skybersonwriting - Tumblr blog

[skybersonwriting]

Who’s Guilty, Them or Us?

Nelson Mandela, a widely known philanthropist often cited alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, once said “No one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” Many corrective facilities which are meant to help and improve inmates, are too often unhygienic, cramped, unsafe’ and ineffective. If prisoners are treated this way, what does this reflect on one's nation? Due to inhumane and disrespectful treatments in corrective facilities, the Federal Government should establish and manage funding in order to improve facilities to better rehabilitate inmates so they can have the opportunity to return to a normal home and workplace.

Cells are often unhygienic and unsafe, yet inmates are forced to spend almost all their time locked in these conditions. Often due to low staffing and funds, inmates spend an excessive amount of time in cells, leading to a deterioration in both physical and mental health. Regulations are often not met: “We expect prisoners to spend at least ten hours out of their cells, but this is rarely achieved and prisoners spend an enormous amount of time locked in their cells.”(“Life in Prison: Living Conditions”). Locking wrongdoers in a tiny, cramped space may seem like a viable solution to crime and drug use, but in reality it does more harm than good. Spending time out of cells gives inmates the opportunity to socialize, participate in team building exorcises, attend workshops and counseling, and even work for money to save up and buy privileges such as television or special food. Spending time locked in cells leads to more time with minimal supervision, causing drug use, fighting among cellmates and staff due to increased frustration, as well as depression and suicidal thoughts and actions. As well as not being able to fulfill their social and mental needs, they are unable to fulfill physical needs. With very little time spent outside cells, inmates rarely have enough time to shower and clean themselves up, collect medication and meals, and speak to family or friends via visitation or telephone. These indecencies are not the only ones prisoners are facing daily. Due to negligence and low funding, corrective facilities are often poorly maintained and filthy, leading to health and safety risks. HM Inspectorate of Prisons states “Common problems with the conditions of cells include the lack of furnishings, broken furniture, poor decoration, damp, damage to flooring, dangerous exposed wiring, graffiti, and litter. Some cells were often infected with vermin.”(“Life in Prison: Living Conditions”). Vermin, which are attracted to the filth the inmates dwell in, can carry deadly diseases, as well as cause further damage to the already deteriorating building’s structure. This, the exposed wiring, damaged flooring, and broken furniture are dangerous not only to the inmates, but the staff as well. These conditions, as well as having major health repercussions, contribute to prisoners’ feelings of worthlessness and lack of motivation to improve. These feelings are part of the many causes of recidivism, contributing to revolving door prisons.

Despite the high number of inmates with mental health issues, specialized care is rarely offered due to inadequate resources, causing the ineffectiveness of corrective facilities. Mental health tests in many corrective facilities are not beneficial for diagnosing disorders, preventing inmates from receiving the accommodations they require. The equipment and staff are not useful: “First, psychologists and psychiatrists who may properly diagnose disorders are in short supply, and screening tools that are typically used in prison settings are not diagnostic tests”(“Mental Health of Prisoners: Identifying Barriers to Mental Health Treatment and Medication Continuity”). Without a proper diagnosis, inmates cannot get the proper treatment. Without proper treatment, already failing rehabilitation measures have even less effect. Instead of diagnostic tests, which properly diagnose inmates, most prisons use basic screenings to gauge the security risk of prisoners. Not only does this depict them as no more than dangers, but also extremely ineffective, leading to high rates of recidivism. due to inadequate mental health treatment in corrective facilities, rehabilitation programs have a higher risk of failing and causing inability of released inmates to adapt to normal life. One article states “Individuals with untreated mental health conditions may be at a higher risk for correctional rehabilitation treatment failure and future recidivism on release from prison”(“Mental Health of Prisoners: Identifying Barriers to Mental Health Treatment and Medication Continuity”). Rehabilitation treatments are already ineffective due to low funding, and inadequate mental health care only worsens the ineffectiveness of the programs. Not only does this prevent them from returning to a normal life, but it affects their wellbeing in the prison as well. Without the proper diagnoses and treatment, many prisoners find their health continuing to deteriorate, leading them back into the prison system.

Parole and rehabilitation programs, in their current state, are not beneficial for prisoner reentry into society, contributing to revolving door prisons. Parole programs are not helpful, leading to an increase in crime and drug use and decrease to public safety. Another article states “A study of fourteen states indicates that mandatory parolees, the largest share of released prisoners, fare no better on supervision than similar prisoners released without supervision” (“Understanding the Challenges of Reentry”). Parole is meant to offer help to released inmates in finding a job and a home, as well as monitor them for relapse into their former life. Currently, it does neither, and parolees are not only getting re-incarcerated, but are disturbing the peace of quiet communities. Due to failing parole programs, released prisoners are returning to their former destructive habits such as theft, vandalism, assault, or drug use. This doesn't just endanger civilians, but can rope others into a life of crime and punishment. Without adequate rehabilitation and parole programs, inmates continue to be released just to be re-incarcerated, leading to wasted state and federal money. “Illinois Returning Home findings show that one-fifth of released prisoners were re-convicted of a new crime within eleven months of release”(“Understanding the challenges of Reentry”). Some may say it’s futile to spend money on those who have made mistakes and let them rot in jails instead of helping them, but less funds will be spent if it is appropriated to improve corrective facilities. It costs quite a lot to house inmates, and due to the failing rehabilitation and parole programs in the justice system, that large cost is ineffective and all for nothing. Each time a released inmate is re-incarcerated, the spending cycle repeats itself, wasting time and money.

As said by Nelson Mandela, “A Nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” If conditions in correctional facilities are unhealthy and dehumanizing, despite high spending and failing parole and rehabilitation programs, what does that say about one’s nation? The Federal Government should establish and manage funding so inmates can return home and stay home. Previous mistakes don’t define people, and even inmates deserve a second chance.