The Punishment Of The Prison System

Ever since the first prison opened in the United States in 1790, incarceration has been the center of the nations criminal justice system. Over this 200 year period many creative alternatives to incarceration have been tried, and many at a much lower cost than imprisonment. It wasn’t until the late 1980’s when our criminal justice systems across the country began experiencing a problem with overcrowding of facilities. This problem forced lawmakers to develop new options for sentencing criminal offenders.

Traditionally, there have been four justifications for punishment: deterrence, confinement, rehabilitation and retribution. While these methods can be flawed at some point in history they served as primary reasons for the justification of punishment. Recently, there has been an epistemic shift in thinking about punishment where now it is focused on retribution and incarceration. The emphasis on this method has lead to an increase in incarceration and the rise of a prison system. While we acknowledge that there will always be a need for society to punish criminals in order to protect the rights of individuals, however a prison/prison system is not the correct way to handle such problems. Currently the prison system is being used an economic tool for private companies to exploit cheap labor from inmates. Known as the prison-industrial complex private enterprises are now able to build more prisons to “benefit” society and themselves as the prison population grows. Since the 1980’s the growth in prison

Every civilization in history has had rules, and citizens who break them. To this day governments struggle to figure out the best way to deal with their criminals in ways that help both society and those that commit the crimes. Imprisonment has historically been the popular solution. However, there are many instances in which people are sent to prison that would be better served for community service, rehab, or some other form of punishment. Prison affects more than just the prisoner; the families, friends, employers, and communities of the incarcerated also pay a price. Prison as a punishment has its pros and cons; although it may be necessary for some, it can be harmful for those who would be better suited for alternative means

Question: Discuss the history of the prison system in the United States. Be sure to identify the various stages that the American prison system has gone through. Also identify what problems were present with each stage as you see them.

The Department of Corrections has continuously changed their goals and objectives throughout the history of corrections. The continuous changes to policies have many contributing factors beginning with the Attorney General, Governors, and appointed directors of the incarceration establishments. With changing laws, new problems arising and changing political stand points based on campaign agendas prisons themselves have been forced to adapt. When asked what the objectives of punishment are here in the U.S., my first thought would be that the goal of punishment would be to enforce society’s laws and

How beneficial or detrimental is the effects of parenting from the penal system for the children and families involved? How much of an influence is the effects of parenting from the penal system is affecting the child’s developmental skills? Is parenting from the penal system, exposing the children to the risk factors that may increase the chances of them being incarcerated? These are the typical questions and concerns that are being questioned when researchers are gathering their conclusion.

Within this paper, you will find a comprehensive review of the United States prison system, and why it needs to analyzed to better support and reform the people of this country. I plan to persuade the other side (politicians and society) into seeing that the way the prison system is now, is not ethical nor economical and it must change. We have one of the world’s largest prison population, but also a very high rate of recidivism. Recidivism is when the prisoners continuously return to prison without being reformed. They return for the same things that they were doing before. So, this leads us to ask what exactly are we doing wrong? When this happens, we as a nation must continuously pay to house and feed these inmates. The purpose of a prison needs to be examined so we can decide if we really are reforming our inmates, or just continuing a vicious cycle. What is the true purpose of prison besides just holding them in a cell? There must be more we can do for these hopeless members of society.

Prisons and jails hold some similar characteristics but are completely different models in which they serve in the criminal justice system. Some of the types of crimes that America faces today are: violent crimes, property, white collar or organized crime, and public order crimes (Worrall, 2008). The criminal justice system sets the regulations and policies of how an offender will be held accountable for their inappropriate actions. The criminal justice system is a process that takes time and money from society. The following information will briefly discuss the main purposes for the jail and prison systems, which will focus on the length of sentencing, funding sources, and private sector ownership. Let’s begin by explaining the length of

Today punishment is the most dominant correctional goal of both the state and federal government in response to criminality. The purpose of punishment is to protect society, rehabilitate criminal offenders, and reduce recidivism. In both the state and federal correctional institutions, their objectives are to use punishment as form deterrence while

The unique opportunity to visit correctional facilities rarely presents itself to a standard member of our society. That being said, it was exhilarating to be given the chance to do so. The reason being is that the rehabilitative or retributive institutions that are utilized after sentencing hold a great deal of importance for stopping criminal behaviors. A facility focused too intently on punishing the offender has little to no chance of keeping said individual from behind bars. It’s similar to being too strict with children; they have the potential to become rebellious and attempt to lash out in a way that allows them to feel free. Punishment is a means to reinforce negative behaviors. The individual is labeled a criminal and as

The history of punishment in America has had multiple changes in order for the rules and regulations to adapt to societies changing ways. The most common punishment is jail time or imprisonment, however in this date and age time punishment is not the only option to punish a criminal of the society, probation, parole, house arrest and even being put in solitary confinement, or worse the death penalty are options. With this in mind we must as a society and criminal justice system be able to apply fair living standards and punishment by recognizing what punishment is best suited for an inmate and to also be able to come back into society fully understanding the moral codes and regulations placed to be a successful member of society.

Over the centuries one of the most common forms of punishment is imprisonment. As times past by the prison has taken on various shapes and forms. The quality and most conditions of prisons have changed in order to provide better living conditions for the inmates, but the main purpose of the prison has never changed, the online article Welcome to Stop the Crime states that “ a prison have four major purposes, these include retribution, incapacitation, deterrence and rehabilitation” (stoptheaca.org). This shows that the prison is there to ensure that criminals pay back society for the crimes they have committed; it also serves as an area to keep criminals from hurting innocent civilians and it is also there to transform prisoners to law

Today the prisons have four major purposes for imprisonment, separated into two types utilitarian and consequentialist approaches to justify punishments. The utilitarian is a category that doesn't contemplate the future in the decision process and only thinks about looking back on the past, which the retributivist falls under. Whilst the consequentialist, where incapacitation, deterrence, and rehabilitation are categorized, tend to justify punishment upon what it will attain in the future. All of these purposes for imprisonment aren’t and cannot be accomplished all at once. (Newburn, 2013)

Public policy is largely responsible for the steadily growing prison population, in fact, public policy and incarceration can be viewed as an arabesque design of the correctional system. The early philosophy behind imprisonment was rehabilitation, an alternative to corporal punishment as referred to by Schmalleger (2012). The rehabilitation goals of prison are two-fold: (1) deterrent, it is the belief that if the offender is incarcerated, he/she is unlikely to re-offend and (2) rehabilitation provides the prisoner(s) with the help they need so they can return to society. However, this concept is marginal at best; the U.S. continues to struggle with prison overcrowding and deplorable prison conditions. Moreover, irresponsible public policies limits resources to rehabilitation programs while providing incentives to correctional institutions for upholding minimum sentencing exacerbates the increasing incarceration rate. The “get tough on crime” policies have an overarching impact on crimes, punishments, and sentencing enhancements. The end result is that public policy contributes to the pervasive prison overcrowding through enacting new laws, requiring longer sentences, and limiting public (program) resources.

The type of punishment that deters crime most effectively is hard to determine. Each punishment is geared at preventing the offender from additional criminal activity, but is not necessarily effective in reducing the amount of crime in the United States. Most victims, and families of victims, are more concerned with seeking retribution. As with most issues of grave concern, the need to find a solution to the problem is a problem in itself. Prisons are violent places where criminals with a violent behavior or non-conforming attitude