The United States Has A Very Prison Population. What Is Your Position On The Causes Essay Sample

The United States has a very high prison population. What is your position on the causes and effects of this troubling situation?
The issue of prison overcrowding is a major one in the United States of America. Hence, one needs to understand the causes and effects of such dense population in the prisons of the nations, as the law of the state is one of the major pillars of the society. It is only through a close introspection into the matter, that one can find a viable solution.
There are several reasons that lead o such over-population in the prisons of the nation state. High recidivism rate is one of the main causes. Another major cause is the return of the offenders to the prisons due to their unsuccessful community supervision period. Also, the stringent laws against drugs are the main reason, there being several people related to drug peddling who end up in prison.
The convicted people serve a major part of their sentence in the prisons. The number of accused or convicted people keeps on increasing with time. But, the number of cells or bed available in the prisons does not increase at par with the increase in the number of inmates. Such a situation also leads to a lot of crowding inside the prisons across the state. The high-security inmates cannot be kept in prisons with lower security arrangements. Hence, there might be overcrowding in the prisons with the most security where the harsher criminals remain.
Overcrowding inside the prisons has several effects on the ambiance of the place, and also the inmates. The prisons do not get ample space to move around inside the prison. A 2003 research shows that the style of prison management can be a passive reason of prisoner misconduct. As such, the issue of over-population is quite serious. High prison population can also have an adverse effect on the psyche of the prisoner (according to a 2006 study). The inmates get more stressed in such a situation which leads to an unhealthy scenario for all of them. Moreover, such overcrowding increases the chances of clashes among the inmates, and they can get involved in physical fights among themselves. Also, the illness and demise of the inmates is directly proportional to the density of population of the prisons.
The prisoner-staff ratio needs to be taken care of on a regular basis by the administration. A lesser number of staff in comparison to the number of inmates is a matter of huge concern as such a situation might go out of hand at any point of time. A proper checklist has to be maintained by the administration, and there has to be regular updates about the release of the prisoners.
One major way of combating with the problem can be the re-evaluation of the term of the sentences given to the prisoners (especially the inmates get arrested on charges of drugs-related offenses). It is comprehended that prison overcrowding is a huge weakness on the part of the justice system of the nation.
Thus, it is very important to address the matter and seek proper solutions to the problem. The main ambition of the law system is to punish the inmates for their crimes and also bring them back on the right path of living. There is need for some definite factors so that the inmates can traverse back on the path of a righteous life. It is the responsibility of the government, and the people in the administration to ensure a better prison ambiance for the inmates. Thus, any unwelcome situations can be avoided, and the inmates can live in the prisons to realize their faults to abstain from wrongdoings.