Prison Reform In The United States

The topic of prison reform has provoked heated debates in the United States. According to recent data from the US Department of Justice, federal and state prisons now imprison over 1.2 million convicts, a 153% rise since the 1990s. Because of the mass incarceration, most of the prisons are full to the teeth. Traditional jail systems ignore the humanity of those imprisoned and focus primarily on punishment. Improving prisons is crucial since it deals with problems, like overcrowding, lack of rehabilitation, and the social and economic effects on the individuals’ families. Since the late 1970s, the use adopted the incarceration method. The US administration decided to arrest millions of people. This came at the expense of minorities, especially …show more content…
The population of prisoners in Texas quadrupled, going from “182 people per 100,000 residents to 710 per 100,000 by the end of the century. This was made worse by laws such as the “1994 Crime Bill” which gave states unlimited funding and built mega prisons instead of using the resources in much better ways. Overcrowding has been a major issue in prisons. The rise of prisoners causes outbreaks of diseases, increases violence between rival gangs, and lacks space for inmates, forcing them to sleep on dirty floors and likely contracting diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control, convicts are 6.4 times more likely to get a foodborne illness than the general population. This is mainly due to private contractors making the food with no supervision. Even while violent crimes have decreased since the 2000s, imprisonment sentences have grown to record lengths. Every year, hundreds of thousands of adults are released from jail, and many confront social obstacles and stigma as they transition back into their …show more content…
It also jeopardizes the delivery and effectiveness of rehabilitation services, educational and vocational training, and recreational activities. Excessive pre-trial custody, as well as the usage of jail for petty offenses, are significant factors contributing to prison population growth. Prisoners won't have privacy, which could worsen mental health issues and raise rates of assault. Due to massive overcrowding, mental health issues have become an epidemic in prisons. Over the last three decades, the correctional system still hasn’t met the mental health needs of all prisoners. Mental health is important for your overall well-being. It affects your ability to make decisions and can damage your health if you don’t take care of it properly. According to 2017 research by the United States Department of Justice, roughly 37 percent of inmates have had some sort of mental health issue. "Over 24% were earlier diagnosed with major depressive illness, 17% with bipolar disorder, 13% with personality disorder, and 12% with post-traumatic stress

Show More