What is the number one problem with the corrections system in America?

Robert P

It simply doesn't seem to be correcting anything. All the other answers contribute to that but the big problem is letting criminals out to become criminals again.

stanggt3

wasting prision space with drug USERS and POSSESORS and letting the violent criminals off with probation

gcbtrading

The incarceration of non-violent criminals.
Prisons should be a place to protect society from potentially violent criminals. All others should get community service work details.

bergy_us

overcrowding

The number one would probably be that there isn't enough room for the amount of people who commit crimes.

But I think another major problem is the punishment doesn't always fit the crime. Too many people are getting away with their crimes.

anothercrazyho

Corrections can't really make up for all the damage done by television and lousy schools and divorce, ect.

Reckless

Not hard enough on child molesters and rapists

Erica, AKA Stretch

The biggest issue is people re-offending and returning to prison. Here in New Hampshire the biggest reason for re-offending is lack of proper transitional programs. Here in NH they do not offer education or vocational programs for inmates who returning back to society.

Many people with a felony have great difficulties finding a good paying job and suitable housing. Because of low paying jobs and housing in run down part of town, these individuals go back to what they know...life of crime.

Lack of education, transitional programs, and funding are the biggest reasons for re-offenders going back to prison. More than 50% of individuals who are incarerated are in prison due to non-violent crimes and probabtion violations.

The answer is 42.

Incarceration of all non-violent criminals.

All non-violent criminals can be let out on the street again with a tracking device (that fit's around the leg). This serves several purposes:

(a) Violent criminals can stay in longer behind bars since that would open up space.

(b) Non-violent criminals won't be stuck together with violent criminals and become a violent criminal when released.

(c) It's embarrassing to have the tracker on, so it would be an incentive not to commit a crime again.

slimdude142

The overcrowding of inmates, in the penal system in the Unites States. Those who are only convicted of misdemeanors or non-violent crimes, should perform some kind of community service work.

jurydoc

I believe the number one problem with the corrections system in America is that as a matter of policy we have never determined what, specifically, it is that we want them to DO. There are MANY possible goals for punishment. Among them are general deterrence, specific deterrence, rehabilitation, retribution, incapacitation, moral outrage, etc. Some of these goals are mutually exclusive, yet at various times throughout history up to and including today, prisons have been designed to carry out any and all of these purposes. Add to that the problems of the criminalization of mental illness, the deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill in the 1970's resulting in their being confined in correctional institutions instead of mental health facilities and the overpopulation that others have mentioned, it is no wonder people are dissatisfied with our corrections systems.

Glen B

Overcrowded prisons and lack of trained/professional staff.

LJ85

overpopulation

clambacke

It's overloaded, 200,000 additional each year. The USA has the highest incarceration rate in the free world, thanks to guns and the violent Cowboy mentality. At any given day, over 7 million US citizens are behind bars.

Robert P

not enough cells !!! bleeding heart liberals that think EVERYONE can be rehabilitated... and not enough states with death penalties!

Geoff C

The biggest problem with it is the prisioners are treated like they are at day camp. They need to just sit in their cell with one hour out a day for exercise. No TV and limited reading materials (education material and news they do not need entertainment stuff) It needs to become more of a punishment to go to prision and less of a resort.

If it is not enjoyable to go to people will think before they do something that might send them back and that would take care of some of the other problems like overcrowding.

Look at the sheriff's who is so tough on his inmates he has a very low reoucouring offense rate. way lower than any other place in the states.

eentweedrievier2007

The fact that drugs are being smuggled into a prison. Please, people, the only way drugs can get into a prison is if the people running the prison are in on the deal, too.

Malgorzata B

Prisons are overcrowded. How can you talk about correction when criminals are piled on top of each other in small spaces.

man_marathon

not enough death sentences being carried out, the appeal system should be shortened to 90 days,everyone else should be working in chain gangs, unless they volunteer for medical experiments otr the draft in the military

raichasays

Criminals.

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