...Jail and Prison Paper Tameki Reed CJA/204 05/31/11 Robert White Jail and Prison Paper When it comes to jail and prison, there is a distinctive set of differences. Jail is a place of incarceration that is locally operated, while prisons are conducted by the state government or the federal government. Within the United States, there are about 3,600 jails but there are only about 100 federal prisons or rehabilitation facilities. Jails house inmates who have been convicted of a misdemeanors and their sentence is no greater than two years. In addition, a person may be held in jail while awaiting trial, has an unpaid bond, or was recently jailed. If a person is convicted of a state crime he or she will serve their sentence in a state prison as opposed to federal crimes which lands offenders in federal prisons. A jail’s amenities are very limited because of the light sentence and short periods of time spent there. A county jail offers work release, substance abuse programs, and may provide basic necessities to inmates. Prisons also offer work release programs, vocational training, halfway houses, as well as recreational facilities. Inmates at prisons will serve decades within the facility while others have to serve lifetime sentences behind bars. A major concern of prison staff and administrators is disruptive and violent behavior. Their concerns pertain to the safety of inmates as well as employees of the prison facility. Disruptive and violent behavior is not tolerated in...
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...Introduction American jails are overcrowded; in fact, America has a disproportionate number of its citizens behind bars. And the prison population keeps growing. Does prison deter crime, or merely teach young people how to be better criminals? Supporters of harsh jail sentences often cite several arguments as the basis for their belief. These include the idea that jail terms serve as a deterrent to crime; that wrongdoing must be punished, and that a decent society has the right to ensure the safety of its members by incarcerating those who break its laws. This paper supports the following argument: Nonviolent criminals should receive punishments other than jail sentences, and in doing so refutes the beliefs stated above. (The conclusions in the paper are based on life experience and reasoning, not formal references.) II Supporting Points Considering the condition of American jails and whether they function as they should, the following points come to mind. First, the jails are overcrowded, and that in itself leads to problems for inmates and correction officials. Tempers fray, violence erupts, and there is no way in which lesser offenders can stay away from more hardened types. Second, there is no evidence to show that jail sentence deter crime. Third, I believe the recidivism rate is high. Fourth, I think there is truth to the contention that jails are “schools for crime.” Finally, I don’t believe there is a “one-size-fits-all” punishment system, and the “get tough on...
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...Sentencing Paper Ruben Varela CJA/234 08/11/2014 Introduction In this paper I will go over the state and federal objectives of punishment. Also I will discus how does sentencing affect the state and federal corrections systems. I will define determinate and indeterminate sentencing; also give my opinion of which sentencing model do you feel is most appropriate. State and Federal Objectives of Punishment Punishment can be broke down into four fundamental objectives. These objectives are deterrence, retribution, rehabilitation, and incapacitation. The first is deterrence; this is where people are discouraged from committing crimes. This can be broken down into two subcategories; specific and general. Specific is aimed at offender do not want to commit a crime because of the punishment received the last time they were caught. General is where someone is made an example to prevent others from doing the same thing. An example would be the over publicizing of inmates that receive death sentences. The second is retribution; this means that they punishment needs to fit the crime. A judge will not sentence someone to five years for a traffic violation and give a convicted murder just a few days. Judges need to take into account the full impact the crime had on everyone. The next objective is rehabilitation or reform. This aims at changing the behavior that caused the individual to commit their crime in the hopes that they will not commit the offence again. Some examples...
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...Problems within the Criminal Justice System In the United States Abstract: This research paper explores some problems faced within the criminal system justice in the United States. Larry J. Siegel’s book “Criminology” gives us a history of the criminal justice system, how it operates, and some of the problems we experience with this system. Some of the problems detailed in this paper include the right to equal justice; which he explained the different kind of judgment that people receive based on their race, gender and class, the criminal justice system spends more money on criminals instead of improving technology for the police apprehending them, the criminal justice system lacks of sentencing disparity, reliance on eyewitness and modern technology can lead to conviction of innocent citizen, and finally the rehabilitation model which is set up to educate criminals and eventually let them free because of the belief that they are changed people and have been rehabilitated. According to the definition from the text “Criminology”, the term criminal justice system refers to “the components of government charged with enforcing law, adjudicating criminals, and correcting criminal conduct” (Siegel, 2009, p. 558). According to Siegel, the criminal justice system is essentially “an instrument of social control: society considers some behaviors so dangerous and destructive that it either strictly controls their occurrence...
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... Jill Spriggs Alternative Solution Proposal There are hundreds of criminal justice policies floating around. There are even policies covering policies. Policies could be covering laws that are in place or rules and regulations of the criminal justice agency. Some policies are put into place after too many incidents have occurred. Some policies protect victims, witnesses, subjects, and the officers that enforce them. Not every criminal justice policy becomes a strong policy out of the gate. A lot of them were created as some alternative solution and then gradually made its way to becoming a policy. This paper will take a peek at the California’s three-strike law. In 1993, the first three-strikes policy was adopted through a ballot initiative, and it was until 1997 that the policy was enacted. Since then approximately half of the country and the federal court system have adopted this policy. Since a lot of offenders are repeat offenders, the three-strikes law is based on an increase in sentencing severity as to reduce recidivism through incapacitation and deterrence. The idea is that the most unreformed criminals deserve the most punishing of sentences. Each of state that practices the three-strike laws only shares it in name as the laws vary from state to state. Some of the differences that are present are what each state defines as the number and types of offenses (Mallicoat & Gardiner, 2014). In California a photographer by the name of Mike...
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...The “Three Strike” Sentencing The “Three Strikes and You’re Out” law is a law that was passed by California voters in 1994. The Three Strikes law is sentencing laws that mandate a prison sentence of 25 years to life for violent offenders who have been convicted of three or more offenses. It is also a law that is systemized in 26 states throughout the country and the federal government. Violent offenses include murder, robbery of a residence in which a dangerous or deadly weapon is used, rape and other sex offenses. Serious offenses include the same offenses that are considered as violent offenses, but also include other crimes like burglary of a residence and assault with intent to commit a robbery or rape. The concept of this law is just like it is in baseball, the batter has two strikes before striking out on the third strike and then they are out. The purpose for this law is to not have repeated criminal offenders. This law keeps the criminals off the streets so that they won’t commit any more crimes. This law is also one of the most popular controversial laws because it imposes a mandatory life sentence without parole on offenders convicted of three or more crimes. It is the obligation of a life sentence for any felony conviction, no matter how minor the felony may be. Every crime is different and therefore, every punishment should be made according to the crime in which was committed. I believe that the “three strikes” sentencing should be abolished because it...
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...California’s Three Strike Law Elsie Carrasquillo Crime and Society Instructor Scott Axton 2 May 2013 ABSTRACT Some states have yet to join those states that have put in effect the Three Strike Law. Even though many states have implemented the Three Strike Law it still has many setbacks. California has the strictest laws on the Three Strike Law. While experts thought this would be a good idea it causes issues like overcrowding in prisons and a much bigger budget plan. Proposition 36 was voted to reform the Three Strike Law to reduce sentences to those who have been convicted or misdemeanors instead of felonies. The Three Strike Law was first introduced in 1974, in the state of Texas. The state of Texas Three Strike Law, mandated for a criminal to automatically have to serve life in prison. Since then, there have been about 27 other states who have adopted the Three Strike Law. California was the third state to start implicating the law in 1994. Out of all the states who have adopted the law, California is the strictest state. California’s Three Strike Law has been around for about 19 years now. The main goal of this law was to reduce crime and deter offenders from repeating or committing more crime. The Three Strike Law in California was recently voted on Proposition 36, which reforms the Three Strike Law in the election of November 2012. The reason why the Three Strike Law was to be voted on was because, regardless of the crimes committed, whether serious or...
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...United States Prison System: The War on Drugs The United States of America is no longer the home of the free. It is the home of the locked up and caged. How can this nation embrace the concept of freedom when over 2.4 million of its citizens are locked up in prison? How can Americans have the nerve to utter the words, “racial equality” when over 10% of all African-American men is incarcerated? How can we take pride in a nation that locks up its citizens that suffer from the disease of addiction? This should be an embarrassment to all Americans. The criminal justice system must be reformed and surrender the “War on Drugs.” According to the June 2008 Bureau of Justice Summary, Americans make up only four and a half percent of the world’s population yet boasts twenty-two percent of the world’s incarcerated population. According to the same report, the American Criminal Justice System imprisons six times more of its population than other free nations such as Canada, Australia, Germany, Spain, and Italy. America incarcerates ten times more of its population than Japan, France, and Finland. We have the highest rate of incarceration in the world, much higher than China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, and North Korea whom we consider fascias police states. The 2009 statistics reported in the Prison Index showed that one third of African-American men will serve time in prison at some point in their life. The Bureau of Justice statistics reported, “The number of inmates in...
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...the correctional system as a whole has contributed to this problem. This has caused havoc within our system in many different ways especially from a financial standpoint. It cost a tremendous amount of money to house prisoners, and death row inmate’s cost of incarceration is astronomically high. As this paper goes along we will look at some of the reasons as to why our prisons are overcrowded, and how we might be able to remedy the situation. Prison overcrowding has become an issue in just about every state in the country, and especially in California, New York, and Texas. In 1980 there were states that a tougher outlook on crime which in turn resulted in several new policies that were adopted. California adopted, and enforced the three-strike policy, and New York implemented the broken window policy. According to Jerome Mullins,” the three strike law has significantly increased the overcrowding of prisons” (Mullins, 2005). This policy increases the prison sentence for those already serving time although it also prevents a person previously convicted from receiving any punishment other prison time. California had major impacts due to this law from the onset, and in less than a year major implications begin to surface. After a mere six months there were over 7400 second or third strike cases that had been filed while two thirds of them were in Los Angeles. This law being in effect has completely affected the whole system as a result of it. The three-strike law directly affected...
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...The New Jim Crow: Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, Alexander discusses the legal systems that seem to be doing their jobs perfectly well but have in fact just replaced one racial caste system with a new one. In this book, Michelle focuses on racial problems in the past as well as the present and argues that the problems are basically the same, if not worse. Alexander’s research was very thorough and motivating to read. She paints a dreadful picture of the modern Jim Crow and how it functions in the world we live in. She uses images that make you cringe but at the same time persuades you that it certainly all true. In her book, Alexander explains that since the Jim Crow laws that legalized segregation have ended, new forms of a racial caste system have come into play. Mass incarceration aggressively targets black men in particular. There are now more African American adults under penal control today (prison, probation, parole) than were enslaved in 1850. This has happened during a time when crime rates have dropped, and not in spite of affirmative action or colorblindness but because of them. What drives the mass incarceration of blacks is the War on Drugs launched by Ronald Reagan in 1982 and supported by almost every politician since. No one wants to give the slightest appearance of being "soft on crime." Alexander identifies many causes of our new caste system. There's collective denial in our age of affirmative action, a black president, superstars...
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...Francisco Lara CJR 240 March 1, 2011 History of the Prison System Prison is an institution for the confinement of persons convicted of criminal offenses. Throughout history, most societies have built places in which to hold persons accused of criminal acts pending some form of trial. The idea of confining persons after a trial as punishment for their crimes is relatively new. During the 15th century in Europe, the penalties for crimes were some form of corporal punishment like whippings for less serious crimes and execution or enslavement for more serious offenses. In early 16th century England, vagrants and petty offenders were committed to correctional institutions known as workhouses. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the government transported convicted felons to the English colonies. The punishment was thought of as the hard labor to which the prisoners were consigned. It wasn't until the 17th century that the idea that persons convicted of crimes could be punished by confinement and released after a period of time. During the 17th century, England and other European countries like Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands began imprisoning debtors, delinquent juveniles, minor misdemeanant, and felons. Early jails were mostly dark, overcrowded, and filthy. Prisoners were herded together indiscriminately, with no separation of men and women, the young...
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...The definition of truth in sentencing is a system that excludes discretionary release and severely limits off for good behavior. In other words many states eliminated their parole boards by allowing the inmates to earned good time meaning having time off for good behavior it’s like having privilege that half of the inmates sentence becomes more workable for them. (Abadinsky, Howard. 4) The truth in sentencing laws are limit by permitting only small portion of good time from ten or fifteen percent towards the inmates. Even though most of the states in America enacted the “three strikes and you’re out” states that lifetime imprisonment can unrelease by becoming expensive wards from the state that required a special housing that are surrounded...
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...the correctional system as a whole has contributed to this problem. This has caused havoc within our system in many different ways especially from a financial standpoint. It cost a tremendous amount of money to house prisoners, and death row inmate’s cost of incarceration is astronomically high. As this paper goes along we will look at some of the reasons as to why our prisons are overcrowded, and how we might be able to remedy the situation. Prison overcrowding has become an issue in just about every state in the country, and especially in California, New York, and Texas. In 1980 there were states that a tougher outlook on crime which in turn resulted in several new policies that were adopted. California adopted, and enforced the three-strike policy, and New York implemented the broken window policy. According to Jerome Mullins,” the three strike law has significantly increased the overcrowding of prisons” (Mullins, 2005). This policy increases the prison sentence for those already serving time although it also prevents a person previously convicted from receiving any punishment other prison time. California had major impacts due to this law from the onset, and in less than a year major implications begin to surface. After a mere six months there were over 7400 second or third strike cases that had been filed while two thirds of them were in Los Angeles. This law being in effect has completely affected the whole system as a result of it. The three-strike law directly affected...
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...Polly’s murder brought back the idea of stranger danger, and caused states to adopt the three strikes laws. The three strikes laws had an enormous impact on offenders and facilitated mass incarceration. Additionally, the United States moved away from rehabilitation and towards retribution due to Polly’s murder. Today, many people still promote these “get tough” penalties like the three strikes laws, but fortunately there has been a resurgence of support for rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders. John Wayne Gacy’s crimes did not have nearly as significant as an impact as Davis’ crime. The lasting legacy of Gacy’s crimes is one of shock. People were shocked to discover someone they knew and respected could be operating in plain sight for so long. Additionally, Gacy’s crimes brought forth the idea that crimes that were related to homosexuality were not being treated the same as other crimes, and this was something that needed to be addressed. Hopefully the lasting impact of Gacy’s crimes was one of equality for all victims despite their sexual orientation. Gacy also contributed to the movement against indeterminate sentences, but his crimes did not leave as significant of an impact as on the criminal justice system and people today as Polly Klaas’ murder...
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...Jail Management System Known as having the largest correctional system in the world the United States of America has a hierarchy of correctional centers. The United States justice system consist of administrative works for adjudicating and processing those who are accused and convicted of various crimes ranging from blue collar crimes up to murder. In 1770 the Walnut Street Jail in Philadelphia was recognized as the first penitentiary in America, according to Steve Schooner from the University of San Diego. Around the 17th to date, the American prison system has completely changed keeping some of the same principles. The prison system of the United States has clearly changed from its first debut in the late 1700's. The mission of the prison system in the United States then was to keep society safe from those who were found guilty of crimes in a court of law by confining them in full control of the government. Whether state or federal agencies have control of the accused the principles remain the same. State and federal agencies are charged with keeping the accused in confinement until the judicial system deems necessary according for the seriousness of the crime. The impact of the great penitentiary rivalry on our current prison system includes two systems, he Pennsylvania System and the Auburn System. The Pennsylvania System was supported by the notion of keeping all who were committed to prison behind bars and separated from all other prisoners. Silence and continuous...
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