Example research essay topic: Strengths And Weaknesses Prison Labor - 1,233 words

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Corrections Population Why were these articles grouped together the way they were? That is, what do the articles have in common, and how do they inform each other? These articles were grouped together because they had the common thread of violence within the correctional system that is now a national concern. Penitentiary drew attention to the potential for death and destruction that lurks in every prison. It seems that the locus of control in many prisons shifted from correctional staff to violent inmate gangs. In these articles we see that prisons have come to be viewed as places for control, incapacitation and punishment, rather than as sites for rehabilitation and reform.

Advocates of the no frills or penal harm movement believe that if prison is punishing experience, would-be criminals will be deterred from crime and current inmates will be encouraged to go straight. Nonetheless, efforts to use correctional institutions as treatment facilities have not ended. And such innovations as the development of private industries on prison grounds have kept the rehabilitative ideal alive. What were the main points or findings produced by the authors?

The main points elucidated by the authors are that there is a failure of correctional treatment coupled with constantly increasing correctional costs which has prompted the development of alternatives to incarceration, such as intensive probation supervision and electronic monitoring. What has developed is a bifurcated correctional policy: incarcerate dangerous, violent offenders for long periods of time. These efforts have been compromised by a growing get-tough stance in judicial and legislative sentencing policy. Despite the development of alternatives to incarceration, the number of people under lock and key has skyrocketed. What were the strengths and weaknesses of these arguments?

There are some strengths and weaknesses of these arguments. One strength is the authors arguments are well documented and researched. They have succeeded in pointing out that jails are typically a low-priority item in the criminal justice system. Because they are usually administered on a country level, jail services have not been sufficiently regulated, nor has a unified national policy been developed to mandate what constitutes adequate jail conditions.

Many jails have consequently developed into squalid, crumbling holding pens. However, a weakness is the fact that the authors have not given a concrete solution to the problems that beset inmate work programs. This will contribute considerably in preparing jail and prison inmates for life outside an institution by teaching them good work habits and interpersonal skills. Work programs throw in to inmates sense of achievement and self-esteem and often provide an opportunity to learn new skills. Inmate work programs also benefit correctional institutions and the public by providing needed services at low cost. Operational work programs can offer inmates an alternative to idleness and in so doing contribute to improved inmate morale.

Nearly all prison classification systems have evolved over the last two decades from very subjective means of classifying inmates to fairly objective systems. This progress toward objectivity has occurred mainly to avoid rampant discretion and to incorporate into classification instruments the philosophical and policy preferences significant to the agency. (Supermax Prisons) What impacts do these arguments or evidence have upon correctional administration? Author Reisig states that inmate homicide has become more common in prisons experiencing administrative breakdown. It is important that people are aware of this.

It will impact correctional administration because it will enlighten them that jails are considered to be holding facilities for the countrys undesirables, rather than correctional institutions that provide meaningful treatment. They may house indigents who, looking for a respite from the winters cold, commit a minor offense or substance abusers who are suffering the first shocks of confinement. Industry and labor have long opposed the employment of prisoners for private sector and government production, in contention that it is unfair competition. These opponents have also been largely successful in keeping outside prison work limited. Nonetheless, this may not in fact have protected any jobs for ordinary citizens, because companies that employ federal and state inmates have sales contracts with state agencies that private competitors cannot bid against.

In addition, labor organizations and private companies argue that some private firms employ inmate workers at salaries far below the minimum wage, providing unfair competition through reduced labor costs. So as not to abuse prison labor, the state-run programs need to be more market-friendly and that they need to be financially self-sustaining. Steps need to be taken to address concerns that prisoners are not treated like slave labor and that they receive protection from mistreatment. There should be specific policy recommendations, including one that prison workers receive at least the minimum wage for their work. As protection to prison labor, inmate-produced products should be sold on the open market, not restricted to guaranteed purchase contracts with federal or state agencies. The existing restrictions on the interstate transportation of goods and services produced in state prisons should be lifted, allowing such products to effectively compete in the marketplace (Prison Labour).

What the public knows about corrections? Has this information changed, challenged, or confirmed what you knew about corrections? The public knows that a punitive model of justice is based on the perception that punishment like incarceration is an effective means of providing justice for the victims. Similarly, Gaes and co-authors maintain that gang membership increases violence and almost all forms of prison misconduct.

The main frame of argument is that infliction of pain or suffering is the morally justifiable means of making the offender pay for the crime that they have committed. The reformatory system of corrections on the other hand assumes that men could be reformed and, therefore, it is important that incarceration should also include training and education of offenders. Part indeed of the reform model of the justice system includes a system of behavioral improvements that would give the offender a chance to shorten their prison terms. Thus, parole was born with the intention of integrating them back to the society with a changed attitude and behavior. Looking at the objectives and the process of the parole system, there is no doubt that it is a better alternative than the punitive system of justice. I believe that true justice incorporates healing not only of the victims but also of the offender.

I believe that the release of the prisoner into the community is very important in order to facilitate healing of the prisoner. The external society provides the perfect avenue for healing as it reflects a newer and better perspective for the prisoner. This is also very helpful in making the community realize the positive impact of reform model in the quality of life that the offender lives and exercises. This is also very important in order to slowly eradicate the social stigma attached to an offender. REFERENCES Davis, R. Applegate B. , Otto, C.

Surette, R. and McCarthy B. Local Leaders Views on Jail Crowding from a Systems Perspective. Gaes, G. , Wallace, S. , Gilman, E. , Klein-Saffron, J. and Supply, S.

The Influence of Prison Gang Affiliation on Violence and other Prison Misconduct. Federal Bureau of Prisons Mears, D. and Reisig, M. The Theory and practice of supermax prisons. Florida State University. Pizarro, J.

and Stenius, V. Supermax Prisons Myths, Realities and the Politics of Punishment in American Society. Criminal Justice Policy Review. Vol. 17 Number 1 March 2006. Sage Publications. Reisig, M.

Administrative Control and Inmate Homicide. Michigan State University

Research essay sample on Strengths And Weaknesses Prison Labor