Subject: The Criminal Justice System
Topic: Prisons
Overview
Prisons are society's last defense against violent individuals. When an
individual has demonstrated the capacity to kill or maim without remorse,
society has no choice but to protect itself from that person. No amount
of police, security cameras, burglar alarms, or well lit areas can stop
an individual who is prone to violent crime. The government has a responsibility
to protect its citizens and the only way the government can insure the
public's safety is to put violent criminals behind bars.
During the past few decades, public safety has been sacrificed as prisons
have come under attack for being inhumane. As a result of these attacks,
incarceration rates have fallen dramatically. In 1960, there were 738 people
in prison for every one thousand crimes. By 1980, there were only 227 people
in prison for every one thousand crimes. Corresponding to this decrease
in incarceration rates is a very sharp increase in
violent crime rates. From 1960-1979 the violent crime rate in America went
up a shocking 900%.
Even as incarceration rates have fallen, prison costs have increased. Our
prisons have been turned into public subsidized hotels. Prisoners have
obtained the right to live better than many of America's hard working citizens.
Prisoners have exercise and weight rooms, cable TV, VCRs, and unlimited
free phone calls. For many criminals, life on the "inside" is
preferable to life on the "outside."
Related Writings
General Accounting Office Studies
Prisoner Food Stamp Fraud
A new General Accounting Office (GAO) reports suggests that tens of thousands
of prisoners around the country are collecting food stamps while they are
behind bars. Although it is illegal for people to receive food stamps
or other welfare benefits while in prison, the GAO studied a handful of
prisons in New York, California, Florida and Texas and found over 12,000
prisoners on food-stamp rolls.
The House Agriculture Committee is considering new legislation to ensure
that states drop prisoners from food-stamp rolls. "We think
that this is an outrageous use of scarce public resources" said Agriculture
Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Smith, referring to the millions in food-stamp
"overpayments" to prisoners.
-Washington Times March 11, 1997 page A8.