Currently, there are three types of prisons within the Federal, State, and County governments. These are categorized by the degree of security they provide. Minimum security prisons, which are also known as county jails, provide minimal supervision. These jails are generally used as holding cells for offenders awaiting trial or release. Medium security and maximum security prisons are utilized for the offenders serving a sentenced amount of time for their offenses. Their levels of security and prison design are more intense than the minimum security prisons. The effectiveness of prisons has decreased due to progressive overcrowding, and the lack of conclusive alternatives. The need for alternatives has grown immensely over the last decade. Nonetheless, the State and Federal governments are desperate for competent, less expensive solutions. Costs of keeping a prisoner imprisoned vary among states and facilities.
Each prisoner kept in minimum-security prison generally costs us approximately $25,000 per year, while a prisoner held in a maximum-security prison costs between $35,000 to $74,862 per year. (Smolowe 56) These costs include basic transportation to and from the prison, infirmaries, kitchens and dining area, power plants used for electricity, sewage disposal, prison schools, labor buildings and locations, and salaries for the staff members. As the prison costs increase, the chance of layoffs among personnel increases, which would ultimately result in more violence and much less rehabilitation. In 1993, 21 correction agencies opened 48 new institutions, adding 42,899 beds at an average cost of $47,153 per cell. (Jacobs et al. 120) "In an era of tight money, spending on construction and operations of prisons is increasing twice as fast as the growth in overall spending". (Holmes 3) These rising costs are another reason alternatives to prison are being pursued.
In 1980, the United States housed 329,821 total inmates in State and Federal prisons. (Allen et al. 221) As of 1994, this population count expanded to 1,053,738 inmates; a 219% increase. (Allen et al. 221) "The world 's highest incarceration rate has seesawed in recent years between the Untied States and Russia, with both far outdistancing other nations". ("Get Tough" 24) Consequently, " the United States finds itself in the midst of an unparalleled prison building boom". (Holmes 3)
Overcrowding occurs when prisoners are forced to share cramped cells with many different prisoners. This has always been a problem for prisons and it continues to be a serious, escalating problem. It contributes to brutal prison violence between other prisoners and guards, therefore, lowering the effectiveness of rehabilitation and security within the prison. According to a Justice Department report released in January 1997, "U.S. Prisons and jails held more than 1,630,000 people in mid 1996, more than double the number from the mid 1980 's" ("Get Tough" 24). As of 1993, federal prisons had a rated design to hold 59,849 people, in which the average capacity is 136% of that amount. (Jacobs et al. 108) This doesn 't include prisoners sent to local jails due to overcrowding.
Federal and State governments have been searching for successful alternatives to prison because of the severity of overcrowding and costs. The effectiveness of the available alternatives is competitive to incarceration. Many violent and repeat offenders are released early from prison due to the overcrowding problems.(Smolowe 56) It seems more sensible to keep the violent offenders in prison than those criminals convicted for property damage, drugs, and other less serious crimes. Population in the prison system and the expenditures would also decrease substantially if these alternatives were implemented more while safeguarding the quality of security in the prisons. The recidivism for criminal offenders released from prison is 50%. ("Successful Alternative" 18)
Many states currently employ numerous alternatives to prisons. The most popular are ISP 's (Intensive Supervision Programs), shock incarceration, electronic monitoring, parole and probation, workhouses, house arrest, and community service. In earlier years, the government used more severe forms of punishment (i.e. corporal punishment and capital punishment) for those convicted of more serious, violent crimes. The use of these alternatives is based upon varied evaluations administered to the prisoner, as well as the seriousness of the crime for which the person has been convicted of.
Variations of the Intensive Supervision Programs were accepted and implemented by every state between 1980 and 1990. (Jacobs et al. 87) These are used mainly to alleviate prison overcrowding, and provide rigorous supervision of high-risk offenders. Some of the requirements of ISP 's are random, and unannounced drug testing, employment, multiple contacts with a supervising officer each week, and participation in a relevant treatment program. (Allen 204) The approximate cost of this program is $4,000 per year for each offender. (Jacobs et al. 87) This is substantially less than the cost of keeping a person imprisoned. One third of all New Jersey non-violent offenders choose ISP 's over prison. (Jacobs et al. 87) The recidivism rate is 31%; or 69% effectiveness. ("Successful Alternative" 18)
Shock incarceration, also known as boot camp, is a controversial, military-type program geared to motivate prisoners, teach them respect, and break destructive patterns of behavior. The duration of the program averaged 4.3 months per inmate in 1992, and cost an estimated $6,200 per inmate. (Katel 26) The average curriculum size is 100 to 250 inmates in one. (Katel 26) Shock incarceration was originally tried in 1983 by Georgia, and then tried in 1984 in Oklahoma. (Katel 26) By the end of 1993, there were an estimated 50 programs in use in 30 states, 10 in local jurisdictions, and implemented in the federal corrections system. (Jacobs et al. 57) This alternative is offered as a voluntary program to nonviolent offenders (without prior prison experience) in exchange for a shorter prison term; except in Mississippi and Georgia. Although it is too soon to have concrete results on the success of the program, it proves to be punitive in rigid discipline, and rehabilitative with self- esteem. (Jacobs et al. 57) Most of these programs include drill exercises, housekeeping and maintenance of the facility, and hard labor. Some states also incorporate educational, vocational, or rehabilitative treatment programs in the boot camp curriculum.
House arrest is defined as" some nonviolent offenders are sentenced to house arrest in which they are legally ordered to remain confined in their own homes". (Jacobs et al. 91) Under house arrest, a person is permitted to leave sometimes for work, medical purposes, or for miscellaneous reasons in which a curfew is granted to them. A more severe form of house arrest is home incarceration. The person 's home becomes a prison since they cannot leave except for medical emergencies. Some offenders may be required to perform a designated amount of hours of community service, or work to repay the cost of either probation or restitution. Community service is usually given to offenders of non-serious crimes; it is frequently a supplement to other penalties. The overall recidivism for criminal offenders released from house arrest is 45%. ("Successful Alternative" 18)
Electronic monitoring is another widespread method of confining an offender without prison. This procedure involves the attachment of a small radio transmitter to a non-removable bracelet or anklet, which is secured on the offender. These monitors are programmed to either send signals to a monitoring box to phone the proper authority when the signal is broken, or make a voice confirmation during random calls to the offender. Electronic monitoring is used primarily for people on probation, and is reported to have a 71% effectiveness. ("Successful Alternative" 18) The associated costs of electronic monitoring are approximately $4,700 per offender, which is comparative to ISP 's, and still remarkably less than prison. (Jacobs et al. 91)
Probation is "the suspension of a sentence given to a person convicted, but not imprisoned, on the condition they maintain good behavior and report regularly to a probation officer". (Inciardi 623) The whole sentence may be served under probation, or in conjunction to a short sentence in a prison or jail. Those under probation report to an assigned probation officer or supervisor numerous times each week, and may receive random phone calls or drug tests during their scheduled sentence. The judge may also order the offender to obtain related rehabilitative treatments, avoid certain people or places, perform a designated amount of time in community services, or provide restitution during the probationary period. The cost for each regularly supervised probationer is about $1,000 per year, and has a 49% recidivism rate. (Jacobs et al. 97)
Since the earlier years of prison, the federal and state governments have created many substitutes. They continue to search for more successful alternatives due to continuing, extreme distresses within the prison system. It is obvious that both State and Federal governments need to research more effective alternatives to prison. Therefore, we should consider utilizing these alternatives with the less serious criminal offenders to prevent the seriously violent criminals from being released early from prison. Otherwise, everyone 's safety will be at risk and the criminal justice system will be unsalvageable.
Works Cited
Allen, Harry E, and Clifford E. Simonsen. Corrections in America. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1998.
"Get Tough Policies Are Leading More to Prison." National Catholic Reporter 31 Jan. 1997, vol.33 no. 13: p. 24.
Holmes, Steven A. "The Boom in Jails Is Locking Up Lots of Loot". New York Times. 6 Nov. 1994, Late New York Edition, sec 4:3.
Inciardi, James A. Criminal Justice. Texas: Harcourt Brace, 1996.
Jacobs, Nancy R, Mark A. Siegel, and Jacquelyn Quiriam, eds. Prisons and Jails-A Deterrent to Crime? Texas: Information Plus, 1995.
Jacobs, Nancy R, Alison Landes, and Mark A. Siegel, eds. Crime-A Serious American Problem. Texas: Information Plus, 1994.
Katel, Peter. "The Bust in Boot Camps." Newsweek 21 Feb. 1994: 26.
Works Cited (Cont 'd)
Smolowe, Jill. " And Throw Away the Key." Time 7 Feb. 1994: 54-59.
"Successful Alternatives to Prison". New York Times. 1 June 1996, Late New York Edition, 18. Works Cited
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