Disadvantages Of Incarceration
Marisa O’Steen
March, 25 2012
Justice – 355
Professor Surrendrahath In today’s economy keeping people in prison is becoming an ugly, expensive mess. There are now so many alternatives to incarceration that we need to explore and start using. Johnny Cash wrote a song called “Folsom Prison Blues” describing the angst of inmates, permanently immortalizing them in the publics minds. However, now that prisons across the country are running out of resources and space, it is the prison officials who are feeling the blues. There are a number of alternatives that are used for offenders who have committed non-violent crimes. The options can range from probation all the way to public shaming. For those who have …show more content…
Texas is one of the last few states that enforces the death penalty and also has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Ironically, a state with such an “iron fist” reputation, has started to put offenders on probation and sentence them to read as opposed to prison time. This trend has slowly started to spread across the United States. Offenders and repeat offenders are ordered to attend a specific reading group where they get into discussions over classics like “Of Mice and Men” and “To Kill A Mockingbird.” A study was done from 1997 to 2008 and it was discovered that only 6% were either sent back to jail or had their probations revoked. Another perk of this program is that it only costs taxpayers $500 a year as opposed to the $30,000 a year it takes to keep an inmate imprisoned. This programs seems to work best for those who have been convicted of crimes involving robbery or drug abuse. It gives them a chance to have a voice and even a sense of identity and …show more content…
For the longest time when someone was arrested for drug possession, trespassing or any other non-violent offense, they were automatically sent to jail or probation, regardless of their mental instability. Now it seems, there is a new option of an alternative court type setting where attorneys, mental health organizations, and the judge work together to coordinate a treatment option that will ensure the offender will stay on the right path. So many people are incarcerated who have mental illnesses, yet have never had the opportunity to be officially diagnosed and continue to go untreated. Providing treatment is the right thing to do, it is humane, and is even more cost effective then
March, 25 2012
Justice – 355
Professor Surrendrahath In today’s economy keeping people in prison is becoming an ugly, expensive mess. There are now so many alternatives to incarceration that we need to explore and start using. Johnny Cash wrote a song called “Folsom Prison Blues” describing the angst of inmates, permanently immortalizing them in the publics minds. However, now that prisons across the country are running out of resources and space, it is the prison officials who are feeling the blues. There are a number of alternatives that are used for offenders who have committed non-violent crimes. The options can range from probation all the way to public shaming. For those who have …show more content…
Texas is one of the last few states that enforces the death penalty and also has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Ironically, a state with such an “iron fist” reputation, has started to put offenders on probation and sentence them to read as opposed to prison time. This trend has slowly started to spread across the United States. Offenders and repeat offenders are ordered to attend a specific reading group where they get into discussions over classics like “Of Mice and Men” and “To Kill A Mockingbird.” A study was done from 1997 to 2008 and it was discovered that only 6% were either sent back to jail or had their probations revoked. Another perk of this program is that it only costs taxpayers $500 a year as opposed to the $30,000 a year it takes to keep an inmate imprisoned. This programs seems to work best for those who have been convicted of crimes involving robbery or drug abuse. It gives them a chance to have a voice and even a sense of identity and …show more content…
For the longest time when someone was arrested for drug possession, trespassing or any other non-violent offense, they were automatically sent to jail or probation, regardless of their mental instability. Now it seems, there is a new option of an alternative court type setting where attorneys, mental health organizations, and the judge work together to coordinate a treatment option that will ensure the offender will stay on the right path. So many people are incarcerated who have mental illnesses, yet have never had the opportunity to be officially diagnosed and continue to go untreated. Providing treatment is the right thing to do, it is humane, and is even more cost effective then