Ways to Improve Overcrowding in Prisons
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Ways to improve overcrowding in prisons
Introduction
The state of our prisons is critical. The situation is nothing but severe. Overcrowding in our prisons beg the question whether prisons are really serving the transformation role they were established to achieve. This situation should be looked at with an objective mind for a solution to be found to remedy this state finally. This means that something needs to be done to improve the state of our correctional facilities so that they can effectively perform the role they were initially established. In this paper, I am going to identify ways of improving the state of correctional facilities in our country. Overcrowding in these facilities has to be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
Remedy for overcrowding in our prisons
The question in many minds when it comes to this issue is, do we construct more prisons, and if so, how many more need to be built before this problem is resolved?
Bova (2014) argues that overcrowding in prison system has been a severe problem since the 1970s. It then follows that if this trend continues, the problem will reach a critical stage that it may even threaten to get out of hand. The situation must therefore be addressed with utmost urgency. In looking at this situation, there is need to ask ourselves what the purpose of correctional facilities is. Prisons are established for various reasons. These include punishment, deterrence, rehabilitation and incapacitation (Bova, 2014).
Another question that we still need to answer is whether the original purpose of establishing these facilities remains the same or has changed over time. Several ways can be suggested as a means of improving the deteriorating conditions of our prisons. In addressing this issue, however, great caution needs to be taken so that we do not create another problem while trying to solve another. Constructing more facilities can be seen as the best means of resolving overcrowding in our prisons. It would mean that more space would be created. However, will this be a lasting solution to the problem that we are currently facing? If this strategy is adopted, how many facilities that are more correctional do we need to put up?
Another related solution is expanding currently existing facilities. This also implies that more space will be created within the prison walls. However, as in above, will it really be a permanent solution to the problem of overcrowding? The US department of justice report of 2000 poses a pertinent question. In the report, in the years preceding 1999, there was a boom in the construction of correctional facilities in many parts of the country and a decline in crime throughout the entire United States (Reana et al, 2000). This measure surprisingly did not improve the overcrowding in our prisons.
The report indicates that the problem of overcrowding in jails has not abated since 1985. This implies that even if more prisons are constructed and existing ones expanded, they will still have not provided a solution to the problem we are facing. The implication is that there are more underlying factors to this problem of overcrowding in our jails than we may be willing to address. For this reason, there is need to look for better ways of improving conditions of our jails. These solutions must be long lasting.
Other suggestions that are put across can be probably the miracle we have been looking for. These solutions could range from reviewing offences that would qualify criminals for a jail term to the justice system being overhauled to address issues in a different way. Bova (2014) suggest implementation of new programs and processes. He postulates that establishing programs aimed at addressing specific problems could be a solution to the overcrowding in our prison system. For instance, those who are drug addicts could be put in rehabilitation centers instead of sending them to prison. This could also be applied to alcoholics and those found to have mental problems.
Most prisoners often find themselves going back to prison almost immediately they are released. This in turn aggravates the problem of overcrowding in our correctional facilities. This is because new prisoners are joining these facilities almost every day. If there is no way of reducing those who are already in, then the problem will persist. A way should therefore be found for prisoners to improve themselves while serving their jail terms. These prisoners can be taken through vocational training programs or even be allowed to complete their academic programs that they might have probably dropped before they were sent to jail. These prisoners can acquire certificates that they will use to secure jobs when they get out of prison or even get into self-employment. If this is done, it will mean that prisoners who have left the correctional facilities will have something to do while out of prison. They will therefore not go back to jail for committing other crimes after their parole.
An assessment of the correctional program’s strengths and weaknesses needs to be put into consideration (McCain, 1980). If the system is not achieving its purpose, then there is need to be more vigilant and look for better ways of improving the lives of these citizens who reside in our jails. The justice system in this case needs to be reviewed in order to ascertain its efficiency in dispensing justice (McCain, 1980). The reason for this argument is that there are several instances where many people are sent to jails for crimes they did not commit. In addition, some crimes may not warrant a jail term (Reid, 2011). There is therefore a need o review the justice system so that it can be used as a means of solving this persistent problem.
Another solution that can work is sending repatriation of foreign inmates to their countries (Reana et al, 2000). It is to be found that most of the inmates in our prison system are illegal immigrants or citizens legally in our country. If these were taken back to their own countries, then quite some space would be created in our correctional facilities. There a number of illegal immigrants who come into our country in pursuit of the American dream. These end up in our prison facilities worsening an already critical situation of overcrowding.
The strategies in the existing systems need to be improved. In this case, the suggestion is the inmates being sent to facilities in terms of their availability rather than the facilities being overstretched because of an influx in the number of inmates (Reanna et al, 2000). This implies that if the existing facilities cannot hold the criminals being sent there every day, then another solution should be found to address the additional prisoners.
Staff training and development should also be improved in order for the facilities to achieve the correctional role they were set up to achieve (McCain, 1980). When the staffs are trained on how to handle criminals and guide them towards self-improvement, then more of the inmates will be good to be released to be meaningful to the society. This will also mean that those who get out of the correctional facilities do not go back to crime that will lead them back to prison. Prisons should not be places of hardening the criminals but making them better people who can exist peacefully with the other members of the society.
An upgrade of the operations and security systems will also go a long way in improving this situation. With proper surveillance, few illegal immigrants will enter the borders of our country and thus the problem of these immigrants occupying our jails will be dealt with (McCain, 1980). Those who come into our country with the intent to commit crime will also be properly screened before they land in our country. This will imply that our justice system will not have to send more criminals into our prison system and thus the problem of overcrowding will somehow be resolved.
Inmates should also be properly classified. Some of the petty criminals can pay their penance outside prison walls (Reid, 2011). Most of the inmates in our prisons are petty criminals. The justice system handles some of these jail terms that lead to overcrowding in our prison system. Some of these offenders could be dealt with without necessarily having to send them to prison. They can for instance be involved in community work to make them pay for their crimes. Other correctional activities that do not necessarily have to be observed in prisons can also be adopted. With proper classification of inmates, it will be possible to categorize those that really need to be in jail and those that need to serve their sentences outside the prison walls. This I believe will go a long way in reducing the number of people in our correctional facilities.
In dealing with classification, changes in the type of inmates being housed need to be reviewed. Reanna (2000) for instance say that mandatory arrest policies for domestic violence offenses and drunk driving have become institutionalized. They argue deinstitutionalizing some of these offences could probably serve as a remedy to the overcrowding problem. The length of confinement for some of these offenses needs to be reviewed so that these inmates spend much of their sentences outside prison walls rather than inside.
Conclusion
After saying all these, all of us have to agree there is a pertinent problem to be addressed as far as our correctional facilities are concerned. There is need to have a more pragmatic approach to this condition in order for us to have system that properly addresses justice in our land. Some citizens should not be subjected to inhumane conditions just because they have been labeled criminals and therefore have their rights infringed on. A proper system of reforming these inmates have to be found so that they become profitable members of the society rather than being crowded in decreasing space of our prisons.
References
Bova, D. (2014) Corrections, probation and parole
http://www.ncjrs.gov/overcrowdinginourprisons/
McCain, G. Cox, V. and Paulus, P. (1980). The effect of prison overcrowding on inmate behavior. Washington: Department of Justice
Pfaff, J.F. (2008). The empirics of prison growth: a critical review and path forward. Journal of criminal law and criminology.
Reanna et al (2000) A second look at alleviating jail crowding. Bureau of justice Assistance
Reid, S. (2011) Criminal Justice essentials. 9ed. Wiley Blackwell