abstract and a conclusion

PRISON REFORM 1

Prison Reform

Robert Benders

Columbia Southern University

PRISON REFORM 2

Prison Reform

Introduction

Prisons facilitate the incapacitation, retribution, deterrence, and rehabilitation of convicted

offenders, but studies indicate that current strategies in use do not foster recuperation and

integration of felons back to society. Proponents of prison reforms emphasize the need to provide

inmates with a habitable environment and adopt effective rehabilitation practices enabling them

to rejoin the community upon their release. The modern-day prison system does not provide

adequate restoration services to inmates, whereby they face social and practical challenges when

rejoining society (Lopez, 2018). On the other hand, critics argue prison reforms will open

loopholes for delinquency and provide convicts with comfortable environments at the expense of

their innocent victims. While national debates continue to focus on the viability of prison

reforms, the use of evidence-based practices in prison systems has been successful in

transforming prisoners into law-abiding citizens after serving their sentences. The provision of a

habitable environment, for example, creates a constructive culture within prisons focused on

protecting inmate rights, which increases their prospect for social integration. A success story like

this draws attention to the significance of providing counseling services and education programs

to foster character development and equip inmates with the skills necessary to rejoin mainstream

society. For instance, New Mexico prison facilities provide online classes to inmates that prepare

them to enter the job market after their release, a program known to reduce disappointments by

enhancing their eligibility for employment (Burke, 2019). Consequently, Congress passed the

First Step Act in December 2018 to reform the criminal justice system by encouraging the

adoption of effective rehabilitation practices and ultimately reduce the length of stay for prisoners

(Lopez, 2018). Supporters of the bill argue this is the first step to rehabilitating

PRISON REFORM 3

inmates by equipping them with vital skills, increasing their eligibility for reduced sentences, and

decrease overcrowding. Nonetheless, critics assert that this action contravenes the "tough on

crime" policy as it facilitates the early release of inmates, which endangers public safety. The

advantages of industry-wide reforms exceed its disadvantages; thus, it is vital to implement

evidence-based rehabilitative practices to reduce recidivism and increase offenders' cohabitation

with societal members after incarceration.

Literature Review

Prisons are among the most neglected facilities in the society. For years, they have been

used as institutes for enacting corrective measures without considering the plight of the people

behind bars. Today, overcrowding in prisons is a norm, which increases the risk of poor living

conditions and violation of fundamental human rights. To understand better the challenges faced

by the prison system, the discussion takes into account the advent of prisons and their use in

rehabilitating offenders. Further, the review examines in greater detail positions on the two sides

of the controversy, beginning with the proponents who advocate for prison reforms.

Subsequently, the review presents opponents’ views against prison reforms on the notion that it

jeopardizes public safety.

A Brief Look at Prisons and the Need for Reforms

The use of prisons as punishment centers can be traced back to the Roman Empire. In

Ancient Athens, prisons were not detention centers, rather facilities for punishing law-breaking

citizens. The use of inhabitable structures to house prisoners was prevalent, including metal cages

and quarries (Rubin & Deflem, 2019). The government-sanctioned facilities focused on the long-

term confinement of inmates as a punishment for their offenses. Rubin & Deflem (2019) posit

that different forms of punishment dominated the detention centers, including forced labor

PRISON REFORM 4

and torture. Nonetheless, in the mid-nineteenth century, governments adopted innovations from

Ireland and Australia to improve the prisons, underpinning the significance of reducing reliance on

conventional forms of punishment. Perhaps, the most notable change was increasing emphasis on

transforming prisoners into law-abiding citizens after their release. The rapid increase in

recidivism in the late 20th century escalated imprisonment rates, particularly in the United States.

Notably, mass incarceration of offenders was deemed the best alternative for deterring crime and

protecting the public’s safety. However, Duwe (2017) notes that overcrowding and the use of

ineffective restoration practices incapacitated prisons from enabling inmates to rejoin their

communities successfully. Over time, there was a growing debate on the need to institute prison

reforms by creating a habitable environment for wrongdoers and implementing practices

facilitating their integration back to society. Central to the arguments supporting prison reforms

was to safeguard inmate rights and adopt programs equipping prisoners with the necessary skills

for use upon their release.

The Argument for Prison Reforms

Imprisonment deprives inmates their right to liberty, which does not include the

restriction of other human rights. The implementation of the First Step Act in 2018 marked the

first step towards encouraging changes in prison systems and increasing the rehabilitation of

inmates (Lopez, 2018). Supporters of the bill argue that prisoners’ rights should be respected. In

addition to this, there is a need to enhance the effectiveness of social integration programs within

prisons. Duwe (2017) notes that many offenders have unstable work histories. Educational

programs can increase their employability skills, thereby facilitating their access to job

opportunities and integration back to society. Additionally, prison reforms will allow offenders to

undergo cognitive behavior therapy programs that improve their decision-making and

PRISON REFORM 5

problem-solving skills, enabling them to manage societal challenges. Thus, Duwe (2017) outlines

that this will likely reduce recidivism.

Overcrowding in prisons poses a public health risk for inmates. The proponents for

state-wide reforms are correct; in fact, most prisons are overcrowded, poorly sanitized, and

characterized by poor nutrition and inaccessibility of fresh air. Obioha (2017) notes that many

prisoners are from poorly educated and socio-economically deprived families with limited access

to adequate health services. Once incarcerated, their health deteriorates as prisons are known as

reservoirs of diseases such as HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and malaria (Obioha, 2017).

Therefore, proponents argue that prison reforms are essential to ensure public health is

maintained by discouraging overcrowding and offering health care to prisoners.

The Argument against Prison Reforms

Opponents of prison reforms argue that no amount of punishment can match the pain and

suffering caused to innocent people by the offenders. With this view, prisons should be primarily

punishment centers to enable inmates to change their behaviors. Critics argue that reforms such

as the First Step Act deviate from the primary role served by prisons, punishing offenders

(Lopez, 2018). Besides, they consider implementing prison reforms not only wrong but also

unethical, considering the pain and grief inflicted on innocent victims by the offenders.

According to Lopez (2018), the institution of prison reforms will open loopholes for delinquency

and provide convicts with comfortable environments at the expense of their innocent victims.

Out rightly, such actions disregard the "tough on crime" policy as it facilitates the early release

of inmates, which also endangers public safety.

While policymakers continue to argue on the merits of prison reforms, the First Step Act's

implementation marked the first phase towards transforming prison facilities to rehabilitate

Running head: PRISON REFORM 6

convicts. Prison reforms play an essential role in helping offenders' change and get reintegrated

into society, thereby underlying the significance of restructuring the rehabilitation practices of

convicted lawbreakers. Prison reforms can be implemented both as a human right consideration

and through the adoption of educative programs to equip prisoners with vital skills. Nevertheless,

those against prison reforms highlight concerns related to a reduced focus on punishment and the

likelihood of providing inmates with a loophole for early release, thereby jeopardizing public

safety. The benefits of industry-wide reforms surpass its shortcomings; thereby, underpinning the

significance of adopting evidence-based rehabilitative practices to curb reoffending rates and

increase offenders' cohabitation with societal members after confinement.

Prison reform is crucial because it helps the convicts to transform their lives back into

society upon release by creating a constructive culture through prison programming. It entails

providing the inmates with the essential skills, education, and character development that help

them transition to life outside prison successfully. Duwe (2017) points out that eight months after

being released, over 70% of men are still unable to secure work. This finding aligns with the fact

that former prisoners face numerous difficulties in trying to succeed in the post-prison life, which

bar them from obtaining employment, housing, and other necessities pertinent to becoming

productive in society. Some of the factors that contribute to this situation include societal stigma

against offenders and lack of skills for self-employment, job searching, and technical know-how.

This can be frustrating for former convicts, and can negatively impact their mental health status

and quality of life. It may also increase their risk of recidivism if the former prisoners are unable

to obtain a job and thus a paycheck. Therefore, proper and effective prison programming can

help reduce these challenges by preparing the inmates through boosting their skills and technical

knowledge, consequently, assisting prisoners to transition back to society and reduce recidivism.

PRISON REFORM 7

Moreover, prison reform contributes significantly to reducing recidivism. Recidivism

refers to cases where prisoners who have served their sentences return to crime after their

release. Accordingly, prison reform seeks to ensure that inmates use their time in incarceration

engaging in constructive activities and sustaining positive relationships with their close family or

friends who are their support network (Farmer, 2017; Kreager & Kruttstchnitt, 2018). By

building on their skills and maintaining a healthy system of support, prisoners have a starting

point when released from incarceration, which makes it easier for them to maintain good conduct

and be constructive in society. Research shows that only 31 percent of inmates in federal prisons

receive regular visitors as increased visitation is just one way that reforms could help in

decreasing recidivism. (Farmer, 2017). Hence, prison reforms seek to fix this problem by

providing more time for visitations so that inmates can maintain their support networks. In this

way, the reforms can significantly contribute to reducing recidivism, even though there is

criticism over their effect on the behavior of prisoners.

Critics of prison reform claim that the resulting changes in the prison systems may make

them too comfortable, reducing their ability to serve as a deterrent to crime. Critics note that

prison sentences should serve as a punishment for offenses and should not be too lenient that

offenders fail to be afraid of it. Duwe (2017) points out that the critics of prison reform are

concerned about the prisons getting too comfortable and less punishing for offenders, which will

make them care much less about the consequences of crime. This concern is relevant because a

prison sentence serves as the main deterrent to crime in any criminal justice system, and thus

compromising it in favor of offenders may reduce its effectiveness. However, a basic and

significant right a prisoner does not get during incarceration is liberty (Duwe, 2017; Toman,

2019). Inmates do not have the freedom of movement or association to carry out many activities

PRISON REFORM 8

because they are limited by tight rules and schedules and lack freedom of choice. Accordingly,

these restrictions are a great punishment to the inmates, prison programming and frequent

visitations are not enough to make incarceration a comfortable alternative to freedom.

PRISON REFORM 9

References

Burke, L. (2019). Blackboard behind bars. Inside Higher ED. Retrieved from

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2019/12/10/online-

education- comes-prisons

Duwe, G. (2017). The use and impact of correctional programming for inmates on pre-and

post-release outcomes. US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs,

National Institute of Justice.

Lopez, G. (2018). The First Step Act, Congress’s criminal justice reform bill, explained.

Vox. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2018/12/3/18122392/first-

step-act- criminal-justice-reform-bill-congress

Obioha, E. E. (2011). Challenges and reforms in the Nigerian prisons system. Journal of Social

Sciences, 27(2), 95-109.

Rubin, A. T. & Deflem, M. (2019). History of the Prison. The Handbook of Social

Control, 277-292.

Farmer, M. (2017). The importance of strengthening prisoners’ family ties to prevent reoffending

and reduce intergenerational crime. Ministry of Justice. Retrieved from

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/importance-of-strengthening-prisoners-

family-ties-to-prevent-reoffending-and-reduce-intergenerational-crime

Kreager, D. A., & Kruttschnitt, C. (2018). Inmate society in the era of mass incarceration.

Annual Review of Criminology, 1, 261-283. doi:10.1146/annurev-criminol-032317-

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Toman, E. L. (2019). The victim–offender overlap behind bars: Linking prison misconduct and

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