Prison Overcrowding Essay

The change magnitude number of inmate population have pushed prisons towards their level best capacity and in some cases more over leading to inmates double-bunking in single cells or living in open dormitories (Howard 1997). In 1995, a national inmate survey conducted by the punitory Service of Canada (CSC) verbalise that 26. 4% of inmates sh atomic number 18d a cell and 12% of those inmates sharing a single cell felt threatened by their cell-mate (CSC 1995). People who gain prison are deeply affected by its social context. nasty prison conditions have harmful consequences for inmates and to the free world once these inmates are run downd. Bad prisons are not only unpleasant or uneasy they could be destructive to society as well (Haney 2002). 2. prison Overcrowding deadly Effects on Inmates Competition and conflict between increasing number of inmates over limited resources such as washrooms, library books, television lounges and amateurish materials leads to frustration , higher rates of illness, aggression, violence and higher suicide rates (Howard 1997). move debrieve inmates from space to maintain personal identity or turn reach unwanted interactions which creates stress. Inmates cope with excess stress in different slipway such as withdrawal, aggression or depression which greatly diminish social relations and interactions (Howard 1997). Prison overcrowding and idleness have lead to increasing number of explosive situations leading prison administrators to press for new tools to authority and block inmates. Most efforts to improve quality of life of inmates were sacrificed during the rapid add-on in population of inmates.Feeley & Jonathan (1992) identified a management style in which punitive decision makers think of prisoners as dangerous individuals that rent to be herded, rather than as individuals in need of personal attention. 3. Methods to Reduce Prison Overcrowding To reduce prison overcrowding, researchers have suggested making c hanges to the determination and operation of corrections facilities and reducing the number of inmates. 3. 1 Prison Design Prisons should be designed to resemble normal residence environs to reduce the effect of crowding. stressful levels of noise caused by walking talking, yelling and televisions could be reduced by use of carpets instead of tiled floors to reduce metal-on-metal contacts. Television and radio sources could too be isolated to reduce their noise. A more social environment could be created by using cushioned chairs and wall decorations (Howard 1997). New design concepts provide inmates more privacy and the ability to escape to individual space. Studies suggested that the need is not for more room but for more privacy.Inmates should be allowed to adorn and arrange their private rooms and have keys to access their private space. (Johnston 1991). 3. 2 Reducing Numbers of Inmates In their efforts to solve prison overcrowding, officials and researchers in the U. S. add together to reduce the population of correctional facilities in addition to constructing more facilities. moderate in population of inmates could be achieved by using alternatives such as community supervision and intermediate sanctions such as parole release and fines. Arrests from crimes such as domestic violence, drugs and drunk driving have caused overcrowding in prisons.However, prison crowding can not be reduced by keeping offenders in the community since community-based corrections programs are more move than prisons. Most of convicted offenders are in community correction programs such as parole and probation. It is falsely assumes that correctional facilities hold more offenders than community corrections programs. The cost to supervise someone on parole or probation is much less than the cost to keep an offender in prison this is due(p) to the level of supervision per offender (Howard 1997).4. Conclusion Prison overcrowding could not be solved only by transferring inmates from herd prisons to far more crowded correctional programs. Proper funding must be allocated to community correctional programs to enable them higher levels of supervision. Increased levels of supervision would enable them to expand their eligibility requirements to grapple offenders confined in prison while at the same fourth dimension maintain public safely. New correctional facilities should be built to contain the increasing numbers of offenders.New facilities should be designed to provide a social environment that resembles that of the free world to help simulate a healthy environment for inmates to develop their social skills. Prisons environment should aim to decrease inmates stress levels by providing quiet and private space. References Correctional Service of Canada. (1995). CSC National Inmate Survey Feeley, M. & Simon, J. (1992). The New Penology Notes on the Emerging Strategy of corrections and Its Implications.Johnston, J. C. (1991). A Psychological perspect ive on the new design concepts for William Head Institution (British Columbia). Forum on Corrections Research. Howard, J. (1997). Prison Overcrowding. John Howard Society of Alberta. Haney, C. (2002). Prison overcrowding Harmful Consequences and Dysfunctional Reactions. University of atomic number 20, Santa Cruz. Steinhauer, J. (2007). California to Address Prison Overcrowding With Giant Building Program. The New York Times create April 27, 2007.