American Prison Reform

"Once an individual has been convicted of a criminal offence the government has the right to administer a sanction." (Criminal Justice, p. 209) While this may be anything from a fine to incarceration, in the past century imprisonment has been the favored option. During the 1960's and 70's when there was little emphasis on the prison system and incarceration, crime rates soared. Yet by the mid-1970's when the prison population increased along with the number of sentences given, crime rates dropped dramatically. These statistics show that there is a clear connection between a rise in imprisonment and a decrease in crime, yet people still a question whether prisons are effective. Except the debate should not be if prisons are effective, more accurately how can prisons be made more effective. Whereas the American Prison System has changed dramatically since the early 20th century, the system is still in dire need of reform.…