Deincarceration VS Incarceration

By Misun

  The United States needs to reform its prison system because too many criminals are in prison. According to the article of Fixing America's Broken Prisons in 2015, because of the "crack epidemic" of the 1980s and the harsh "three strike" systems, the U.S. crime rates have been skyrocketing. These strict regulations have been used to justify disproportionately long prison terms for minor offenders. It is unreasonable for the criminals, and for the government which has to pay for the operation prison. Therefore, it needs to change, especially the prison sentences for drug crimes, burglars, and less serious crimes but not on felonies, rapists and violent offensives. The U.S should help misdemeanor criminals to live independently in their life rather than just put them away from a long time.

  In addition, the U.S "recidivism" rates are very high. The author claimed that 60 percent of inmates released from prison find themselves back behind bars. The article said that the U.S. government should give more chances to inmates to reintegrate into society after they released. It is a good idea and will decrease the criminal rates. The author gave some examples of states such as Texas, Kansas, and Louisiana, which are red and conservative states, which have gradually expanded probation programs, gradual re-entry programs, and drug treatment for inmates. This is a good prison reform also may help to reduce criminal rates. Giving offenders a chance to learn new skills can be a good solution to reduce recidivism. In South Korea, for instance, prisoners are given the chance to learn one technical skills such as mechanics, cooking and aesthetic techniques like hair beauty. There are even some factories in which criminals learn to work together in the factory which in prison, and where they get make their own incomes from the labor in the factories and also government can get some profits from operating the factories. The U.S prison system could learn from other developed countries like S.Korea and enact some prison policy reform to make better solutions.