Overview
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ASSIGNMENT: Please respond to the classmate’s discussion post below:
Vivian Barker:
I believe there are a multitude of reasons as to why we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of individuals serving time in prison. There is no single answer to this issue, nor is there a single solution. Although, I believe in order to establish a meaningful discussion to build upon, it is important that I incorporate my perspective into what I deem as a leading variable in this issue. One of the most influential factors in the rise in prison population is an overuse of criminal punishment. I believe this point is supported effectively within a PBS newscast provided alongside the prompt for this discussion. The story included an in-depth discussion involving Nicholas Turner of the Vera Institute of Justice, in which the progression of prison sentencing and number of incidents was evaluated. Turner begins by stating that since “the early 1970s, [we've] been on what some would describe as a binge in this Country- a reliance on incarceration and on confinement, a primary strategy to keep people safe. That's been the argument… for the past 40 years the number of people in jail and prison in this Country has gone up almost 400%”
(PBS NewsHour, 2015, 0:56). This point really stood out to me, as this issue can be traced farther back than most would realize, and the numbers behind this increase certainly don't lie. Not only this, but it is clear to see that overreliance on confinement truly must be at least partial to this dilemma, otherwise we would see other resources being used in place of these punishments. Further, Turner suggests localities run jail systems, so we must encourage the use of initiatives that seek to reduce incarceration (PBS NewsHour, 2015). For example, the diversion of law enforcement strategies, in which authorities avoid placing individuals in jail, may utilize other resources in order to uphold laws more diplomatically (PBS NewsHour, 2015). This would mean that instead of locking people up who may lack the resources to get out of jail, we explore options that acknowledge limiting factors for individuals facing poverty or mental health concerns. I do have some understanding that these issues are a lot more complex than they may appear, so my point is not to suggest the simplicity of changing these processes, but the urgency of it. This investigation, and the points made by Turner create a clear picture- one in which we see individuals face unreasonable sentencing and confinement as opposed to a more therapeutic or solution-oriented approach. I believe we must move away from these practices that fail to incite positive change, and do not seek rehabilitation.
Resources
PBS NewsHour. (2015, February 16). How poverty and mental illness are putting more people behind bars [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbR9rq2KEIU