Introduction
The correctional system has many problems and challenges. These problems are brought on by many factors such as corruption, negligence and lack of funds. There are many reforms that need to be established by the next government. These reforms will help in implementing other alternatives other than incarcerations, improve the conditions of the prison wards and implement an effective penal system. These facts could help in reducing crime rates or help curb released prisoners from committing the same crimes. In looking at history, it is quite clear that there are many reasons that have caused many offenders from repeating the same crimes. Some of these reasons are unemployment, lack of education, housing and poverty. These facts have caused the increase of prisoners especially in the United States of America (Denborough, 1996).
Crime and punishment
Incarceration has been the most used form of punishment for criminals. Incarceration, however, does not help in reducing the crime rates in the society. Crime has increased in the last few decades in most parts of the world. According to social theory, it states that crimes have been caused by a variety of factors. The government can reduce these factors. The type of punishment should best suit the crime that has been committed. There are many people who have been incarcerated for minor crimes. These people are the ones who should be offered a different program other than incarceration. There should be an educative system, which teaches the offenders that if they continue committing these small crimes then in the future they will commit bigger crimes. They will end up in prisons where they will not be able to change their lives. They should be taught that crimes committed are harmful to them, society and their families. They should try to look after their own children or families instead of committing crimes. They should be given the exact figures of the number of criminals who have been killed. This will teach them that in the near future they will be part of the figure of the number of criminals who have been killed (Dilulio, 1990).
Rehabilitation reforms
The rehabilitation reforms are aimed at changing the individual’s behaviors in the penal systems. This change will help the individual into becoming a better and productive member of the society. Some of the rehabilitation programs that are being offered are education, self-discipline, work skills, and respect. The juvenile system is the one that needs most of these programs. It is a fact that young offenders should be handled with care. This is because they are the future of tomorrow. Young people can be able to be reformed easily. There are many programs that are being offered in the juvenile justice systems (Denborough, 1996). These programs are offered to children who have not committed serious and severe crimes such as murder.
The programs are usually se up in the dorm of boot camps and reform schools. The children in the juvenile system have to be educated. Lack of education could be one of the factors that caused them to commit crimes in the first place. Education will provide them with the knowledge they will need to start a better future after they leave prison. There have been many cases where some of the children who leave juvenile prisons have had good careers. These people were able to do this because of the education they were able to get in prisons. These people should be used, as examples in order to motivate the young offenders into learning that there is a better future if they try. The working skills will help the offenders to learn important skills that they can use to get jobs once they leave the prisons. It is a fact that many will regard these reforms as a way of rewarding the criminals. This fact, however, is not the case because when they get these skills the offenders might leave the prisons as better people who will fit well with the other people. The reforms could help in reducing the crime rates in the society.
Education
In order to stop a crime from being committed, it is the responsibility of the government to find solutions to the causes of crimes such as lack of education. People from poor backgrounds lack education. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the children in the nation are all educated. It is a fact that higher education is very expensive. This is the reason why the government should be able to set some funds aside that will help the youth with the student loans. This fact will be very helpful in ensuring that the young men and women in the society go to school and get education. Once they have gotten their education, the youths will be able to get better jobs and thus they will leave the life of crime behind them (Dilulio, 1990).
Investigations of the correctional officers
There have been many cases where it has been reported that the correctional officers have been corrupt or cruel to the prisoners. These officers should be able to be investigated thoroughly and punished accordingly. The correctional system has had its shares of problems associated with corrupt officers. This fact has caused many people in the society to mistrust the system. There are a number of officers who have received bribes in order for a prisoner or prisoners to live better in the prison (Denborough, 1996). These officers have also taken money or gifts so that others can beat a criminal. If found guilty the officers should be fired from the job and also be able to face jail term. The harsh punishments will cause the other officers thinking of taking bribes or for being cruel to prisoners to stop while still ahead. When they stop these acts then the prison system will change for the better.
Change of food
Many would complain that the food provided to prisoners is bad. The truth is that the food consumed by the prisoners is better than most of the food people eat on the outside world. There have been claims that in some states the food provide to the prisoners is better than others. The reform should be that all the prisons in a country should have the same food given to prisoners. This fact will help in reducing the cost of food in the prison system.
Separating gang members
Gangs are one of the most causes of crimes in the world especially in the United States of America. There are usually different types of prison gangs ranging from the Aryan brotherhood, Latin gangs, LGBT, and black gangs. When criminals are imprisoned, it is necessary for them to try to fit in the prison (Dilulio, 1990). This is the reason why they join the type of gang that they think they best fit in the prison. Due to these facts, the prison system should start a unit where they investigate the gang memberships in prison. It is a fact that there are many units that have been formed to investigate gangs in prison. However, these units have had many challenges in curbing gang membership in prisons. This new unit will be used to stop any initiation to gangs in prisons. Once a prisoner has been suspected of being initiated in a gang they should be transferred to a different unit or prison. The prisons should also be made in such a way that there are different people of different ethnic group living together. This will help in reducing people of the same ethnicity or sexual orientation from forming gangs.
Restitution
Introducing restitution in the prison system will help the prisoner in paying the debts to the society. Once a criminal has been incarcerated, they should be given a work permit. The work permit will help them to work while in prison in order to pay for the damages they caused to the society. The restitution will help both the victim and the prisoner to come to closure to what happened. People with lesser crimes charges are usually given probation and community service punishments. The community service should be in areas where people need help such as an orphanage, hospital or a home for the elder. In the hospitals, it should be in the wing where there are people with terminal diseases. They will be able to do good deeds and also they will help the patients (Denborough, 1996).
In conclusion, the correctional system has a number of issues that need to be resolved and that is the need for having this reform paper. The people in the society have lost any confidence they might have had in the correctional system because of the number of problems that it has encountered. Some of the reforms that should take place are in the reduction of cost of food, increase of units to stop gang memberships, harsh punishments for the corrupt prison officers and investigations of the prison officers. All this reforms might be able to help in curbing some of the challenges that are faced in the prison systems. They will also help in reducing the crimes committed in the society.
Reference
Denborough, D. (1996). Beyond the prison: Gathering dreams of freedom. Dulwich Centre Publications.
Dilulio, J. J. (1990). Governing Prisons: A Comparative Study of Correctional Management. Simon and Schuster Publications.
