...Policy Development Paper Donnita Cleveland CJA 464- October 14, 2015 Harry Kirk Policy Development Paper Prison overcrowding has been a major problem in this country for the last 20 years. This problem stemmed from many different causes or reasons. The fundamental breakdown of the correctional system as a whole has contributed to this problem. This has caused havoc within our system in many different ways especially from a financial standpoint. It cost a tremendous amount of money to house prisoners, and death row inmate’s cost of incarceration is astronomically high. As this paper goes along we will look at some of the reasons as to why our prisons are overcrowded, and how we might be able to remedy the situation. Prison overcrowding has become an issue in just about every state in the country, and especially in California, New York, and Texas. In 1980 there were states that a tougher outlook on crime which in turn resulted in several new policies that were adopted. California adopted, and enforced the three-strike policy, and New York implemented the broken window policy. According to Jerome Mullins,” the three strike law has significantly increased the overcrowding of prisons” (Mullins, 2005). This policy increases the prison sentence for those already serving time although it also prevents a person previously convicted from receiving any punishment other prison time. California had major impacts due to this law from the onset, and in less than a year...
Words: 2415 - Pages: 10
...The Current Status of Prison Privatization Research on American Prisons Gerald G. Gaes. Ph. D. Florida State University August 2010 Introduction In many ways, any discussion of prison privatization strikes at the heart of the fundamental goals and purposes of prison and punishment. The discussion elevates such themes as the role of the private sector in administering punishment, the importance of metrics to evaluate and compare how well the privately and publicly operated prisons provide services, the structure and form of oversight and accountability to insure punishment is just and fair, and the measurement of cost and efficiency. To be sure, many of these issues are crucial even in the absence of a privatization debate. However, because there are impassioned proponents and opponents on both sides of the issue, the prison privatization literature has provoked both earnest debate and fractious polemic. One might expect that the importance of this topic would have elevated prison privatization research and encouraged the funding of large scale studies. In fact, there are very few studies comparing privately and publicly operated facilities. Segal and Moore (2002) identified about 23 U.S. cost comparison studies and fewer quality studies. Many of those studies were of questionable value. The most recent review, a meta-analysis by Lundahl et. al. (2009) only identified 12 studies of cost and quality meeting their criteria for sound methodology. Even with...
Words: 5026 - Pages: 21
...Policy Development CJA/464 Policy Development Prison overcrowding has been a major problem in this country for the last 20 years. This problem stemmed from many different causes or reasons. The fundamental breakdown of the correctional system as a whole has contributed to this problem. This has caused havoc within our system in many different ways especially from a financial standpoint. It cost a tremendous amount of money to house prisoners, and death row inmate’s cost of incarceration is astronomically high. As this paper goes along we will look at some of the reasons as to why our prisons are overcrowded, and how we might be able to remedy the situation. Prison overcrowding has become an issue in just about every state in the country, and especially in California, New York, and Texas. In 1980 there were states that a tougher outlook on crime which in turn resulted in several new policies that were adopted. California adopted, and enforced the three-strike policy, and New York implemented the broken window policy. According to Jerome Mullins,” the three strike law has significantly increased the overcrowding of prisons” (Mullins, 2005). This policy increases the prison sentence for those already serving time although it also prevents a person previously convicted from receiving any punishment other prison time. California had major impacts due to this law from the onset, and in less than a year major implications begin to surface. After a mere six months there were over...
Words: 2406 - Pages: 10
...to the private sector for correctional services? Because budget constraints and overcrowding have combined to create a problem, if not a crisis, in the nation’s prisons and jails. Governments are incarcerating more criminals, but they have recently become more uptight to the idea of spending sufficient tax dollars for new prisons to house the criminals. The prison system is turning into a living nightmare; overcrowding, lawsuits, and court orders are flooding in at unprecedented rates. With taxpayers demanding that criminals be put in prison and kept in longer, there seems to be no choice but to increase the capacity of the prison system. But with pressure to cut government...
Words: 1546 - Pages: 7
...what goes on behind that wired fence. We find that some people that are convicted of crimes that they did not commit. Some people would rather turn their heads to what actually happens in a prison institution, because they feel it is no concern of theirs. Innocent women and men face a disaster in life when they find their selves incarcerated in such facility as these. The treatment in prison facilities toward prisoners with health issues or those who develop health concerns that head officials should take control over. Prisoners receive neglect in many different ways that may end their lives. In my essay, I will share with you the life of a man in prison and the treatment that he received from correctional officers. Every prison environment makes it hard to assure minimal standards for ethical research and voluntary informed consent and privacy. Privacy for those who are in these facilities has many concerns to family members who are looking in from the outside. Health issues and concerns for inmates and neglect that occurs in correctional facilities have been concerns that continue to go unnoticed. The state seems to under staff in some areas of managing inmate’s health problems. There are many who may go unattended of their health issues causing drastic or even death in the process. A prison system update yearly would help to protect prisoners and their health issues. Denying them access to medical attention is also unethical as this can result in a death. This could have been...
Words: 1642 - Pages: 7
...amendment and fourteenth amendment. The first amendment brings a general protection for the free speech, establishing of religion and the free exercising of any religion, press, the right of the people peaceable to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievance. The first amendment provide equality freedom for all the citizens of the United States, but In the history of prisons of this nation the inmates claims an innumerate irruptions of the first amendment such as; the freedom of speech and expression like the visits of friends and loved ones, those visits are a form of expression. However, the prison visits are not a complete right because it has a lot of limitations. Other example of expression is correspondence but not all the mails are sending it to the inmates for different reasons. Is logical when the first amendment talk about free speech but the amendment does not protect the offensive and fitting worlds, at the same time the nude pictures to the inmates are not ban by prisons. The last source of right from the first amendment is the freedom of religion, in the prisons the rights of exercise a religion has a potentially function because there are...
Words: 855 - Pages: 4
...This paper describes the process, which lead to the school-to-prison pipeline concept. The changes that came about in the educational policies and disciplinary practices have enhanced the success of the school-to-prison pipeline concept in the Public Schools across the United States. During the 80’s, the war on drugs and cruel sentencing laws lead to an increase ratio of incarceration per capita in the United States. After the 80’s era, the 90’s brought about a zero-tolerance policy. Law enforcement was used as a solution versus the traditional measures to handle disciplinary problems by the school administration. As a result of this approach, many schools were treated as sheltered facilities which overtime lead to increased disciplinary conduct. The increase sentencing of minor offense by juveniles supported what is now referred to as the industrial prison of complex. Private prisons today, have become big business supported by the judiciary system in its sentencing and are evident by the increase sentencing of young offenders. This paper describes the connection between prison construction and the criminalization of students. In conclusion, this report will look at some policies and initiatives that have formed the school-to-prison pipeline initiative. In researching this topic, I will show the measure from the fact sheet of how North Carolina fair from School-to-Prison Pipeline. I totally find the school-to-prison pipeline to be an injustice to our youth and our society. ...
Words: 502 - Pages: 3
...History of the United States Prison Marshall Keese Introduction to Criminal Justice CRJ-100-201103 05/14/2011 Instructor: Andrew Blank History of the United States Prison Introduction This research paper is on the history of the prison in America. How it came to be in its present state? Things I will be writing about in this paper are the early history of the prison history in England. I will be talking about early American prisons, the goal of rehabilitation, prison labor, changes in the prison system, rehab programs, population, housing and prison organization we will hit briefly on all those aspects of the history of prisons. The reasoning behind this paper is because many people do not know why prison are the way they are now. In order to know why we have prisons the way we have them today you have to know where they came from. The main findings from my paper are from the internet. Articles that I read for this are Towards a Fair and Balanced Assessment of Supermax Prisons by Daniel P. Mears and Jamie Watson. The textbook Twelfth Edition Introduction to Criminal Justice Author Larry Siegel Chapter 16. Prison Reform in Pennsylvania by Norman Johnston P.H.D Board member Emeritus of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, Wikipedia. The short History of Prison by the Howard League for Penal Reform. These articles helped me to understand how we have the prison system today. I found that...
Words: 1951 - Pages: 8
...University | 11/6/2014 | This paper which is a letter to my fellow criminal justice students will inform potential criminal justice graduates of what type of employment opportunities that are available to them after graduation that will aide in the effort of preventing American citizens from being wrongfully convicted. | As your Criminal Justice Club Vice President, I have been informed that many of you who are studying criminal justice have been question what you can do after graduation with a degree in criminal justice. Many of you think that the only possible jobs available for you are as corrections officers or police officers. However that is not true, you can become a forensic science technician, a police officer, a private detective, and a crime scene investigator and even a paralegal. More importantly, due to the recent discoveries of many people having been falsely arrested and convicted reinforces my belief that these field or should I say career paths are very important one’s that need to be filled by my fellow graduates recent graduates who have I know have the drive and want to become successful individuals within the criminal justice field. Did you know that between 1972 and 2007 nearly one hundred and twenty inmates have been released from prison because it was found that they had been wrongfully convicted? According to the national registry of exonerations, 90 wrongfully convicted people were released from prison in 2013 and 31 have been released...
Words: 712 - Pages: 3
...Overcrowded prisons are a huge issue that have been plaguing the United States for quite a few years now. There is no certain cause for the overcrowding in our prisons, however there are many suspected reasons believed to be causing the overcrowding. In order to really begin fixing the problem, concern must be given to each and every one of these causes. Overcrowding in prisons is a serious issue because it affects millions of people in the U.S., not just prisoners, but taxpayers and prison staff as well. Illinois, in particular, is suffering from overcrowded prisons quite severely. Nearly every prison in the state is overcrowded. In order to solve this increasingly serious problem, many steps must be taken to begin prison reform and to begin living in a country in which the way we punish our criminals makes more sense and is more effective than how it is today. Everyone seems to know someone that is in prison these days, whether the person has committed a serious, violent crime, or just got caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time, they still end up in some sort of prison facility. In fact the U.S.’s rate of incarceration is 455 people per every 100,000 people (Smolowe, 1994). To put that in perspective, it is the highest rate of incarceration compared to any other country in the world. Even South Africa, our close second, only imprisons 311 people per ever 100,000 (Smolowe, 1994). Due to the harsh punishment of imprisonment for even the most minor...
Words: 4196 - Pages: 17
...Amenities to Blame for Repeat Offenders Michele Jimenez Wayland Baptist University October 29, 2011 Abstract Repeat offenders in the prison system are becoming a revolving door. This paper will examine and give your percentages and statistics of how many become repeat offenders due to the fact of the amenities inside most prisons. Gathering information from different prisons and their living conditions have brought a great deal of questions to why are they offered so many for free. Given information on resources shortages in different welfare-related areas, such as education, employment, housing, social relations and health, affect the risk for re offending. Data on their living conditions were collected by personal interviews, articles and statistics from Department of Criminal Justice. Although, the data was inconclusive in many of these areas, many implications for instruction are presented. Much of the data linked to their history of becoming repeat offenders. Findings of data that reflected their efforts to stay out of prison was affected by their of living conditions and some of the luxury amenities are primarily felt by those who at the time of interview had not previously served time in prison are making crime a career. Also, researching and comparing when jail standards were not as important as they are now. Reflecting that the conditions that have improved for them did quit enlighten the nation’s legal system. Proving that the overcrowding was due to repeat...
Words: 1953 - Pages: 8
...doctors who legally dealt in marijuana. (www.deathandtaxesmag.com). In the decades that followed, especially the 1960’s and 1970’s the people’s experimentation with marijuana has exponentially increased. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, “marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. In 2011, 18.1 million Americans aged 12 and older (7.0 percent) reported using the drug.” (Office of the National Drug Control Policy). Compare this statistic, “to the 10.4 million young people between the ages of 12 and 20 who drank more than just a few sips of alcohol.” (National Institute on Alochol Abuse and Alcohlism). While the question of this paper is not the underage usage of alcohol or marijuana, in all the research that topic keeps being brought up. This focus of this paper is on the adult use (over the age of consent) of marijuana used to treatment medical necessity, not recreational use. Marijuana is considered a Schedule I drug as defined by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). According to the DEA website; drugs, substances, and chemicals are classified into five categories, or schedules. A drug classified as a schedule I drug has no accepted medical use and has a high potential for abuse. (DEA/Drug Scheduling). Along with marijuana, heroin, LSD, ecstasy and peyote are also listed as schedule I drugs. It is also interesting to note, that Ritalin given to children under 18 to treat ADD, & ADHD is classified as a schedule II drug as is...
Words: 1352 - Pages: 6
...Case Study: Oops Is Not An Option Isaacnette Mathurin Devry University 12/03/2014 Introduction Patients private information and private hospital documents are often leaked by internal employees or vendors who work throughout the organization. Each hospital or organization has strict policies and guidelines for which each employee or vendor must abide. Often Times these policies and guidelines are breached due to employees misusing the information for their own personal gain. Not only is this a breach of hospital policy, it is also a violation of the Health Insurance Privacy and Portability Act (HIPPA). So when the HIPPA law is broken different protocols have to come in and the situation has to be dealt with so the hospital will not be reliable for that . Not only is the hospital liable for the patients information being released to a third party without the patients consent it is also a violation of the HIPPA Law. Employees must really have to follow the different policies and protocols that there hospital have. For instance, if you do not know the procedures they have a book that they give to their employees when you are hired on. The information on polices and procedures are included in the employee handbook. The handbook is usually located in Human Resource office ,if you lose the handbook that is given to you at the beginning of employment. However HIPPA policies and procedures are typically posted throughout...
Words: 1574 - Pages: 7
...punishment for breaking the law in the United States is incarceration. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reports that at the end of 2010, there were 2,266,800 adults incarcerated in the U.S. federal and state prisons, and county jails (Prisoner Statistics, 2012). When one adds the reported 493,100 corrections staff working inside the prison or jail, the total number of people interacting on a daily basis in this closed society creates conditions where corruption at some level is likely to occur (Bureau, 2012). Research suggests corruption of correction officers, also known as detention officers, or guards is a serious issue that should be continually addressed by facility management because it occurs for many reasons and takes on many forms that can pervert the justice system. This paper will explain some main forms of corruption, give outrageous examples of documented corruption, and spell out why, given the ethics expected of the profession, corruption must be continually addressed and prevented. The first step for criminals is finding the officer with a mindset that can be corrupted. Low to median pay scales for these officers and an increase in offenders affiliated with the gang element of society has increased the potential for corruption related manipulation of prison staff (Diaz, 2009). “Corrections and law enforcement work by its very nature involves the...potential for gradual deterioration of social-moral inhibitions and perceived sense of permissibility for deviant...
Words: 3342 - Pages: 14
...Community Corrections or Incarceration Are community corrections a better solution than incarceration? Michelle Brooks ITT Technical Institute Community Corrections or Incarceration Abstract In this research paper will read about different subjects and topics that pertain to incarceration and community corrections. The incarceration rate is going up in the United States while at the same time community corrections is slowly fading away because of limited support from the local communities and government officials within each state. In this research I hope to find out those community corrections has more to offer than incarceration. In conclusion incarceration is not the right way but community corrections will be. Community Corrections or Incarceration Table of Contents Abstract Introduction Background on Community Corrections Background on Incarceration Effectives of Community Corrections Effectives of Incarceration Programs dealing with Community Corrections Programs while Incarcerated Theory Interview with Mr. Sharron Wilson Result Reference Page Community Corrections or Incarceration Introduction Community Corrections is a better solution than incarceration because it offers many different alternative programs for several different types of offenders. Incarceration also offers similar programs...
Words: 6548 - Pages: 27
