Introduction
According to Seiter, special offenders include drug offenders, HIV affected inmates, juveniles, those will mental illnesses, and those with unconventional gender differences (2014). Special offenders change the way correctional facilities operate as they require different sets of treatment for their transformation. Moreover, the goal of this paper is to examine the needs of special offenders and the current state of correctional facilities that are supposed to cater to their special needs.
Body
Effects on the Jail and Prison Systems
Special offenders inflict harm and difficulties to themselves and to those surrounding them as well. More importantly, the jail and prison systems are also affected in both the state and federal levels by special offenders. In both the state and federal levels, having to deal with and care for special offenders mean more expenses since they require special attention. Some special offenders require psychiatric help or substance abuse specialized correctional facilities that likewise require specialized facilities to be built. These facilities are important in order to isolate special offenders from the rest of the population in order to prevent any harm that they may inflict to the rest of the prisoners. Furthermore, these facilities are also meant to allow close monitoring of the special offenders so they may not harm themselves. These facilities cost millions of dollar that the state and federal systems shoulder (Smith, 2013).
Negligence of Special Offenders
When the varying needs of special offenders are not taken into consideration, there are consequences that may arise that are deemed rather unappealing. Failure to provide the needs of prisoners that have mental illnesses may eventually worsen their welfare. In worse cases, they may become suicidal, depressed, emotionally challenged and as a result harm others and themselves. Likewise, failure to take care of offenders with any other disabilities may lead to discrimination despite the legislation that exists to prevent it. Offenders with varying gender differences (LGBT) when not taken care of are more at risk to becoming victims of sexual assaults and discrimination. They are also subject to stigmas that are likewise not helpful in their correctional programs. Furthermore, once released, special offenders that were not taken care of properly had a higher probability of backsliding (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2009). To sum it up, when special offenders are not provided with their needs, they tend to be harmed and harm others which defeat the purpose of correctional facilities, i.e. to make them valuable citizens and prevent further harm.
West Virginia Division of Corrections
The population of prisoners in West Virginia is treated with utmost care as they are to be reintroduced to the communities in the future. As such, West Virginia Division of Corrections had cooperated with the Department of Education, providers of mental health services, and many other institutions to deliver programs that benefit special offenders and the communities. Parts of the program are facilities that focus on aspects such as addiction rehabilitation, anger management seminars, and necessary health services. The said program had resulted to reduce the probability of reoffenders. Harm inflicted on oneself and to others are also less likely to happen (West Virginia Division of Corrections, n.d.).
Conclusion
A re-offense does not only reflect the shortcomings of the correctional facilities but of the legislation as well. It is therefore necessary that special offenders receive the attention they require in order to become a functional part of the society which is possible with efforts from those in the position.
References
Seiter, R. (2014). Corrections: An introduction (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Smith, K. (2013). Prisoners with Special Needs.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2009). Handbook on Prisoners with Special Needs.
West Virginia Division of Corrections. (n.d.). Retrieved January 10, 2016, from http://www.wvdoc.com/wvdoc/OffenderPrograms/tabid/121/Default.aspx
