Incarceration Of The United States

In “Let Prisoner’s Take College Courses”, John Lennon argues the concept of online educational programs for inmates. In this article, Lennon explains how workers in prisons support and allow the use of TVs in cells because TVs reduce the amount of time to create violence. Though, the televisions could have a much better use, such as free, pre-recorded university lectures to help the prisoners learn. Years ago, educational programs for inmates were a key component, but legislation squashed out the ability for prisoners to learn. Currently, very few prisoners are able to participate in these classes, though, the prisoners rarely are reincarcerated because of taking these courses. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo attempted to create more educational programs

Once upon a time, Americans could proudly say that America was the land of freedom and opportunity. As the Pledge of Allegiance states, “One nation under God, Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” However, under the current criminal justice system, more and more people lose their liberties because of the crimes they have committed. According to Roy Walmsley, a consultant of the United Nations and Associate of the International Center for prison studies, “In October 2013, the incarceration rate of the United States of America was the highest in the world, at 716 per 100,000 of the national population. While the United States represent about 4.4 percent of the world 's population, it houses

In the life of previously incarcerated African Americans includes the involvement with old forms of discrimination such as: “employment discrimination, housing discrimination, denial of the right to vote, denial of educational opportunity, denial of food stamps, and other public benefits, and exclusion from jury service---suddenly are legal” (Alexander, 24). It is obvious that race plays a pivotal role in mass incarceration. African American ex-prisoners have a lower chance or not even a chance at all to obtain a job in comparison of a citizen who has proper education and experience. The opportunity of equal education as a prisoner compared to someone outside of prison, is nearly impossible. Due to the lack of education fundings in the prison system, prisoners can not receive the proper knowledge needed when released. Thus, leading to problems obtaining a job. Along with the refusal from landlords to accept or rather consider the chance of renting out housing to those previously incarcerated. Within public benefits, those who are incarcerated can no longer receive most public benefits which included but not limited to: social security, federal financial aid, food stamps, and healthcare. “As a ‘criminal’ you have scarcely more rights, and arguably less respect, than a black man living in Alabama at the height of Jim Crow” (Alexander, 24). Meaning a black man living in

in recent decades, violent crimes in the United States of America have been on a steady decline, however, the number of people in the United States under some form of correctional control is reaching towering heights and reaching record proportions. In the last thirty years, the incarceration rates in the United States has skyrocketed; the numbers roughly quadrupled from around five hundred thousand to more than 2 million people. (NAACP)In a speech on criminal justice at Columbia University, Hillary Clinton notes that, “It’s a stark fact that the United States has less than five percent of the world’s population, yet we have almost 25 percent of the world’s total prison population. The numbers today are much higher than they were 30, 40 years ago, despite the fact that crime is at historic lows.” (washington post) How could this be? Are Americans more prone to criminal activity than the rest of the world? How could they be more prone to criminal activity if crime rates have been dropping? Numbers like that should be cause for concern, because if crime rates are dropping then it is only logical for one to expect the number of incarceration to go down as well; unfortunately, the opposite is true. Shockingly, there seem to be a few people who actually profits from keeping people in jails. The practice of mass incarceration who most see as a major problem in the United States of America is actually beneficial to some. The prison system in the United States who was create to

The United States of America has more people incarcerated than any other country on earth, a whopping 2,220,300 adults are currently locked behind bars. We have 500,000 more citizens locked up than China, a country 5 times our population run by an authoritarian government. From 1990 - 2000 the prison population increased by 1,000,000. The main reason for incarceration as a punishment in this country is rehabilitation, or so we have been told. In recent years an industry has developed that revolves around high incarceration rates and lengthy sentences, needless to say business is booming. The for-profit prison industry now makes millions off the backs of American inmates their families and every American taxpayer. The two largest

In 1954, at the time of the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, African Americans constituted about 30% of persons admitted to state and federal prisons. That figure should have been disturbing since it was substantially higher than the black share of the national population. But that proportion has now increased; still more dramatically, to the point where blacks represent half of all prison admissions. This development would seem to be rather odd considering the changes that have taken place in American society over the past half-century. (Mauer & Huling, 1995)

Although lawful imprisonment deprives prisoners of many rights, certain Constitutional rights are retained. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution shields some of the most ordinary rights that you can hold as Americans. As a student of Texas State University I do not “shed my constitutional rights once I Step foot on campus. Do prison walls form a barrier separating prison inmates from the protections of the Constitution? Granted, a characteristic of lawful imprisonment includes temporary separation of certain rights; however, regulations on the rights of inmates must be overseen rationally. Especially, when the essential rights provided by the First

Equalizing the constitutional rights of prisoners and the functions of the jail or prison can create great strain on not only the correctional facilities’ staff but on the inmates as well. The treatment of prisoners is typically left completely to the prudence of prison administrators and other correctional officials. With that being said, this paper will discuss the differences between harmonizing those constitutional rights of prisoners and the functions of the facility. It will also explain the rights that prisoners are required to have, and how these rights are balanced within other aspects of the correctional institution.

Many taxpayers feel it is an inefficient method, that just drains tax dollars. While many people can point out flaws in the system, few can offer a usable solution. The fix to America’s prison system is to shift the focus from punishment to education. To fully understand the prison system, we must look into the past and the circumstances it came from. Francis T. Murphy explains, “Prior to the 1800s, the prison was unknown.

Whether guilty of crimes or innocent, our incarceration system is an issue that many activists rally around in terms of its success and promise in correcting and rehabilitating criminal behavior. So, to read letters and hear the voices of those who are living on the marginalized edges of our society, but who rarely have a voice in the issue that’s being nationally rallied around, is an uncommon circumstance that should be noted and have more attention and action drawn to. Their desire to educate themselves within the confines of a prison wall is real and heard by those of us who take time to spend their weekday evenings in the bottom of a church basement, sorting through donated books, and reading literary wish-lists of those who are incarcerated.

Although inmates may not have full Constitutional rights while incarcerated, they are entitled to basic human rights, freedom and dignity. U.S. penal systems have been reformed at the beginning of the 1960’s. The reason for this reformation is to prevent inhumane treatment, provide inmates with religious freedom, and due process (Smith, 2010). The U.S. Supreme Court

To most Americans, the word “college” brings up thoughts of lifelong loan debt, furthering education, and eventual career opportunities. To inmates in prison, the word “college” encourages thoughts of hope, improved lives, and education that some inmates may never have had. John J. Lennon explains the impact that funding college courses in prisons could have in his op-ed piece, “Let Prisoners Take College Courses”. In this article, Lennon brings up copious reasons as to why incorporating college education in prisons would impact inmates in a positive way, and shares stories of his personal life struggles and the struggles of his roommate, Roberto Rivera as proof of how education can have an impact on individuals. Lennon also brings up some of the recent political issues that are surrounding this controversial topic, including a plan that was

As the number of convicted felons in prisons increase daily, the government is constantly looking for methods to prevent released prisoners from going back to prison. A controversial plan that has taken the country by storm is a plan wanting to give the prisoners the opportunity to receive a college education while in jail. In “College for Criminals,” Bill Keller takes great advantage of statistics and comes off to the reader as knowledgeable and well-informed. The other article, “Let Prisoners Take College Courses,” by John J. Lennon, does a magnificent job of introducing the author to the reader as an honest and compassionate man. Among the two Op-Eds, the author John Lennon does a more effective job in convincing the reader to trust him

In what scenario should the cost of harboring a convict surpass that of the education of a youth? According to a 2013 study by the Vera Institute of Justice, each of the fifty states in the US believe as such. The amount the government spent on housing a felon in Maryland alone averaged more than $35,000, about $25,000 more than the funds given for the education of a student. Why does the government set a value on the lives of those who contaminate society higher than those who want to advance and maintain it? Rather than paying more for this increasing demographic — who has filled the prison walls nearly eight times more in the last fifty years, there are different steps that the government, psychologists, and the education system can take to mend this growing predicament.

Historically the rights, privileges, and restrictions that embody prisoners have been a controversial topic amongst society. It is questionable amongst the general population as to whether or not prisoners are entitled to the same conveniences as the outside world. There have been cases documenting inmate’s perusing financial compensation from the state for unconstitutional treatment during incarceration. Multiple states and countries have incorporated practices to make their penal institutions safer and a healthier place for inmates however; there is disagreement with this methodology. It has been commonly accepted that prisoners be treated poorly as possible. The discussion as to whether or not prisoners deserve certain amenities and