U.S. PRISON SYSTEM

U.S. Prison System

U.S. Prison System

The U.S. has the largest incarceration rate in the world and many experts believe that this is the result of the "get tough" sentencing laws of the 1990s. Correctional facilities now are filled with nonviolent repeat offenders and drug addicts. These laws were passed during a time when funds were available to build more jails and prisons and money could be used to hire additional officers to oversee the increasing inmate population. These resources no longer exist. (Mark 2009) States are looking at combined deficits of more than $75,000,000,000 and jails and prisons are filled to capacity, or close to it. Seventeen states recently reported increases of at least five percent in inmate population, with Maine up 11.5% and Rhode Island 8.6%.

While inmate populations continue to grow, staffing levels in most facilities either have stagnated or decreased. Oftentimes, the first to be hit by cutbacks are the men and women employed to supervise inmates. This means that, as the inmate population multiplies, there is less staff" on hand to supervise those placed in the system's care. (Marek 2004)

In the last formal report of the jail system conducted by the Bureau of Justice, the ratio of inmates per correction officer jumped from 2.9 to 4.3. The ratio of inmates per correction officer in state and Federal correctional facilities rose from 4.6 to 4.8.

State and Federal correctional facilities report a 27% increase in inmate-on-inmate assaults and a 32% rise in inmate-on-staff attacks. This data coincides with reports that facilities are filled beyond capacity. In fact, it is reported that state prisons are operating between one and 16% above capacity, while Federal prisons are at 31%.(Mark 2009)

It has been easy to overlook the increase of crime inside correctional facilities because of a focus on the decreasing national crime rates on the street. When these lawbreakers are arrested, they bring their criminality inside prison walls. A perfect example is New York City's Rikers Island the world's largest penal colony which faces the dilemma of too many inmates and not enough correction officers. Since the layoff; of 2003, crime inside the jail has risen 20% and the suicide rates of inmates have increased dramatically. (Marek 2004)

Politicians boast that they are keeping the streets safer than ever, which logically follows since more offenders are being placed behind bars. Taking criminals off the streets should be a priority, but placing lawbreakers inside facilities that are lacking the staff necessary to maintain proper safety puts hundreds of civilian employees, such as doctors, nurses, and counselors as well as inmates at risk on a daily basis.

Some states have tried to combat this problem by reducing inmate populations. Michigan has halted mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses. Texas and Washington have eased their sentencing laws and several states, including Kansas and California, have new legislation requiring drag treatment rather than prison time for nonviolent offenses. (Mark 2009) Other facilities are taking a different tack. Several are implementing harsher ...