Annotated Bibliography on American Prisons
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Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition (SHARC) (nd) Overcrowding. Retrieved April 14th, 2016, from what causes overcrowding in prisons: from http://www.stopchicopeejail.com
Richardson reported that in 2004 the United States surpassed Russia in incarceration rates to become the world leader. There are 2.2 million people in prisons and above 7 million are either on parole, probation or awaiting trial. He goes further to state that one in every thirty-three people in the United States is now under state control, and the number is increasing. He further argues that if incarceration worked, the numbers would go down.
SHaRC identifies several reasons for the increasing numbers in prisons. They claim that profit motive which affects the whole society has also been seen as a factor in the rising numbers in prisons. They argue that corporations are up to please shareholders and have used state for medical services, provision of meals, clothing, canteen and other items. The argument is that “empty prisons do not generate profits”. The issue of illegal immigrants has also contributed to the state of prisons in the United States. There are also many offenders going back to prison after failing successfully to serve their community supervision. That and putting in people for every offense contribute to overcrowding in prisons.
Mangino, M. (2012) Viewpoint. Retrieved April 14th, 2016, from The Crime Report: http://www.thecrimereport.org/viewpoints/2012-11-its-time-to-address-federal-prison-overcrowding
He reports that more than 6.6 million people are in prisons or under community supervision. He says that incarceration costs taxpayers 65 billion dollars every year. According to him, legislators have been forced to think critically about crime.
Bova, D. (2014) Corrections, probation, and parole
Bova argues that overcrowding in the prison system has been a severe problem since the 1970s. He argues if this trend continues, the problem will reach a critical stage that it may even threaten to get out of hand. He suggests that this situation should be addressed with utmost urgency. That calls for an investigation of the purpose of correctional facilities. This purpose according to Bova includes punishment, deterrence, rehabilitation and incapacitation. There is also need to establish whether the original reason for creating correctional facilities has remained the same or has changed with time.
To address the problem of overcrowding, Bova suggests the implementation of new programs and processes. He suggests that establishing programs designed to meet specific problems could be a solution to the overcrowding in our prison system.
Reanna et al. (2000) A second look at alleviating jail crowding. Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Reanna et al. present a 2000 report from the United States Department of Justice, which states that in the years preceding 1999, there was a boom in the construction of correctional facilities in many parts of the United States and a decline in crime throughout the country. The report, however, argues that this did not improve overcrowding in prisons. Therefore, the question that needs to be asked is whether constructing more facilities will enhance problem of overcrowding in prisons. From this report, there is a clear indication that there are more underlying factors to the problem of overcrowding in jails than the authorities are willing to address. In this regard, there is need to search for better ways of improving conditions in our prisons. These problems must be sustainable.
McCain, Cox, G. and Paulus, P. (1980). The effect of prison overcrowding on inmate behavior. Washington: Department of Justice
They suggest that the justice system needs to be reviewed to ascertain its efficiency in dispensing justice. That is given whether or not the system is achieving its purpose. The system, in this case, should work to improve the lives of those who are in jails. The argument is that many have been sent to jail for crimes they have not committed. McCain et al. also argue that staff training and development should be improved to achieve the correctional roles they were set to perform. Staff training on how to handle criminals and guide them towards self-improvement will lead to a situation where more inmates are safe to be released to be meaningful to the society. That will also mean that those who get out of the correctional facilities do not go back to a crime that will lead them back to prison. McCain et al. also suggest that proper surveillance will ensure that few illegal immigrants will occupy the jails. Even those who come into the country with the intent to commit a crime will be properly screened before they land in the country.
Reid, S. (2011) Criminal Justice essentials. 9th ed. Wiley-Blackwell
Reid argues that some crimes do not warrant a jail term. In this regard, the justice system should be reviewed so that it can be used as a means of solving a persistent problem. Reid suggests proper classification of inmates. In this regard, some petty criminals can pay for their penance outside prison. Petty offenders being sent to jails lead to overcrowding in prisons while they could be dealt with without necessarily having to send them to prison. He suggests involvement in community work to make these petty offenders pay for their crimes. Proper categorization of inmates will make it possible to identify those who need to be in jail and those that need to serve their terms outside the walls of a prison.
Albright, S. and Denq F. (1996). Employer attitude toward hiring ex-offenders. The Prison Journal, 76 (2), 118-137
A survey administered to eighty-three Houston and Dallas companies to ascertain their attitude towards hiring ex-offenders cited that the level of education, government incentives and the relationship of crime to the job determine the willingness of employers to hire ex-offenders. The hiring of ex-offenders could mitigate the problem of them going back to prison for similar crimes or even different ones. That is because it would help them get integrated back to the society.
Bass, J. (1997). The new face of PHILACOR. American Jails
Bass looks at the achievements made by the Philadelphia Correctional Industries. The correctional industries emphasize on the pride of the inmates as an essential element of their success. They have put in place a management team and staff with expansion in sales and marketing to revamp the product line for job development and increase production. Involving Prisoners in these industries could play a pivotal role in ensuring that jails serve the correctional purpose for which they were created.
Hoffman, J (2000). Building trade. Corrections Technology and Management
In this work, Hoffman looks at correctional facility industry program in Springfield, South Dakota prison that allows inmates to build houses for the elderly. The program introduced by Governor Bill Janklow is described as a big success with 438 homes being produced and sold by the housing department. That ensures that inmates are involved in something that is beneficial to the society even as they learn new skills. That is essential in dealing with overcrowding in prisons since those who have learned the new skills could be useful outside.
Ingley, G. (1989). Working for a living. Police
In this job, Ingley is of the opinion that correction industries could be used to curb the cost of crime to the society while at the same time reduces idleness among inmates. It could also be a way of managing overcrowding in prisons. The argument here is that correctional industries will enable employment of prisoners hence giving them an opportunity to develop valuable skills, which will translate into experience upon their release.
Flanagan, T., and Macguire, K. (1993). A full employment policy for prisons in the United States: Some argument, estimates, and implications. Journal of Criminal Justice. 21 (2), 117-130
Flanagan and Macguire suggest that inmate employment programs can help to alleviate the financial problems of correctional facilities. It will also provide useful and productive activities for prisoners. This will in turn help with the problem of overcrowding in prisons. It should be noted that overcrowding in prisons has a cost implication to it. This issue can be dealt with through employment programs being initiated in prisons. Involving Prisoners will also help in categorizing those who have acquired useful skills that can allow their release.
Flanagan, T.(1989). Prison labor and industry. Plenum Press
Flanagan views that the public needs to be aware if the past mistakes, present limitations, and reasonable future expectations. In this regard, he suggests that deficiencies found in prison industries must be addressed through comprehensive, costly and nonprofit-making programs of academic and vocational education. The purpose is that the correctional facilities prepare the inmates for meaningful work when they leave the walls of prisons. That will make productive members of the society.
Grieser, R., Crawford, T. and Funke, G. (1985). The development of jail industries. US National Institute of Corrections
In a survey conducted over the phone from prison administrators, it was found that jail industries had the effect of reducing idleness among inmates. Those administrators who did not have industries expressed their willingness to bring industries to their jails. That suggests that prison industries could be used as a means to deal with the effects of overcrowding in prisons. Conflicts and crimes arising within prison walls could be avoided with jail industries by reducing idleness among prisoners.
Grieser, R. (1988) Model approaches: examining prison industry that works. Corrections Today.
According to this work, prison industries serve to achieve three purposes, which are, reducing idleness, reducing the cost of incarceration through self-sustaining operations and providing training that prepares inmates for jobs upon release. Four organizational models for prison industries are explained, namely, state use model, partnership model, corporate model, and private sector model. The role of prison industries can be very crucial in dealing with the problem caused by overcrowding. The models make it easy to make decisions that ensure that correctional facilities are utilized for a better purpose and are not creating hardened criminals who become prison mongers.
Rossman, S., Sridharan and Buck, J. (1996) The impact of opportunity to succeed program on employment success. The National Institute of Justice Journal
The authors argue that unstable employment presents the risk factors for engaging in criminal behaviors. In this regard, the opportunity to Succeed Program (OPTS) would promote an aftercare and include work as an integral part of the program. What this suggests is that an opportunity to have a full-time employment would reduce criminal tendencies among the population. That would be vital to deal with overcrowding in prisons in the America since many people would be rescued from situations that would lead them to crime hence jail terms. Prisoners would also be prepared for an eventuality where after jail they would be provided with work hence allowing them not to return to prison after their release.