Incarceration In Social Work

Although the United States composes a mere five percent of the world’s population, it holds twenty-five percent of the world’s prisoners (13th 0:01-0:05). In recent years, mass incarceration, or the practice of arresting vast amounts of people, has become a relevant issue within the United States. As rising amounts of individuals, primarily minorities, are arrested, for both serious and petty crimes, government spending on jails and inmates has undergone a drastic increase as well. The large sum of money that has been directed toward correctional facilities has initiated a great amount of controversy, as many believe that it should be used to cover the rising cost of education instead. Since the majority of inmates are currently minorities,

Part 1 of the book highlights chapter 1 and 2, which talks about politics and the consequences of incarceration while chapter 2 talks about the politics of being punished within the united states, some sub topics between chapter 1 and 2 include problem ownership, philosophies, historic changes with the corrections policy throughout time and the economic impact of being incarcerated. Chapter 2 talks about the process in which politics can affect the outcome on crime and punishment, throughout the 1960s the criminal justice system has changed a lot especially correctional professionals who have brought issues to crime and its political forefront.

Law enforcement officers are authorized by federal, state, and local lawmakers to arrest and confine persons suspected of crimes. The judicial system is authorized to confine persons convicted of crimes. This confinement, whether before or after a criminal conviction, is called incarceration.

Examination of the macro sociological perspective of incarceration and completed educational programs will confirm or oppose if rehabilitation on inmates can make a difference and create a safer environment for society. Inmate human development and socialization are critical and an affair of importance. Although, inmates are placed in unpleasant conditions the well being of the human mind must be taken into consideration to be mended and preserved. The prison system is known to be dangerous and a degrading environment leading prisoners to become resentful, hostile, and feeling hopelessness. Therefore, inmates could commit more crimes out of anger causing more danger to society.

Throughout the ages, the idea of involuntary hospitalization has always had its supporters and its detractors. Many people have long debated the ethics of forcing treatment on patients that cannot always make the best decisions for themselves. Involuntary commitment is now a very hot topic, especially in a state like Florida, where their Baker Act and Marchman Act laws are greatly debated on their usefulness versus their harmfulness. The Baker Act, enacted in 1971, is Florida’s main mental health law, which allows for the voluntary and involuntary commitment of mentally ill patients who are believed to be a threat to themselves or others. Many have highlighted key issues

Statistics have proven that incarceration alone is a monetary pitfall and does not deter the cluster of non-violent drug related crimes in this country. We need to create an alternative habilitation pattern for these offenders including an assessment of their mental health, specialized life skills training, and occupational employment assistance: in some cases, in lieu of incarceration and in others, in conjunction with incarceration. Ask yourself these questions: What affect would this type of intense program have on the recidivism rate? Would we be saving tax-payer dollars by producing graduates from drug rehabilitation programs instead of housing repeat criminals? To

Incarceration is the state in which a person is confined within a prison, this can be known as imprisonment. Imprisonment within the United States is mostly due to the illegal use of drugs. Drug Offenses are the most common cause of incarceration, an astounding forty-six percent, compared to the second most common causes. These causes include the illegal handling, and usage of weapons, explosives, and arson; these Offenses only hold a lightly rounded total of seventeen percent. The list of Offenses continuing from there decrease in percentage rates, the list contains the following in order from greatest to least amount of cases; Immigration, Sex Offenses, Extortion, Fraud, Bribery, Burglary, Larceny, Property Offenses, Robbery, Homicide, Aggravated Assault, and Kidnapping Offenses, Miscellaneous, Courts or Corrections, Banking and Insurance, Counterfeit, Embezzlement, Continuing Criminal Enterprise, then National Security Risks. Ages of those incarcerated have a range from the beginning of adolescence to the elderly. The security system of prisons is separated into five main categories; Minimum, Low, Medium, High, and Unclassified. Minimum and low-security levels are for common offenses such as theft. Medium and high classifications are for homicide and national security risks. Unclassified is for those who have not yet been assigned an area of security.

The main argument within this article was that America has a poor approach to incarceration and is ultimately an expensive failure. However, the article provided many points on how our justice system could be improved upon. For example, they could change the harsh sentencing rules, crimes that are currently felonies (drugs), and the rehabilitation programs. All of these things would help to lower the incarceration rate which would ultimately lower overcrowding within our jails and prisons. Though these tools may take time to be put in place they would have highly beneficial outcomes.

It is now a commonly acknowledged fact that the United States incarcerates too many of its citizens and locks them up for too long.

Incarceration should not be the only form of punishment in the United States just like it is not in most developed nations. I agree with Dr. Bryant’s week three statements about the word discretion being used as camouflage for discrimination. The stakeholders in the criminal justice system used huge amount of discretion when performing their duties. In this case, the law enforcement officers, prosecutors, defenders, judges etc. The police officer can decide when making an arrest to handcuff the accused, send the accused to the community based service program or gave the accused a ride to his or her parent and warn the accused not to do it again. It all depends on how the officer chooses to use the discretion at his disposal. Indiscriminate

I have reviewed your appeal dated September 1, 2015. In your complaint, you contend the percent required to serve should be 50% instead of 80% regarding St. Louis County Cause 11SL-CR08266 (Sequence 12) and St. Charles County Cause 1111-CR06523-01(Sequence 13). You contend the 2009 Long Term Treatment incarceration under Cycle 20071105 should not count as a commitment; however, because this is your second Long Term Treatment incarceration it does count as a prior commitment. You were received in the Missouri Department of Corrections on October 27, 1997, to serve your first Long Term Treatment commitment regarding St. Louis County Cause 97CR-000779A (Sequence 11) and 96CR-06039 (Sequence 12). Had you successfully completed the program and released

As seen throughout the history of the United States, there has always been a degree of exploitation by politicians in regards to crime that is meant to direct public attention and unease. Over the last four and a half decades the U.S. prison population has grown to more than six times it’s former size. Socially speaking, the impact on certain social groups within the U.S. population cannot be overstated (Gottschalk, 2009).

The dream of a life of freedom in a world that has endless possibilities begins in the United States. Sadly, this is not a privilege for everyone to experience. Although, when speaking of confining and isolating individuals, the realization of this luxury of freedom is not granted to everyone. These few words pierce into the heart of life as a inmate. Nevertheless, the suffering of one is felt by more and more individuals on a daily basis. Yet, those living free on the outside do not see a problem and many refuse to believe or even acknowledge that there is one. However, the United States has paved the way to create a cycle of endless incarceration for many people but especially for those of color. Such as the 1994 Violent Crime Control Act and the lack of substance abuse treatment in prisons. Overwhelmingly, mass incarceration has had a great impact on families, communities and society as a whole. As illuminated through the parable by inmate Joe Martinez, this continued cycling of inmates in and out of prison is devastating to the growth society.

While reading this chapter, I was quite surprised to see the high rates of incarceration in the United States when compared to other Western countries. By simply examining opinion polls of Americans, it would seem that the criminal justice system is too lenient, which results in the propagation of the leniency myth. These findings have important implications for public trust and confidence in the criminal justice system. Confidence arises out of positive attitudes; if people believe that sentences are overly lenient they will have little confidence in the courts, regardless of the reality of sentencing practice (NCSC, 2007). On the basis of these survey findings alone, politicians, policy-makers and the media have concluded that the public

In this paper, I will be discussing of an organization that caters social services and contributes to the social work field. In addition, I will go in details where the organization is financed from and what is the mission of the organization. Moreover, I will discuss of the structure that the organizations conduct to accomplished their missions and explain the organization 's different services provided under their organizations umbrella. Furthermore, I will discuss of the organization accountability to their services, overall impact, and the power in organization. Lastly, I will explanatory the workers role in the organizations and discuss of my overall experience referring to my future social work profession.