Criminal Justice
Specifically, the following rubric criteria must be addressed:
Identify systemic issues.
Explain how systemic issues are handled in this prison.
Describe changes that could be made to lessen systemic issues.
Justify ways to lessen systemic issues.
ANSWER
Systemic Issues in Prisons
Complete this template by replacing the bracketed text with the relevant information. Be sure to cite all references in APA style.
Systemic Issues
| Systemic Issue | How are these systemic issues handled in the prison you have chosen?
(75–100 words each) |
What changes could be made to lessen the effects of these issues?
(100–150 words) |
| Staff absenteeism | New York City has made claims that it is making progress in reducing the systemic issues in Rikers island prison, but it is still faced with violence characterized by chronic staff absenteeism (Bromwich & Ransom, 2022). | Chronic absenteeism in Rikers island is a result of systemic failure. This can be solved by changing the prison system and holding the guards who fail to attend to their duties in the prison accountable. They should be arrested and charged for failure to attend to their duties or fired (Bromwich & Ransom, 2022). This will ensure that the absenteeism is significantly reduced. |
| Inmate Violence | The history of violence in Rikers island prison started during the crack epidemic (Bromwich & Ransom, 2021). The overcrowding during the overcrowding led to the lower guards being allowed to use violence against the prisoners. This tradition has continued over the years, with the power shifting to the gang leaders within the prison. | The violence in Rikers island is a result of overcrowding in the facility and mismanagement. Many guards in the facility have been deployed to safer roles, such as secretaries. This needs to be put to a stop, and the facility needs to be managed better. They can start by reducing the number of inmates and ensuring that the guards in the facility are doing their work. They can also introduce new non-violent methods of correction to reduce the violence in the prison. There are other ways of breaking fights among prisoners that do not involve brutality. |
| Prison Overcrowding | So far, the prison has not been doing anything to solve the overcrowding on Rikers island. | Rikers island is both a prison and a jail. This is because it hosts those who have been convicted for less than a year and those who are awaiting trial. Prison overcrowding can be reduced in this case if the prisoners who are presumed innocent until proven guilty are moved to other facilities or those who are not a threat to society are released. This will reduce the number of inmates, thus reducing the overcrowding in the facility. |
Personal Approach
I do not believe in rehabilitation more than I believe in the other forms of punishment. A prison such as Rikers island hosts many innocent people, but they still suffer through a failing corrections system. The aim should be to correct behavior instead of punishing. Punishment is not effective as, in most cases, they will likely repeat the same mistake after punishment. The US prison system is an example of what punishment does to people. Most people who go through the system find it hard to return to their normal lives. This is because of the stigma they experience after going to prison. Instead of punishment, the behavior should be corrected, and they should be prepared for reintegration into society. Punishment should only be applied in cases where rehabilitation has failed.
References
Bromwich, J.E. & Ransom, J. (2022). Rikers Still ‘Unstable and Unsafe’ Under New Jails Chief, Watchdog Says. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/16/nyregion/rikers-jail-violence-report.html
Bromwich, J.E. & Ransom, J. (2021). Inside Rikers: Dysfunction, Lawlessness, and Detainees in Control. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/11/nyregion/rikers-detainees-correction-officers.html
