A prison is any restrictive environment often for confining those who are convicted of serious crimes or otherwise considered undesirable to the government. The primary objective of imprisonment is to keep criminals; people who are considered enemies to the welfare of the communities and make them exhibit a full change of behavior. However, for the past few decades, prisons have not been serving the role that they were created for. Instead, they have become meeting points of criminals where they plan for post-prison crimes and instead of changing their behavior, they become even worse (Ernest, 2013, p. 43). Also, environmental conditions for the prisons have worsened over time with increasing rate of congestions and decreasing general hygiene of these setups.
The Foundation of Prisons.
According to research, criminal behavior is as a result of psychological and psychiatric conditions. Two psychologists Skinner and Rotter are at the forefront in explaining the relationship between criminal behavior and prisons. Skinner in her behavior theory model appreciates that different people exhibit different personalities thus different behavior. That tells why people get involved in various crimes. As we interact with different people, either directly or indirectly, we exhibit different learning experiences thus modeling our behavior (Flaxington, 1990, p. 123). Also, behavior can be changed by the society through punishment to reinforce a negative behavior or appreciation of positive behavior through a reward. In this regard, therefore, prisons were invented as an institution where punishment is administered to criminals as a reinforcement for negative behavior. The magnitude of penalty meted to every person should match the type of crime which they have committed. Therefore, prisons should enable an individual exhibit a full revolution and change in behavior from harmful to acceptable conducts in the societal setups. However, this has not been the case with our prisons, many criminals thrive in jail, and over 50 percent of the offenders released from prison are re-arrested within 3 months (Ernest, 2013, p. 198).
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The Prison problem.
Aforementioned, the main reason for a prison is for modeling behavior. However, questions have been raised as to whether the prison systems are efficient and as to whether criminals get rehabilitated while in prison. There is a host of problems that face prisons today; overcrowding, internal prison crimes, the ineffective prison system, hygiene and healthcare, assaults among others (Prisoner's Wives, Girlfriends, and Partners, 2013, p. 56). These problems majorly contribute to the failure of prisons to instill a change in behavior to people. Notably, the prison system is ineffective. According to Skinner, behavior can only be modeled if punishment is administered incorrect amounts and at the required interval. However, the system of our prison around the world does not recognize that fact. As a result, detained criminals instead only get the opportunity to talk to one another, get new criminal ideas, plan crimes while in prison and execute them while they are released from prison (Ernest, 2013, p. 80). Besides, the legal system is occasionally wrong thus innocent victims are convicted of crimes which they have not committed and taken to prison. Through learning experience and interaction explained by Sigmund Fraud in his Freudian theory, these people learn from the criminals who they interact within the prison and finally end up being law-breakers (Baz, 2016, p. 88).
Besides, ineffective administration of supervision and punishment is due to overcrowding. About 3 percent of the world's population is imprisoned, a significant number compared to the prison resources available. The United States for example, host about 2.5 million lawbreakers in their prison facilities. This big number has led to an overcrowding crisis, a condition that has led to more crimes even within the prison facilities (Flaxington, 1990, p. 198). Among the problems include alienated racial fights, assaults, diseases and gang-related issues among others. As the number of offenders increases each day, the prison facilities will not be able to accommodate all of the perpetrators. This crisis has to be solved before they are dangerously crowded. Many offenders behind bars have reportedly complained about hunger and that their constitutional rights are violated since a prison room meant for one or two people currently accommodate well over ten prisoners, a worrying situation. The overcrowding is attributed to the legal system where many offenders are arrested and detained without trial while others are held for life (Baz, 2016, p. 46).
Another problem in prison setup is the detention of mentally ill individuals. According to psychiatrists, criminal behavior is a result of a mental problem. These mental conditions affect their intelligence, emotions, moods and behavior. Such people respond aggressively to provocation even if it's to a lighter degree. About 50 percent of the world's prisoners suffer from mental illness, a condition that threatens lives and welfare of other prisoners (Prisoner's Wives, Girlfriends, and Partners, 2013, p. 67). In this regard, at least one prisoner dies each day, a situation showing that the society has failed to rehabilitate people through detention instead, prison is a rotten milieu where individuals go to continue perpetuating evil.
Also, prison officers have failed to maintain the integrity of their profession. Instead of maintaining offenders, administering necessary treatment and punishment, they have turned to be the supporters of crime. They are the ones involved in smuggling of drugs and deadly weapons into prison facilities. Also, they help offenders behind bars to escape before completing their jail terms and even delete their names from the prison database record (Ernest, 2013, p. 79). The offices similarly entertain the crimes that are perpetuated within the facilities without taking action to the offenders. Therefore, it is accurate to state that there is a significant crisis in our prison environments, a condition that needs attention.
Controversy Surrounding Prisons.
Over the past decades, discussions of opposing opinions have been developed worldwide. Different Sociologist and psychiatrist have presented research about the functionality and systems of prisons and how they mold people. Previously mentioned, Rotter and Skinner's behavioral perspective is the reason behind the belief that prisons can help mold people's criminal behaviors. On the contrary, Sigmund Fraud in his psychodynamic analysis, says that actions are determined by id, ego, and superego. All these qualities are acquired at birth and during the parenting period. The values obtained lives within that individual for a lifetime. The three conditions dictate someone's behavior at adulthood. Therefore, criminal action is as a result of underdeveloped of dysfunctional id, ego or super-ego. Thus, prisons cannot change an individual's behavior. In this regard, hardcore criminals should be arrested and kept away from other members of the society because they cannot be altered (Flaxington, 1990, p. 189). In his view, Fraud suggests that the idea of rehabilitating people through prisons and the system of jail term serving is misguided, ineffective and with a misconception outright. Another psychologist Julian Rotter has a mixed feeling about prisons. He acknowledges that criminals can change from negative to positive behavior if subjected to a change of environment. He says that prisons are one of the unique facilities that have the potential to change criminal behavior if the right conditions and environment are adopted (Pepraglia & Bhatia, 1995, p. 322). On the hand, he warns that with the emerging trends in prison environment, they only provide a favorable environment to thrive in crime. Again, Bandura in his social cognitive theory personality says that reinforcement does not just work as a mechanism for transforming people. He argues that before taking someone to prison, another factor should be considered: the physiological processes within a person. Some people may not need imprisonment instead they need a psychiatric attention to change their behavior. Thus, prisons are not always effective in taming crime (Flaxington, 1990, p. 234).
Over 70 percent of people across the globe believe that the prison system is broken whereas a few others believe that prisons are efficient in performing the task they are meant for. A majority thinks that there are a lot of malpractices and bureaucratic systems within the prison environment that has corrupted the entire processes (Prisoner's Wives, Girlfriends, and Partners, 2013, p. 34). Contrary, the latter thinks that no matter the condition of the prison facility, it can keep the offenders for the required time as the law dictates. The question under debate is as to whether; it is essential just to release them at the end of their jail term still having the same behavior or modify prisons such that offenders can be exposed to conditions that help them exhibit a full change in behavior.
A majority argues that, with the increase in many offenders resulting into congestion, increase in mentally ill prisoners, emerging communicable diseases, and the deteriorating health conditions, the use of prisons to tame behavior is ineffective. The prisoners are also humans, and they have right entitled by law. Nevertheless, these are continually violated. Contrarily, a few people think that the condition of prisons suits criminals. They argue that criminals don't deserve to be entitled to a human environment or rather should not be allowed to any right. Exposing them to such filthy condition is the right punishment for their crimes (Ernest, 2013, p. 29). The primary concern is; what about the people convicted of crimes they did not commit or people who committed less weighty crimes such as hate speech.
My View about Prisons and imprisonment.
Prisons system has failed to deliver the roles they were meant for. The facilities are just meeting places for criminals where they plan crime to perpetuate after the end of their detention term (Baz, 2016, p. 72). There is a host of malpractices within the prison setups. Therefore, the entire process of rehabilitation in prison is frauded and ineffective. The evidence of the failure of the system is seen when a majority of offenders released from prison are re-arrested within a short period due to committing a similar crime which should not be the case. Also, inasmuch as criminals are offenders and should be kept away from people, they are human and deserve a more humane environment compared to our contemporary prison setups (Baz, 2016, p. 34). Some of them are convicted for sins which they did not commit and others are willing to change from negative to positive behavior. Finally, before locking people up, their psychological processes should be determined to identify the right type of treatment not just thrown into prison to mingle.
Solution to the prison problem.
Firstly, the world should adopt private prisons. The private facilities are to be managed by other institutions other than the government although they will work under the supervision of the state. The development will be able to provide excellent guidance to prisoners, able to manage space properly and provide modern facilities for the efficient running of programmers. Health risks will be significantly reduced while offenders with mental issues can be treated (Flaxington, 1990, p. 311). This will enable a massive revolution of a high number of prisoners from negative behavior to positive behavior. Some crimes are caused by mental problems or as a result of retaliation. Therefore, involving in a criminal activity does not guarantee someone to be dangerous to the society (Flaxington, 1990, p. 50). In this regard, instead of punishing people with harsh conditions and punishment, prisons should be transformed into rehabilitation centers where people can exhibit a full transformation of character. This will not only reduce the congestion in the prisons but also will realize a reduction in crime.
References
Baz, D. (2016). Incarceration Nations. A Journey to Justice in Prisons Around the World, Other Press: 44-117.
Ernest, D. (2013). A Plague of Prisons. The Epidemiology of Mass Incarceration in America, The New Press: 12-77.
Flaxington, B. (1990). Understanding Other People: The Five Secrets of Human Behavior. New York: ATA Press.
Pepraglia, J., & Bhatia, M. (1995). Ten Principles to Guide Psychodynamic Technique with Defense Mechanisms. An examination of theory, research, and clinical implication. New York: Kindle Press.
Prisoner's Wives, Girlfriends, and Partners. (2013). Separated by Prison, United by Conviction. A Journal- Revised and Expanded, Routledge: 34-105.
