Prison Reform During The United States

1456 Words6 Pages
Ashlyn Frazier
Taylor
English IV
October 20, 2015
Prison Reform in America
For many years now, the criminal justice system has become stricter, causing more and more people to be arrested and sentenced to prison. As prisons become more occupied, the living conditions, health, and treatment of prisoners starts to deteriorate, which has become a trend over the last few decades. However, President Obama has noticed this prison environment and has taken a stand in saying that something needs to be done about it. Though many people would argue that prison reform is unnecessary because prisoners deserve to be treated poorly, there is sufficient evidence that shows that the current conditions end up doing more harm mentally and physically to the…show more content…
It is unnecessary for many of these criminals to be held in prison since there isn’t any room for them in the first place. One way that the federal prison system can ease the overcrowding problem would be to simply release the non-violent criminals back into society with a fine or on probation. The overcrowding that is contained within many prisons causes the facilities to become more and more inhumane with the number of prisoners added each year. Many prisons suffer from lack of resources for their inmates such as proper medical facilities, extra prison cells, and resources to reduce idleness, which causes the conditions of the prisons and the treatment of the prisoners to worsen. With overcrowding, prisoners become victims of unconstitutional treatment, and many will suffer and die if this chronic overcrowding continues (Mayeux 9). Though many people would argue that prisoners deserve the harsh conditions that come with overcrowded prisons, they need to remember that prisoners are people too and are subject to the same natural rights as every American citizen, including the eighth amendment which declares “no cruel or unusual punishment”(Brown v. Plata 1). The supreme court case Brown v. Plata actually states that the overcrowded population of prisons is a violation of one’s constitutional rights (Brown v. Plata 1). But overcrowding doesn’t just effect prisoners, it also
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