Prison Reform Research Paper

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The Need for Prison Reform

Helen R. L. Hajasz First Colonial High School LSA Honors English 10 Mrs. Weddle Date (for student papers).

Did you know that the United States holds 22% of the world's prisoners? Yet the population of the United States represents 4% of the world's population (Lico, 2020, para. 1). The adage of the adage. The prison system in the United States is at the center of an epidemic of issues, leading to the US having the highest incarceration rates in the world. Prisons play many roles in the mission to keep communities and people safe. Prisons must house individuals who have broken the law(s). Additionally, prisons must ensure the convict does not reoffend once released. With recidivism rates so high, are prisons doing their jobs? This paper will examine current prison system issues …show more content…
Prison reforms need to take place to ensure the safety of people working and living in prisons, but also the communities in which ex-offenders are being released, and to fix a broken system that has already harmed many. Prison reforms taking place will improve the lives of people working and living in prison, while also benefiting civilians, and preventing the current system from causing more harm. Prison reform is not just a recent issue in the United States, it dates back to 1787. This is when the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Misdemeanor of Public Prisons (PSAMP) was formed (Prison Reform, 2022, Timeline). The PSAMP was created due to the deplorable conditions within Walnut Street Jail, the first prison in the United States. This shows how prisons in the United States have been a center for issues since their construction. Fast forward to more recent years, where the prison system still faces conflict and growth. With varying changes throughout the nation at federal and state levels such as the
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