What Are The Pros And Cons Of Prison Overcrowding

There are many flaws within the United States prison system, as there are with everything. Not only are the prisons decrepit and deteriorating but there are far worse issues behind those barred gates. Overcrowding in detention centers and gang violence threaten to unhinge the fragile system and the threat is increasing with each passing day. However, not all of the problems are prisoner related as the issue of guard violence is being brought to light. Failure to address these problems could have catastrophic results for both prisoners and law-abiding citizens. The issue of overcrowding within U.S. prisons Is nothing new but as it continues to grow, so do the consequences that come with it. According to a study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, 39% of US Federal Prisons are at overcapacity (1). This staggering statistic is only expected to increase and the GAO estimates overcrowding will increase to 45% or higher by 2018 (2). In the vast majority of prisons, prisoners lack minimum space requirements and spend upwards of 23 hours a day in their cell (2). Over population can result in numerous health risks and adds an increased amount of stress to the environment. It has also been known to cause mental health problems, increased violence, and increased self-harm or suicide (2). The main
contributor to the space issue is the poor prison conditions and is the biggest problem U.S. prisons face. David Maurer, director of Homeland Security and Justice Issues for GAO, stated “If you start cramming more and more people into a confined space, you’re going to create more tension and problems.” Not only is overcrowding an issue for prisoners but for U.S. citizens as well. Each inmate, on average, costs tax payers approximately $31,286 per year (2). The financial burden of the inmates is often overlooked by the majority of the population. The issue of overcrowding is worsening but finding a solution is not as straight forward as it may seem. The lack of free space to move prisoners too makes it extremely difficult to fix the overcrowding because there is nowhere for the inmates to go. Penal Reform has devised a four-point plant to help remedy the issue and is being taken under consideration within several prisons (2). The first step is to invest in non-custodial alternatives to detention for pre-trial and after sentencing (2). A large part of the prison population consists of people on trial and convicts immediately following their trial. If these people were moved in a different environment then that would free up a lot of space within prisons. The second step relates to the first step and it deals with getting rid of minor cases within the Criminal Justice System (2). If the courts did not have to take on smaller and meaningless trials, then there would be less people in the prisons during the trial and after. Crime prevention and reduction plans to would be extremely beneficial to helping to reduce prison population (2). There is a large population of inmates who have already circulated through the prison system and had been resentenced for committing another crime. These programs would help rehabilitate the inmates and show them how to function in a regular society; hopefully reducing the amount that reenter the prison system. People cannot expect inmates to behave like a proper member of society unless they are shown how and by having programs in place then those who are released will be able to function better in the real world. The final step in the plan is to make special arrangements for vulnerable prisoners, children, mothers, and mentally impaired (2). Not only will this be safer for the vulnerable, but it will also clear more room for inmates who are already convicted. Overcrowding is not impossible to solve but it will take some dedication and creative thinking to overcome. The operation of gangs within prisons is a growing concern for many people and is something that needs to be addressed. The majority of inmates have no gang affiliation prior to being incarcerated but develop gang ties once inside the prison (3). Gangs are most often involved with drug running or cell taxing (3). Cell taxing is when an inmate charges to occupy a given cell, one usually in a better location or with better “neighbors” (3). Prison gangs run the show and they dictate who gets assigned the best jobs, who sits where in the dining hall, and who gets to keep their nice things or who gets them stolen (3). They typically consist of select inmates who use a hierarchy and code of conduct to govern themselves (4). Inmates are not the only ones who get involved with gangs, staff is often caught up in them too. Authority figures are may be bribed by inmates or overlook “incidents” because of the inmate’s gang affiliation (3). One of the biggest issues with the gangs is the transportation of narcotics (4). Gangs are often used as connecters for street gangs, drug-trafficking organizations, and OMGs, who distribute the drugs to the inmates and other prisons (4). Many prisoners join gangs simply for protection (3). Inmates who do not have some sort of affiliation are at a greater risk for falling victim to an attack; they decide that it is safer to be in a gang than to be on the outside of one (3). Although the gangs may be used as a source of protection, the majority of them are proving to be a problem. There is a lot of debate regarding how to properly and effectively deal with gangs in prison.
One of the most commons solutions is simply separating gang members (3). This may be an issue because the gangs often have outside members that they can use to communicate with separated members (2). Another solution that is being heavily discussed is having guards patrol areas where there is heavy gang activity (2). The problem with this solution is that there is no way to know if the right areas are being watched, or that the area that gangs circumference is far too large for guards to watch. There is no set solution yet but there is progress being made to address this
issue. There are countless faults within the United States and the prison system is no exception. With overcrowding, gangs, and guard brutality there is plenty for the justice system to occupy themselves with. If these problems continue to worsen without much notice, it could have terrible effects for prisoners and citizens alike.