CJ 210 Module Five Assignment

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Southern New Hampshire University *

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210

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Apr 3, 2024

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CJ 210 Module Five Assignment Template Systemic Issues in Prisons Complete this template by replacing the bracketed text with the relevant information. Be sure to cite all references in APA style.  Prison Chosen: Rikers Island Systemic Issues

Systemic Issue How are these systemic issues handled in the prison you have chosen? (75–100 words each) What changes could be made to lessen the effects of these issues? (100–150 words) Physical and Mental Health Neglect (Medical Neglect) Medical neglect is a perpetual issue in the prison systems, and as a result, it is commonplace for inmates lacking medical treatment to die behind bars. “City records show that, during the month of April 2022, people detained on Rikers Island missed nearly 12,000 medical appointments” (Hamblett, 2022, para. 1). There are many contributing factors to this ongoing issue, yet despite both low level and judiciary attempts to decrease the regularity of the neglect, not much has seemed to change. The denial of physical and mental health care has gotten so severe that a state judge has ordered New York City’s Department of Corrections to pay restitution to inmates denied medical care (Offenhartz, 2022). Several changes could be made to lessen the effects of medical neglect in Rikers Island. Providing access to external healthcare for inmates with lower classifications or medical issues that cannot be treated within the prison would ensure that more inmates get the treatment they need. Improved staffing and training could also help lessen the effects of medical neglect. By providing medical staff in Rikers with adequate training and increasing the overall number of healthcare providers on the premises, the facility will be better equipped to handle a wide range of health problems and a greater number of inmates in need of treatment. Finally, working towards solving the overcrowding problem will lessen the effects of medical neglect. If fewer inmates are in Rikers, the likelihood of the inmate-to-medical staff ratios being balanced appropriately is greater. Racial Disparities Like many other U.S. prisons, Rikers Island faces significant racial disparities issues. “Although New York has a low jail incarceration rate, we find that 26.8% of Black men and 16.2% of Latino men, in contrast to only 3% of White men, in New York have been jailed by age 38” (Western et al., 2021, abstract). Racial disparities begin far before inmates step foot in the prison they are assigned to, however these disparities are only perpetuated once on the inside. Inmates of color are more likely to experience violence, sexual assault, and unconstitutional treatment of their cases. Discretionary decision-making is one way that criminal justice professionals claim to be addressing the perpetual issue of race in the system, however there is still a long way to go if Addressing racial disparities in Rikers is a complex challenge requiring broad systemic changes, not just within the prison system but also in policing, the courts, and society. Bail reform is one change that could be made to lessen the effects of this issue. Since people of color are disproportionally likely to be in poverty, bail reform could help reduce racial disparities in the jail population. Diversity and implicit bias training for judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and law/ corrections officers can help address any implicit biases contributing to racial disparities at various stages of the criminal justice and sentencing processes. Public defense reform could also prove to be a solution to this issue. Many people of color rely

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