Prison Reform

Anyone who knows me on a personal level knows that one of my "passions" in life is crime and the Criminal Justice System. As a child, my Grandmother used to laugh because while other kids were watching cartoons after school I would turn on Divorce Court or The Judge. I have always been intrigued with the law and also the criminal mind. I have followed that passion to a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and soon will be going for another in Psychology - then maybe my Masters. Forensic Psychology has always been intriguing to me. Will I do anything with these degrees? Law school even? Probably not. I enjoy the learning and knowledge aspect of it although I do feel that practicing Criminal Forensic Psychology would be a dream career.

With that stated one problem that I read about, research or take a great interest in is our prison system, sentencing and supposed rehabilitation of prisoners in this country. I believe this is a very important issue that is largely ignored by American citizens and is overlooked often though it contributes to a huge portion of the foundation in life that we take for granted everyday.

Though violent crime has been declining in America since the year 1994, by the year 2004 nearly 3.2%, or 1 in every 31 adults, were either in prison, jail, on probation or on parole. From the years 1995 to the year 2004, the prison population has increased 3.4% annually. Looking at a larger scale, in the 1970's, there were approximately 200,000 inmates in the US Prison system. Today, that number has risen to 1.8 million which represents an 800% increase over the past 30 years. Add that to the number of individuals on parole, probation, or some other corrections supervision, and that number rises to a staggering 6 million people. With a steady rise of individuals convicted of crimes we need to ask the question of how can we modify the corrections system in the United States to be more effective in reducing the incidence of crime?

In my opinion, prison being used as a form of punishment has been a complete failure in this country. The majority of incarcerated individuals are for non-violent crimes with the rate of inmates increasing and violent crimes decreasing. I feel that just locking up individuals, whether for non-violent or violent crimes, is obviously not preventing the use and sale of illegal drugs or preventing re-incarceration. The United States Department of Justice conducted a study of 15 prisons over the span of 3 years in the year 1994 of the re-arrest, reconviction and re-incarceration of former inmates. The findings showed that that robbers (70.2%), burglars (74%), motor vehicle thieves (78.8%), larcenists (74.6%), in for stolen property (77.4%) and those in for using, possession, selling or using drugs (70.2%) had the highest re-arrest rate. 2.5% of released rapists were arrested for another rape, and those who served time for the crime of homicide, 1.2% were re-arrested for homicide over the 3 year span. These statistics are a red flag that the current corrections system we have in place today within the United States is not effective in anything except removing the individual from society for a period of time. At some point, it shows that they will be released and returned to the same life. Prison needs to be looked upon as a reformatory institution instead of a form of punishment or we will never reverse or decrease the number of convictions or crimes.

The prison reform issue is not so simple that just one person's opinion will not change it and frankly, I am sure my stand on what should be done might be laughable to many but I have thought about this topic many times and for many hours and so have some suggestions that may help pave the way to a "better" system.
First, I feel that all prisons should be mandated federally and take the decision away from each individual state. Because each state mandates different amounts and funds for corrections, there are different levels of services, education, counseling, and conditions depending on the state. Smaller, richer states, like Connecticut for example, can afford to fund their corrections departments to make, what have been referred to as, country club prisons where as other larger states, with higher crime rates such as Texas, do not have the funds to create country clubs and house inmates in deplorable conditions. Are prisoners getting a "better" form of punishment in a prison that does not offer services and luxuries as some other's do? I feel that if we had prisons within this nation running, operating and providing blanket services across the board, that is one way to help allocate funds where needed and offer services equally. A rapist in Delaware is no worse than a rapist in Massachusetts, so their punishment should not differ either. I feel that each state is doing their own thing and making it difficult to get a hand on crime and punishment in the United States as a whole. In my opinion, the first step would be the taking away of the control and decision making of prisons, sentences and services from the individual states and adhering to one federal standard.

Funding for prisons would be a standard % allocated from each state, depending on state size, population, and income ratio, would be paid into the Federal Prison System. The funds would then be allocated to the prisons throughout the country. There would not be any need for each state to handle the allocation of corrections funds within their budgets. They pay their % to the Federal Government and it would be allocated from there. This would ensure that each prison would be getting the funds as needed, depending on size and inmates, and also a standard of living and services.

As for services, I feel that prison needs to be looked at as more of a reformatory than a location to house individuals for punishment. The punishment portion is being removed from society and living within the prison walls. While in prison, most basic rights should be removed including the right to privacy and other luxuries as television, microwaves and stereos. Now that they are there, we need to find a way to reform and deter future criminal acts. This can be accomplished by implementing a few changes.

First, I feel that the entire parole system should be abolished. If you are sentenced to one year in prison, you should spend one year in prison. There should not be any early release programs offered any longer. The removal of this system would open funds for parole services and officers and back to the overall prison budget. Now that there are all of these prisoners within the system, serving sentences, without televisions and luxuries, that need to have their time utilized. That should be done with education, counseling and work/training programs.

I would assume that most people released from prison, not taking anything from the years they were in prison except aggravation and a hate for confined rooms, are only being released back into the life they were originally removed from. As part of the seclusion of prison life, we need to educate these inmates and teach them skills and train them for a productive life within society. Running the prison as almost a mandatory secluded college campus is how I look at it. Each prisoner has a full schedule each day with school, training, work, rest, eating, then sleep. Personal time is kept to a minimum for letter writing or rest. If an individual does not have a high school diploma, they are mandated to participate in a GED or High School Equivalent program to obtain their certificate. Also, local companies or industries around the prison can be asked to participate in a work program. Each inmate will be required to learn and implement skills through training programs. For example, a local furniture manufacturer can cut their own costs by affiliating with the prison to have prisoners within that prison manufacture furniture. This would be free labor for the manufacturing company and a skill/trade for the inmate. Depending on the prison term, each individual inmate might be able to obtain numerous skills since the inmates will rotate throughout the different jobs and programs offered. All of this would be done on-site, within the prison.

Counseling will also be offered to each and every inmate. Depending on the individual, counseling can range from general social counseling to drug and alcohol counseling. Counseling in general is beneficial to any and all inmates since committing a crime to end up in prison is enough to validate an issue within that individual to warrant counseling. Requiring an inmate to participate in counseling is not an option and I do not feel it is against their rights or considered cruel and unusual punishment.

Finally, a life skills program should be implemented. A life skills program would guide and teach each inmate the basics skills needed in leading a productive, moral, decent life as a citizen within this country. This program would offer information and skills in many areas like basic information on checking accounts, money management, and budgets all the way to the stock market, mortgages and time management.

With these programs and services offered throughout prisons within America, we can assure that each released prisoners has at least had some form of reform and redirection than the life they were leading prior to be convicted. This can only give both the released inmate a solid foundation to reenter society with a new outlook.
Turning our attention to individuals who are convicted and sentenced to life and or death sentences, these services would not be available to the extent they are for inmates with a release date. Lifers and people on death row should all be housed in separate prisons than the individuals with a release date. Lifers will have basic services such as libraries with books, magazines and newspapers, but there will also not be any microwaves, televisions or Blockbuster nights. Counseling will be available and inmates will also be required to participate in work programs but more for labor and service for the prison itself (laundry, kitchen, etc). There would be longer periods of solitary confinement then a non-lifer and no additional education classes.

Because inmates will be separated depending on if they are serving life or not, this could mean sending a prisoner outside of the state they are convicted in. Once you are convicted of a crime, whether your term is ten years or life, you will be placed where there is room. This could be at a local facility or it could be across the country, but unfortunately, that is one of the rights you lose when you become a prisoner. Every attempt will be made to place the inmate as close to their home state as possible, but this in no way is a guarantee. I am sure the family and friends of the inmate will not approve of this because of the potential travel demands to visit, but again, this is prison and not a recreation camp. This will just be another example of how the actions of one can produce many victims on many levels.

The death penalty should not be abolished within this country but should only be assessed if there is absolute assurance that the proper individual is convicted. This can be determined by a complete confession and/or DNA evidence. I do not feel the death penalty should be an option as a sentence unless absolute certainty as been determined. Because of this absolute certainty, there is not a need for ten years of appeals and lethal injections can be carried out in a timely manner.

In conclusion, I do feel that this reform can only help deter potential criminals by making prison seem more as a complete taking over of their life, with the potential of removal from the state, required schooling, work and counseling, and the basic thought of an extreme daily regimen and not just some time in a cell. With the aggressive daily activities and education, hopefully this will deter an inmate from returning to a life of crime by being released with an education, skills and self-esteem. This can only be accomplished by blanketing our corrections system under one form of government and assuring the proper services are implemented

But does anyone really care? I don't believe so since most people I speak to don't care about the criminal, nor do they care to consider anything beyond the "he did bad, he should go to jail" aspect. If we expect to actually be able to live in this country as a "free" citizen, we better stop and take action now. If not, all we are doing is breeding slicker, more experienced, and more aggressive criminals who will not think twice about taking those freedoms away.



This is an original article written by myself and also posted on Helium.com