics in federal and state institutions then there are of any other nationality. The prison system is growing more than ever; the growth in twenty years has been about 21 new prisons. Mass imprisonment has reduced crime but, has not helped the inmate to gradually return back to society with skills or education. But the offenders leaving prison now are more likely to have fairly long criminal records, lengthy histories of alcohol and drug abuse, significant periods of unemployment and homelessness, and physical or mental disability (par.12).…

    • 259 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Best Essays

    Lowering Incarceration
    • 2094 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Lowering Incarceration

    Over the past twenty to thirty years the United States incarceration rate has gradually been climbing to its present day rate of 738 incarcerated citizens per 100,000 in the population. That number is 153% higher than Russia who is 2nd in line with the most imprisoned citizens and a whopping 2000% higher than countries such as Nigeria and Nepal (Hartney 2). The problem with this nations incarceration rate is not due to the amount of crime that goes on, “For some crimes, the US has higher crime rates than other countries, but not at levels that explain the high rates—and costs—of its current use of incarceration” (Hartney 5). The United States is also at fault for having the highest minority incarceration rates having three times as many women imprisoned than any other nation. The minority problem doesn’t stop at the women but Latinos composed 19% of Americas prison population while African Americans make up 41% (“More”). The other potent issue with this problem is that it is not being considered as one and the rates are continuously growing. Jails…

    • 2094 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Best Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Essay On Incarceration
    • 463 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Essay On Incarceration

    Within America’s prison system there lies many issues. Although we know prisons have become a permanent part of America’s justice system and are needed to maintain a healthy functioning society. The big picture is this incarceration,in the manner in which the American system is managing it may be causing more harm than rehabilitation. As of today the incarcerated population is at least four and a half times larger than back in 1980. At a population of approximately 2.2 million people in the United States behind bars the need for change becomes apparent due to the high costs of keeping all of these individuals in prison and also having an incarceration rate higher than any other country in the world.…

    • 463 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Incarceration In Prisons
    • 1000 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Incarceration In Prisons

    Incarceration rates have dramatically increased in the United States than in anywhere else in the world. In fact, according to “Incarceration nation,” America has about 707,000 incarcerated people compared to Russia, who has about 474,000 people. Not only has this caused a problem inside the prison walls, it has also increased economic situations for stakeholders.The recent increase in incarceration rates has had negative effects on the United States economy by causing an increase in expenditure on prisons that could be better used for education. This increase in incarceration rates has also led to overcrowding in prisons, leading to unsuitable conditions for prisoners and prison workers.…

    • 1000 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Overcrowded Prisons
    • 1091 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Overcrowded Prisons

    Drug offenders have represented the most substantial source of growth in recent decades, starting with forty thousand inmates in 1980 to four hundred and fifty thousand inmates today. Despite the fact that the number of persons in prison today for drug offenses is more than ten times the number in 1980, drug use rates remain substantial, with data indicating a general increase over the past few years. During a period, when the number of persons in prison for drug law violations was growing at a rate faster than other offense types, the underlying behavior appears to have experienced little impact. Due to todays new consciousness about the unfairness and effectiveness of harsh crack cocaine mandatory sentences has emerged among policy makers and the United States Sentencing Commission. These unfair sentencing laws, have a dramatic effect on the cause of overcrowding in prisons for decades.…

    • 1091 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Private Prisons
    • 1478 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Private Prisons

    The major selling point for the privatization of prisons is cost reduction for states. It’s argued that private prisons can reduce costs by millions because the upfront high costs to build new prisons do not have to be spent by the states; it is the private prison owner’s responsibility (Fagin 239). Another selling point is that with temporary increases in the prison population within states, they will not have to commit to permanent personnel and facility upgrade costs (Fagin 240). Private prisons also market themselves to states by promising to provide jobs in low-income communities and providing inmate labor for community projects (Fagin 241).…

    • 1478 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Prison and the War on Drugs
    • 1010 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Prison and the War on Drugs

    References: JRank.org, Prisons: Problems and Prospects - Prisons And The War On Drugs., (2011). Retrieved from:…

    • 1010 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More

Related Topics