Everyone Benefits… The rising tide lifts all ships”, coined Senator Claiborne Pell, who was instrumental in the argument and negotiation process for the Pell Grant (Feinberg & Katz, 2014). The positive impact of The Pell Grant has been shared by institutions, who have benefitted from increased enrollment, and low-income families alike. According to Singell, Wadell, and Curs (2004) the Federal Government implemented the Pell Grant Program in 1972, and since its inception, it has been the single largest provider of need-based aid in the United States (p. 2).
Private prisons were constructed as a response to the overcrowding in federal prisons during the 1980s; many people speculate whether or not private prisons are good or bad. Critics argue that private prisons like any business are driven by profit, and prisons profit from the amount of criminals they are able to contain which gives the private prisons and their shareholders incentive to keep the prison population high and expenses low. The National Council on Crime and Delinquency estimates that over the next ten years state and federal expenditures on prisons will amount to $351 billion6. These government subsidies along with the support of private prison shareholders allow the prison industrial complex to keep their power and influence
Ever since For-Profit prisons started, jails have been overcrowded and are distributing inmates into prisons in neighboring states, such as Arizona, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. Judges and the government only have one thing in mind. Profit. As a result of wanting more profit, judges are convicting more prisoners for petty crimes. Therefore, For-Profit prisons have more employees to make more products.
When it comes to the topic of allowing prison inmates to receive state funded Pell Grants, one would have to weigh out the pros and cons. Many would say that one of the major cons is if we start permitting these prisoners to receive the same funding as an individual not in prison, then it would be unfair. Taking it a step further, wouldn’t the state be taking said Pell Grants from those who rightfully deserve the grant? Understandably, prisoners do deserve an education, but there are online courses or packets from accredited schools that they could utilize. Most likely the majority of prisoners that desire to attend college will never be released from prison.
Private prison began booming in the 1980s, under the presidential terms of Ronald Reagan and Bush Sr., however, it slowed down in 1990. When prison sales began to slow down in the 1990's, Clinton who was the acting president, wanted to cut the program but the Justice Department took over and began contracting private prison out to corporations again. Private prisons are the largest business in the prison industry. About 18 corporations guard 10,000 prisoners in 27 states.
Current policy allows government agencies to fund private, non-profit correctional facilities (also referred to as private prisons). While new policies to end federal contracts with private prisons have been issued, government agencies such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), continue to work with private prisons now known as immigration detention facilities. The continued support of private prisons by government agencies for the last four decades has sparked public debate. “Conflict over the direction of government policy” on private prisons has resulted in the use of private prisons to be an unresolved public policy issue (1). Modern private, for-profit correctional facilities emerged in the 1980s that allowed private corporations to have full operational control for the first time.
Federal prisons fail in providing rehabilitation services to undocumented immigrants. This becomes a rising issue, as the United States is composed primarily of immigrants. The federal Bureau of Prisons mission is to, “provide work and self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law-abiding citizens.” (cite) The BOP just skips over undocumented immigrants and restricts their use of prison resources. Some of which are essential job training and drug counseling.
The demand for private prisons has grown tremendously over the years. The government has relied on prison privatization to help address growing issues of overcrowding and financial stress in public prisons. However, many believe that privatizing prisons has led to and will continue to cause legal issues for our judicial system. In this paper I will discuss three potential legal issues associated with privatizing prisons. Privatization of prisons affects inmates negatively by neglecting and violating their rights.
Improving American Prisons When looking at the American prison system it can be seen that it is something that can and needs to be improved on. Compared to other countries around the world the United States is number one with the highest incarceration rates. In 2013, the United States Department of Justice, estimated that more than 1.5 million persons were in a state or federal prison. That is an increase of 4000 more than in the previous year. As we can see, overcrowding is one of the biggest problems that the government faces when looking at prisons.
What are your thoughts about the prison system? Today 's prisons are so bad that prisons in the United States hold 5 percent of the US population. Many people get sent to jail cause of the 3 law strike because a lot of minorities are caught with drugs. Plus the government is wasting 75 billion dollars on these facilities instead of using the money in a better way like making programs for the prisoners that need help with mental health or other stuff.
In 1970-2005, the United States prison has grew over 700%. The rate of growth has outpaced population growth, and crime rate. Compared to the world, 25% of the prison population is made up of Americans. America has the highest rate in the world for youth incarceration. 130,000 Juveniles are detained in the American prison system, and every day 70,000 juveniles are detained.
Since the end of President Jimmy Carter’s administration in 1981, the number of inmates in American prisons has more than quadrupled, with numbers reaching upwards of 2.3 million in recent years. Many politicians claim that this is the most effective way of lowering the crime rate in America, they state that with more inmates there will be less crime. However, these claims made about the implementation of tougher laws and the increase of sentences do not decrease crime. Instead these policies over-crowd prisons, promote the abuse of inmates, and decrease the ability of correctional facilities to provide legal alternatives to crime once a sentence has been served.
United States Prisons: A Mental Cage The United States is one of the world’s most recognized and powerful superpowers since its industrial and commercial production along with their nearly limitless military budget make them practically invincible. This demonstrates the power of the United States on foreign soil and problems, yet many internal problems in the United States are left disregarded and neglected, simply thrown away. Citizens and lawmakers remain silent on several key social issues and on one of the biggest shameful topics of neglect, America’s incarceration rate.
Kanye West recently tweeted out an excusable pseudo-quote from a fictional depiction of Harriet Tubman, “I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.” The problematic quote accurately implies that there are many people who do not realize that they are victims of societal injustice. Indeed, the United States of America was founded during a time of common prejudice and palpable pain for many minorities; unfortunately, this systemic oppression remains even in modern society. In particular, the American prison system can be closely associated with a modern day slavery.
Open prisons are usually for prisoners who were moved from closed prisons for rehab purposes. There are no external protection to an open prison. The prisoners with good conduct in the work force belong in this kind of prison area. Enforcement officers can go out under the supervision and protection, and also it is possible to discuss freely with visitors. Prisoners in the open prison are required to work hard labor for the government, it can also be community service.
