Goals and Programs
The ultimate goal of sentencing is to change the character of someone who has violated social norms by committing an offense. To put it another way, when someone commits a crime that goes too far beyond the norm of society and poses a potential threat to those who can function as productive members of society, we move from rehabilitation, which reintegrates the person back into normal society, into relocation, which is the process of prisons and prison societies being formed (Graham & McIvor, 2017). Suppose we can reform individuals through programs such as rehabilitation linked to the issue they are facing. We will have accomplished our goal, whether drug and alcohol-related or just providing them with life directions, for instance, how juvenile probation officers could act. It is customary for sentencing to be followed by two types of rehabilitation programs: those that are unsuccessful in rehabilitating themselves and those that are successful in rehabilitating themselves and being put back into society after the sentence.
Impact of Sentencing Structures
The goal of sentencing systems is to get harsher as the number of crimes increases. Using this framework for crimes involving drug abuse may be considered more harmful to the person than the harm they have done to society due to their actions. Models like this one can be used to “three strikes, and you’re out” rules, in which offenders who commit three or more offenses face harsher penalties than they would otherwise face (Abraham et al., 2020). Because they believe that they have no other option than to embrace a more criminally inclined lifestyle after being jailed, persons who may not have otherwise moved to more serious crimes do so after serving additional time in prison (Graham & McIvor, 2017). The third sort of sentencing that might lead to the same issues as three-strike regulations are minimal sentencing, which requires a judge to impose a minimum term on a person for a specific offense when the focus is on prosecuting individuals with drug-related crimes becomes increasingly prevalent in society.
Invisible Punishment
Invisible penalties are those that are focused on the long-term consequences of having one’s criminal record after he has completed his sentence and has been reintegrated into society. Background checks are unquestionably required for certain occupations, such as law enforcement or the medical industry (Regenstreif et al., 2022). It is suggested that some employers should not be authorized to inquire about a person’s criminal past and that the option that allows for background checks on a person should be removed from the application. The stigma attached to a person who has committed a crime accompanies them throughout their whole life.
Structure and Logistics of Correctional Facilities
Processing
An individual’s processing or intake procedure in a correctional facility begins when they are admitted as inmates within the facility’s boundaries. Suicidal or homicidal tendencies are often screened for in this case. They’ll be put through a series of tests to establish their level of danger to other convicts, staff, and even themselves. They will then be sent to a secure facility where they will be held among other convicts going through the intake procedure (Regenstreif et al., 2022). Instead of being part of the main population unit, this is a more secure institution section. The inmate may be reviewed by a supervisory member of the security staff or a professional mental health adviser before being sent to a less restricted unit where they can engage in the facility’s activities to facilitate their circumstances.
Structure
The physical layout of prisons varies based on the kind of facility. In many circumstances, the security methods will also be consistent with the level of security provided by the jail system (Graham & McIvor, 2017). The constructions used to imprison convicts range from campus-style structures to courtyard-style locations and large multilevel complexes to impede further efforts to evade capture. A wide range of advantages and disadvantages may be found in each of these types of prison design, including the fact that convicts with physical restrictions may have a harder time moving throughout the prison complex.
Age-Related Diversity
When it comes to long-term correctional institutions, age has always been a concern, ever since jails were first used to imprison criminals for a longer period, such as those serving life sentences (Regenstreif et al., 2022). Suppose an inmate becomes older or even becomes elderly. Consequently, facilities must expand their healthcare capabilities, effectively and efficiently generating an aided living facility within a jail or a higher caliber sick-ward.
Systemic Issues
Impact of Diversity
The presence of diversity in jails can be observed, with a greater proportion of the prison population belonging to a minority group. The reality that gangs based on race emerge within jails and can explode into violence in many circumstances is a significant consideration within the prison system (Graham & McIvor, 2017). Sentencing reform is also an issue, as well as whether or not certain sections of the country should work on programs to prevent persons in those regions from being detained for long periods, which would have an enormous financial impact on our residents.
Rise of Incarceration and Reduction Strategies
Since the beginning of the war on drugs, there has been an increase in people incarcerated. This has increased the number of persons serving lengthy prison sentences, not only for those involved in drug production but for everyone participating in any unlawful activity (Regenstreif et al., 2022). According to the most recent statistics, there has also been an increase in the number of people serving long prison sentences for drug crimes who were not involved in the trade but who were deemed compliant with it.
Prison Culture
The prison culture may be extremely harmful to both inmates and employees. It is a recipe for violence when many dangerous persons are housed together in one facility. This violence can take various forms, from physical and psychological abuse to sexual assault (BOP Statistics, 2021). It is impossible to keep track of every aspect of jail in a huge institution. When cameras monitor an area, it does not necessarily follow a staff member watching the cameras. It is impossible to monitor every connection in real-time, and as a result, prisons have established the tendency of being reactive to crimes rather than proactive because of this. Even with legislation like the Prison Rape Elimination Act, it is still difficult to prevent all crime or sexual crime in jails (PREA). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the sensation of being institutionalized are some of the challenges that convicts face after being released from jail.
References
Abraham, L. A., Brown, T. C., & Thomas, S. A. (2020). How COVID-19’s disruption of the US correctional system provides an opportunity for decarceration. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 45(4), 780-792.
Graham, H., & McIvor, G. (2017). Advancing electronic monitoring in Scotland: Understanding the influences of localism and professional ideologies. European Journal of Probation, 9(1), 62-79.
Regenstreif, L., Sadik, M., Beaulieu, E., Bodkin, C., Kiefer, L., Guenter, D., … & Kouyoumdjian, F. G. (2022). Buprenorphine/naloxone access for people with opioid use disorder in correctional facilities: steps to support knowledge translation. Health & Justice, 10(1), 1-7.
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