Prisons are a
necessary part of any modern society. They serve as a correctional system for
those who have made wrong decisions, and stand as a reminder of the
consequences associated with certain actions. At least that is what they should be doing. According to a study conducted by the Bureau
of Justice Statistics, the United States has the highest recidivism rate in the
world, nearly 51.8 percent. This high of
a percentage of released criminals returning to prison makes it seem as though
the current prison system is a failure.
The question, then, is what can be done to make prisons more effective in rehabilitating inmates? It is obvious that simply locking up criminals and having them serve out a sentence is not effective in changing them, as over half eventually return to prison. There must be a better, more successful way to rehabilitate inmates while in prison, and it is in the United States best interest to figure out a better system, as the current failing one is costing 74 billion dollars a year, and rising (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics).
The question, then, is what can be done to make prisons more effective in rehabilitating inmates? It is obvious that simply locking up criminals and having them serve out a sentence is not effective in changing them, as over half eventually return to prison. There must be a better, more successful way to rehabilitate inmates while in prison, and it is in the United States best interest to figure out a better system, as the current failing one is costing 74 billion dollars a year, and rising (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics).
Programs need to be instituted in the current correctional system in the U.S. that focus more on rehabilitating inmates rather than punishing them for past actions. Programs need to be put in place that focus on preparing inmates for life after prison, rather than setting them up for a quick return to their old jail cells.
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| Inmate sunbathing in Bastoey Prison, Norway. |
A great deal can be learned simply by analyzing the different correctional systems around the world. Norway, for example, has a recidivism rate right around 20 percent. Contrast that with the 50 to 60 percent here in the U.S., and it is quite obvious that Norway’s correctional system is more effective than the one in the U.S. What do they do differently?
Inmates live in houses made of bricks, in this way avoiding the feeling of an institution. They have jogging trails, work for the upkeep of the prison, and can even play tennis. These simple, everyday aspects of life are all kept when one goes to prison with the end goal in mind of rehabilitating prisoners, rather than punishing them.
Just as Norway has learned, the U.S. must learn that repressive prisons do not work. These serve to breed better criminals, not change them. It is only through programs that resemble what life will be like after prison that allows for prisoners to change from their old ways, and become contributing members of society.
It is unbelievable how much money we spend on prisons. Seeing on the intro post that the money spent on prisoners is 400% of that spent on students really puts it into perspective! Imagine how taking away part of that $74 billion every year from the deficit would affect America. Then again, if this money was spent on rehabilitation and effective correction then the expenses would be worth it.
ReplyDeleteDo you think the U.S. will ever adapt to a correctional system like that of Norway's? I feel like a LOT would have to change in America before that would happen. I guess that could possibly happen if we gain a liberal majority in both the House and Senate, but I feel the current Republican control of the House would hinder that reformation. I mean, conservatives in the South are still favoring the death penalty; it might be hard to gain support for the "less punishment, more rehabilitation" movement. I really like this idea though! It is very logical and seems effective. I'm not putting it down, just offering possible difficulties it would face if it entered the American system. Great ideas!
The prison system in Norway is certainly the complete opposite extreme from that here in the United States. I was not saying that the U.S. needs to adopt the same prison system as Norway ( I certainly agree with you that this would be extremely difficult), but rather that the U.S. needs to learn from examples such as Norway and focus more on rehabilitation. One thing is for certain, our prison system is not working. I understand that change would be difficult due to the current political climate, but analyzing what systems are effective could guide the way our prison systems are in the future.
DeleteIt’s scary how many people go back to prison after their first offense, and frustrating at how much money we as a nation (and as taxpayers) are throwing at programs and facilities that don’t seem to be having any success. I think your comparison with Norway is interesting; their view of prisoners and their treatment is so different from our country’s! While I admire the Norwegians, I can’t help thinking that the same strategy wouldn’t work as well here. For one thing, we have so many more prisoners that have brick houses for a handful of inmates wouldn’t be practical, and we just have such a different population make up and culture that it would be hard to adopt such a program for our prisons. I do agree, however, that we should have a similar approach in reforming our prisons and that the focus should be shifted more towards rehabilitation rather than ineffective punishment. Good thoughts and helpful ideas!
ReplyDeleteI 100% agree with your comment. I do not think that the Norwegian system would work in the U.S. without several modifications. As you said, we have so many more inmates that it just would not be practical. I was more emphasizing the fact that U.S. should focus on rehabilitation and preparing inmates for life after prison, as Norway's system certainly does. Maybe the problem with our prison system is the fact that we have so many prisoners, and maybe change needs to be made on the front end of things, rather than just sending so many to jail. It is very interesting to think about, and possible solutions should be analyzed to save the nation time and money.
DeleteDespite all the amazing things associated with living in this country I must agree, the fact that us American taxpayers have to pay for 4 out of every 5 prisoners to go to prison twice is completely ridiculous. To me there truly is a fine line between a government doing its best to protect its citizens and a government that completely wastes its funds pursuing programs that just aren’t working. It definitely seems as if the prison system is teetering towards the latter. Especially to a citizen like me who is so insulated from the lifestyles and individuals who end up in the cells, I am of the perspective that there must be different options for guaranteeing the protection of all people while minimizing costs and recidivism. I also agree that the only way is to effectively rehabilitate prisoners so that they do not come back. However, I am not sure I would agree with mimicking a system such as Norway’s. If criminals lived a life of crime I feel more would be necessary to teach them a normal, legal lifestyle than just offering them jogging trails and tennis courts. Anyway, I like the ideas, gets people thinking.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, I appreciate your thoughts. And I agree with you that mimicking the Norway system and offering amenities such as jogging trails and tennis courts is not the best way to reform our prisons. I was more trying to emphasize the need for rehabilitation and treating inmates as human, rather than just animals who need to be locked up. In general though I certainly agree with what you said, that there needs to be different options that minimize cost and recidivism. While this is a lofty goal there must be a way to achieve it, and it is in the United States best interest to search for the right system.
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