The Penal and Judiciary System The High Cost of...

Although prisons have a few positive aspects such as keeping felons off the streets and being less final than the death penalty, they have many negative aspects as well such as tearing families apart, causing severe psychological harm to the children of inmates, costing 47,102 dollars a year in California alone (California Judicial website), and causing many problems for the inmates in the long run. Fundamentally the use of incarceration is intended to reform and rehabilitate offenders of society’s laws; however, America’s prison system usually makes matters much worse for the offender, his or her family, and society as a whole. The illustrations below show that there is a severe need for reform in the penal system. There are several†¦show more content†¦After all, nothing is more final than death, and if more evidence comes forward that proves the innocence of the convict he or she cannot be brought back to life. Even if prisons act as a boot camp for criminals, while in prison the inmates cannot commit crimes against the wider populace. Incarceration is usually used for punishment as main motives of society’s acceptance or desire for offenders to be â€Å"thrown in jail. If the punishment exceeds a reasonable correlation to the offense (i.e. punishment fits the crime) then the punished will resent the punishment and will hold ill will toward the punisher. With negative attitudes and feelings of bitterness, the incarcerated are not likely to learn their lesson, repent or go and sin no more. They are more likely to learn more efficient ways to break society’s laws from other convicts. Incarcerations as retribution tend to create a polarization between â€Å"us† (outlaws, outsiders) and them (those in power, the insiders). A high proportion of inmates came from the â€Å"outsiders† (i.e. poverty, lower class, or marginalized) in the first place. So, they view the police, the courts, and the prison as the instruments of those in power who control the systems of the dominate culture or  "the man.† There needs to be major reform in the area of the type of criminals incarcerated in state and federalShow MoreRelatedThe Tragedy Of The Commons1871 Words   |  8 Pagesapplies to, though indirectly, is the contemporary problem of misuses and abuses of the prison system. This paper describes a way of looking at this problem through the lens of the Tragedy of the Commons. Viewed in this way, there is a tacit agreement between judicial (and to some extent legislative) aspects of government, on one hand, and the public, on the other. The agreement is roughly that the prison system will be used, and only used, for two purposes: to deter criminals or would-be criminals fromRead MoreA New Penology? Considerations On Correctional Reform Within New Zealand Essay1728 Words   |  7 Pagesand the expansion of law enforcement. Adoption of neo-liberal policies has produced an unrehabilitative ‘underclass’, seemingly perpetuated in poverty and futility. These factors have led to ex ponential increases in incarceration. It constitutes a shift in how the criminal justice system is policed, operated and understood. Therefore the new penology is an innovative way framing these new related developments that shape the way we punish people. It can be split into three key elements: a new discourse;Read MorePrison Reform : The United States2438 Words   |  10 Pagesmean and why is it necessary? To answer these questions we must look at a number of interrelated social areas. These include the motivations for and against prison reform, and where they come from. To this end, we must explore the American political system, public perception, prisoner rights, disenfranchisement among parolees, the social justice movement, and efforts to lower recidivism among convicted felons. As seen throughout the history of the United States, there has always been a degree of exploitationRead MoreIncarceration: Prison and Inmates10532 Words   |  43 Pages state, and local lawmakers to arrest and confine persons suspected of crimes. The judicial system is authorized to confine persons convicted of crimes. This confinement, whether before or after a criminal conviction, is called incarceration. Incarceration is one of the main forms of punishment for the commission of illegal offenses. Juveniles and adults alike are subject to incarceration. Incarceration is the detention of a person in a jail or prison. The federal, state, and local governmentsRead MorePrison Reform Topic Paper : Prisons6604 Words   |  27 Pageseducators, and even prisoners are divided about the right answers. There is disagreement in the US about the purpose of the prison system. On the one hand, the regulations of the prison system may seek deterrence, incapacitation, or retribution to avoid appearing too soft on criminals (Zyl Smit, 2010; Rossum, 2003). On the other hand, the regulations of the prison system may seek to opportunities to resocialize prisoners or to effect changes in the character, attitudes, or behavior of the convictedRead MoreThe System Of Criminal Trial Essay2843 Words   |  12 Pages4.6(2) Adversary system The system of criminal trial as mentioned or directed by the Code is the adversary system based on the accusatorial method . In this system the prosecutor representing the State (or the people) accuses the defendant (the accused person) of the commission of some crime; and the law requires him to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt. The law also provides fair opportunity to the accused person to defend himself. The judge, more or less, is to work as an umpire between theRead MoreCorrectional Administration Reviewer18383 Words   |  74 Pagesconsidered the golden age of penology because of the following significant events: ï  ± 1870- the National prisons Association organized in Cincinnati, Ohio. ï  ± 1872- the First International Congress was held at London w/c established the International Penal and Penitentiary Commission; 1875- its headquarters was established at Hague, Netherlands. ï  ± 1876- the Elmira Reformatory was established in New York. ï  ± the First separate institution for women were established in Indiana and Massachusetts. DIVISIONSRead MoreThe Growing Problem of White Collar Crimes in India19963 Words   |  80 Pagessubstantive offenses, significantly enhances financial and incarceration penalties, and relaxes some procedural evidentiary requirements for prosecutors. White Collar Crime is not only a crime but a very serious crime with wide and often gory repercussions. Its seriousness can be gauged from the fact that effect of even a few White Collar Crimes on the economic fabric of society can be far more devastating. This paper outlines that it is high time for the Indian corporate sector to draw lessons from