ipl-logo

Recidivism In American Prisons

1086 Words5 Pages

Introduction Since the innovation of the prison system in the nineteenth century, crowding has consistently been a feature of American prisons (Mullen 31). In the past couple of decades, crowding has gone unnoticed and become more problematic in the United States. Prisons are essentially storage lockers for inmates to punish them and keep them from criminal activity, yet the more prisoners that are stored, the more conflict that arises. Joan Mullen, a former vice president and manager of the Law and Justice Area of Abt Associates, Inc., and sponsored by the National Institute of Justice, evaluates how prisons fail to meet standards of human decency when there is crowding (Mullen 33). A lack of privacy, harmful mental and physical conditions, …show more content…

According to the National Institute of Justice, “Recidivism refers to a person 's relapse into criminal behavior, often after the person receives sanctions or undergoes intervention for a previous crime,” (Recidivism). A study conducted in 2005 by the Bureau of Justice Statistics about recidivism revealed “about two-thirds (67.8%) of released prisoners were arrested for a new crime within 3 years” upon release (Cooper). These high rates are influenced by a number of factors both while in prison, and following release. For instance, drug offenders “underestimate their vulnerability post-incarceration,” especially because many often return to neighborhoods that are associated with pre-incarceration drug use. Not to mention, they need proper housing and employment to readjust into society, but they lack access because they are labeled in society (Chandler). Additionally, those who experience overcrowding and do not receive treatment are more likely to reoffend. Research has uncovered that carefully targeted programs significantly reduces recidivism …show more content…

Plata. 563 U.S. Supreme Court, 2011. pp. 1-91. United States Supreme Court. 23 May 2011. Print. Campers, Susan M. “A Failing Correctional System: State Prison Overcrowding in the United States .” Salve Regina University, 2012, digitalcommons.salve.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.bing.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1079&context=pell_theses. Chandler, Redonna K., et al. “Treating Drug Abuse and Addiction in the Criminal Justice System: Improving Public Health and Safety.” JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 14 Jan. 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2681083/. Chung, Susana Y. "Prison Overcrowding: Standards in Determining Eighth Amendment Violations." vol. 68, no. 6, 2000, pp. 2531-2400. Fordham Law Review. Web. (-- removed HTML --) . Cooper, Alexia D., et al. “Recidivism of Prisoners Released in 30 States in 2005: Patterns from 2005 to 2010.” Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), 22 Apr. 2014, www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=4986. Mullen, Joan. “Prison Crowding and the Evolution of Public Policy.” The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, vol. 478, 1985, pp. 31–46. JSTOR, JSTOR,

Show More
Related

Paternal Incarceration Summary

672 Words | 3 Pages

This high population rate is not good for anyone, in or outside the walls of these confinements. Overcrowded prisons undoubtedly create worse conditions for the prisoners. For the rest of us, as taxpayers it is very costly to fund all of these facilities. I suggest we rethink our current concept of prisons. As, I am interested disgusting racial discrimination, I will focus on the African American prisoners, but the benefits I will discuss are not secluded to one group.

Read More

Policy Analysis On A Contemporary Issue In Modern Penology-Overcrowding In Prisons

1567 Words | 7 Pages

PHILI PPINE COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY GRADUATE SCHOOL MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE MAJOR IN CRIMINOLOGY PREPARED BY : Franz Fernando A. Kalalo SUBJECT CODE : MSCJSC4 INSTRUCTOR : Shirlene S. Esplana, PhD TOPIC : Policy Analysis on a Contemporary Issue in Modern Penology - Overcrowding in Prisons Introduction One of the most imperative contemporary issues in modern penology is the problem of overcrowding in prisons. Overcrowding occurs when correctional facilities exceed their intended capacity, resulting in numerous challenges for both inmates and staff. This policy analysis will examine the causes and consequences of prison overcrowding, evaluate existing policies, and propose potential solutions to address this issue

Read More

The Pros And Cons Of Changing The Prison System

233 Words | 1 Pages

With the number of people sent to prisons increasing exponentially in the United States and the aggregate cost of the system being around $1 trillion per year, conversation has erupted about reform and abolishment. From adjusting the way in which prisons are run, who is sent to them, and how long people stay to outright demolishing them entirely, there are many perspectives regarding the topic, and there are also people who believe that the system should remain the same or even increase its reach in society. Changing the prison system has also become a question of politics and ethics, in addition to the basic question of whether or not they are effective, so these aspects have also shaped the current argument. Considering the negative impacts

Read More

Summary Of The Caging Of America By Adam Gopnik

884 Words | 4 Pages

-One of the most talked about subjects in America, is the subject of incarceration. The rates of incarceration are high, the length of time people are being sentenced for certain crimes seems sometimes disproportionate, and it is costing the US more than most like to think about in money, but other areas of life as well. The article “The Caging Of America,” written by Adam Gopnik, brings attention to some of these problems. The article begins by discussing how the time each prisoner spends in prison is a punishment in itself. It explains that having to watch the clock and do the same things most days, is a painful agony for most prisoners.

Read More

The Pros And Cons Of Prison Reintegration

1870 Words | 8 Pages

Prison Reintegration: Looking Ahead Introduction: The topic that I chose to research represents the state institution field. Prison reintegration stands as a statewide, social issue throughout our country. Prison reintegration can be defined as the permission and assistance from the state granted to offenders to be released from prison.

Read More

Pros And Cons Of Ex-Convicts Returning To Prison

525 Words | 3 Pages

Ex-convicts are more likely to recidivate due to a lack of recovery programs, limited job opportunities, and the shame associated with their criminal record, despite efforts to reduce recidivism rates. The community is about ex-convicts returning to prison. Ex-convicts face problems returning to prison after committing the same crime multiple times. They struggle with doing the same thing over again because that’s all they have ever known and it gives them a “safe place” and a home that they will always have even if having the prison as their home is not good. The challenges they face are difficult for many to understand.

Read More

Recidivism In Texas Prisons

1372 Words | 6 Pages

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice System (TDCJ) incarcerates 143,691 inmates housed in 124 units (Texas Tribune, 2016). Nearly 95% of prison inmates across the United States will be released from prison (Petersilia, 2004), (as cited in Orrick and Vieraitis, 2015). 21,000 prisoners were released from Texas Prisons, and according to the statistics, one out of five of these inmates will within commit more crime three years after release (Burnett, 2015). According to Burnett (2015), recidivism in Texas is contributed to the lack of decent jobs and or supportive families, and ex-inmates tend to fall into the same environments without any new survival skills. Over time they go back to what they know best, which is to survive by way of criminal

Read More

The Role Of Recidivism In The Criminal Justice System

307 Words | 2 Pages

Recidivism has become a huge issue within the criminal justice system. This refers to an offender who have relapsed by re-offending, and ending up back behind bars. The criminal justice system has been given the responsibility to look beneath the surface of the individual, and try to figure out what is really going on in their personal lives. By digging deeper into the person’s past, present, and future, you are able to help these individuals with the necessary treatment to help them become rehabilitated and lower the recidivism rate. I believe that in order to help rehabilitate these individuals’ and to lower the recidivism rate there needs to be more educational resources, community resources, and funding provided to the offenders to

Read More

Prison Reentry Essay

520 Words | 3 Pages

Staggering numbers of ex-offenders have been returning to the communities from which they originally came after completing their sentences.  A research concluded that a large share of reentering offenders come from a relatively small number of neighborhoods. These communities were located within central cities in a core group of states already strained under a load of preexisting social and economic problems. Without in-depth planning, these communities will remain unprepared to take on the additional demands of the burgeoning reentering

Read More

Challenges Of Incarceration

179 Words | 1 Pages

Incarcerated Americans face many challenges when they attempt to re-enter society. Inmates that are released from prison have no money, no job, and in many cases, no place to live. On top of these challenges former inmates face, they must also navigate the same pressures and temptations that landed them in the American prison system in the first place. To make matters worse, these ex-offenders are typically released into the same environment that they left when they were originally incarcerated, adding to the dangers of these temptations. The key elements that create a successful reentry into society post incarceration include; finding and keeping a solid, decent paying job, finding a safe place to live, preferably away from the dangers

Read More

Reducing Recidivism Analysis

1995 Words | 8 Pages

In the journal “What works in Reducing Recidivism” I revised how Latessa has been finding the resources of different interventions that can help inmates reduce the drugs and crime. Different evaluations and meta-analysis and cost-benefit studies have improved of the drug courts. Drug courts have produced a modest and significant recidivism for adults with cost savings. As well for juvenile’s drug court are less substantial. A few programs that have I have reviewed to be non effective in reducing recidivism were shaming offenders, drug prevention programs, talking cures and self help programs have actually increased recidivism rates.

Read More

Overcrowding Issues In Prison

587 Words | 3 Pages

Overcrowded prison has been a serious problem facing our correctional facilities for decades (Haney, 2006). By not having the adequate space and support to satisfy the detainees’ needs for rehabilitation will result in prisoners leaving the system unprepared for civilian life, guaranteeing that former law-breaker will fall back into the prison system increasing the overcrowding problem. Secondly, by squeezing such a large number of the detainees into a space intended to just hold a specific amount of people stretches the possibilities of prisoners lashing out on prison guards causing riots resulting in unsafe conditions for both inmates and prison staff. As agreed by Governor of the state of California Edmund G Brown Jr, “In the last year,

Read More

The Negative Effects Of Prison Rehabilitation

311 Words | 2 Pages

According to OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (2010), there are more than 2.3 million people incarcerated in the United States. Ninety-five percent of all people incarcerated today will eventually be released and will return to their communities. The majority of those individuals returning have needs that were either unaddressed while incarcerated or during the reentry process, which will negatively impact their ability to live a crime free productive life while in the community. When released from prison, inmates face a myriad of challenges such as finding stable housing, maintaining employment, combating substance abuse, and addressing physical and mental health needs. However, the majority of offenders once released do not receive the

Read More

Challenges Of Recidivism In Prisons

814 Words | 4 Pages

The rate of recidivism is highly affected by reentry services, which are typically due to parole violations. The reduction of recidivism could threaten mental health services, homelessness, health care, education, abuse programs, family support, or employment assistant programs. Research shows that over time these programs can actually

Read More

Reasons For Jail Options For The Expanding Detainee Contractors

206 Words | 1 Pages

As the expanding detainee populace is a developing worry in the U.S., numerous law authorization organizations and scholastic specialists have examined information about the circumstance and are attempting to battle it. Jail congestion is brought on by an assortment of issues, for example, insufficient room in detainment facilities, fluctuating wrongdoing rates, changes to laws and upgrades to law authorization strategies. Jail congestion is brought about by an assortment of issues, for example, insufficient room in detainment facilities, fluctuating wrongdoing rates, changes to laws and enhancements to law authorization strategies. Specialists have established that a portion of the reasons for jail congestion are harsher punishments for criminal

Read More

More about Recidivism In American Prisons

Open Document