8th Amendment Research Paper

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Pages: 2

I believe the most important amendment in the bill of rights is the eighth one. It states, “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” This means the punishment must fit the crime. Without this right, people could be more severely punished than their crime warranted. Even though these people have committed crimes, they still deserve fairness. Otherwise there would be many upset citizens, sentencing and punishment does more only affect the offender but their families as well. If not for this right, who knows, what might happen behind prison walls?
The Jailhouse Lawyer’s Handbook list four main protections that this right gives incarcerated individuals: “Protection from Physical
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Protection from physical brutality prevents correctional officers from harming inmates unless it comes to a need to. Force should not be used to “maliciously and sadistically cause harm.” Excessive force should never be used. That means the correctional officer intended to cause harm to the prisoner. No matter who or where you are, you are protested against rape, sexual assault, and harassment that include inmates. The eighth amendment protects against that as well. Inmates also have the right to decent living conditions. As long as the conditions are not harmful, they do not violate the amendment. The prison cannot deprive you of “shelter, food, exercise, clothing, sanitation, and hygiene.” I do feel like prisoners should be allowed recreational programs. If prisons really are supposed to be rehabilitating prisoners to go back into the world, then they should still be treated like people. I believe having these recreational programs could help to reform the prisoner. As for luxury item, I feel as though items like TV and books should be allowed for prisoners. Maybe they could be used as a tool for punishment if an inmate gets out of line. Books, not so much TV should be considered luxury. I feel like if an inmate wants to read they