Prison Reforms Essays Examples

It is important to note that imprisoning some offenders, such as those individuals who have committed drug related offenses is not cost effective, and does not achieve the intended objective of rehabilitating the prisoners, but in most cases harden them. It would be advisable for the prison department to look for alternatives to imprisonment to reduce the cost related with running prisons.
There is a need for change in the current situations in the prisons. First, there should be increment in the number of prisons to ease congestion within the existing prisons. The prisons should be designed in ways they will occupy a large number of prisoners. The prison administrations should also ensure that internal conditions within the prisons are favorable for inmates. It can be achieved through the establishment of better sanitation facilities as well as adhering to ethical standards with respect to existing health standards within the prisons.
The prisons should be separated to handle various groups of offenders, according to the seriousness of their offenses and the jail terms they are to serve in the prison. There have been increased cases of drug offenses within the prisons (Foucault, 2005). A big percentage of prisoners in most of the prisons have indulged themselves in abuse of various types of drugs such as cocaine, heroin and mandrax. Increased cases of drug offenses raise a major concern among those involved in the administration of the prisons.
On the other hand, not all drug offenders should be taken to prison. Instead, they should be taken to rehabilitation centers where they can be taught about the dangers of taking drugs. Prison reforms should put into considerations the effects of an imprisonment on the individual convicted of the offense (Aos, Miller & Drake, 2006). It is important to note that most of first time drug offenders do not need to be imprisoned, but rather need to be reformed. Therefore, taking them to prison does not rehabilitate them, but in most cases makes them dangerous criminals by the time they are completing their prison terms. In this case, imprisonment does not achieve the intended objective as it does not help in reforming an offender, but rather transform him to become a dangerous person in the community. This alternative can also be effective in reducing the number of prisoners, as it will ensure that some of the drug offenders are taken to an alternative rehabilitation institution instead of being imprisoned.
The third alternative that can be implemented is to make minor drug offenders to be engaged in community work, rather than imprisoning them (Clear & Austin, 2009). This strategy can be important in reducing the number of drug offenders who end up in prison, given majority of them tends to be minor offenders. As a result, the cost of running prisons will also reduce with a significant margin.
The prison reforms with respect to various issues should be done in aligning with the consideration of the need for the criminal justice systems as a whole. They should also employ an integrated disciplinary strategy that will enhance the achievement of the set objectives in the future. The reforms within the prison departments should also take into considerations the areas which are typically without the criminal justice system. This will boost the system of criminal justice and improve the prison departments in particular. In conclusion, implementing the alternatives to incarceration will help in reducing cost of running prisons in the U.S by reducing the number inmates, and at the same time help in rehabilitation of small offenders who do not need imprisonment to reform.

References

Aos, S., Miller, M., & Drake, E. (2006). Evidence-based public policy options to reduce future prison construction, criminal justice costs, and crime rates. Fed. Sent. R., 19, 275.
Clear, T. R., & Austin, J. (2009). Reducing mass incarceration: Implications of the iron law of prison populations. Harv. L. & Pol'y Rev., 3, 307.
Foucault, M. (2005). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison (2nd Vintage Books ed.). New York: Vintage Books.