critical essay 1300wrods

Zihao Song

Proposal

Project Title: Prison overcrowding- causes impacts and solutions. 


Thesis statement: with the rising cases of inmates’ deaths it is logic to ask ourselves several

questions that might lead us to land on the solution to prison overcrowding problem. The inmates

are not the only people with the problem when it comes to prison overcrowding; the correctional

institution staffs and the state are part of it. The paper will focus on the cause of prison over-

crowding and the impacts on the inmates and the society as a whole.




Introduction

The miserable conditions existing in prisons are quite alarming, and such issues have

been addressed time to time. The present correctional systems are still struggling to deal with

some of the same problems experienced in the past while prison conditions have improved con-

siderably in many ways. Coupled demand for lower costs, prison, and jail overcrowding keep on

haunting many countries and have led to living space for the inmates growing smaller each day.

Some exceed capacity since not just are institutions operating at maximum capacity (Pitts, Grif-

fin III, and Johnson 125).

It forces inmates to live in a small area or even cohabit in dormitories that are open.

However, there are impacts on prisoners who live in a crowded prison as well as the staff indi-

rectly. Contradictory to the present correctional reforms that emphasize on maximizing the op-

Zihao Song

portunities available for inmates have viewed such overcrowding conditions as degrading and

dehumanizing for the prisoners (MacDonald, Greifinger, and Kane). The central questions the

paper intends to find answers are:

• Is prison overcrowding a state or global crisis?

• How does overcrowding impact the society?

• What cause prison overcrowding and what effect on the inmates?

• Are there any solutions to the challenges that have been laid or implemented by the Unit-

ed States government?

The topic interests me because, one the problem is a national crisis, and someone needs to

take responsibility. Second, my niece got in trouble and was serving five years in prison, and

while I made visits, it got me thinking that there is a problem somewhere that needs to be in the

spotlight. The conditions are not conducive in the prisons and action needs to be taken before

more deaths of inmates happen (Levan).

People need to learn and know more about the topic because they could find themselves in

such a position or anybody close to them, and, therefore, it would be right to bring awareness to

the people of the clear picture of the correctional facilities. In this research, I tend to use sec-

ondary sources through reviewing previously done research and relating to the topic. The col-

lected information will be presented in tables and graphs form. The target population for the re-

search will be the inmates, the correctional facilities staff, and the community as a whole.

Zihao Song

Works Cited

Levan, Kristine. Prison Violence: Causes, Consequences and Solutions. Ashgate Publishing,

Ltd., 2012. Google Scholar. Web. 13 Sept. 2015.

MacDonald, Morag, Robert Greifinger, and David Kane. “The Impact of Overcrowding.” In-

ternational Journal of Prisoner Health 8.1 (2012): n. pag. Google Scholar. Web. 13 Sept.

2015.

Pitts, James MA, O. Hayden Griffin III, and W. Wesley Johnson. “Contemporary Prison Over-

crowding: Short-Term Fixes to a Perpetual Problem.” Contemporary Justice Review 17.1

(2014): 124–139. Print.