Prison Overcrowding

Essay # 108345

Criminology > Criminal Justice and Corrections

Prison Overcrowding

Looks at the problem of prison overcrowding in South Africa, Brazilian and India and ways to improve the situation.

860 words () | 2 sources | APA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the overcrowding of prisons in South African, Brazilian and India is a major issue because it causes both direct and indirect problems and dangers for society. The author points out that prison overcrowding drastically increases the sum of money needed to operate prisons. Millions of dollars, which are greatly needed by other government institution, are wasted annually. The paper concludes that, in order to fix the problem of prison overcrowding in these countries, it is imperative to create better rehabilitation programs, sentence fewer inmates to imprisonment and implement capital punishment.

From the Paper:

"Another way to limit the amount of space occupied by non-violent offenders is to let them live outside of the prison walls through electronic monitoring. It costs five dollars a day to track criminals by means of electronic monitoring, as opposed to forty five to fifty five dollars a day which it costs to supervise prisoners in penitentiaries. Electronic monitoring saves the government millions of dollars annually; this money could be used to strengthen the health care system and education system."

Sample of Sources Used:

Carrabine, E., P. Iganski, M. Lee, K. Plummer and N. South (2004) Criminology: A Social
Hirsch, V. A (2003) 'Giving Criminals their Just Deserts', E. McLaughlin, J. Muncie and G. Hughes, Criminological Perspectives: Essential Reading. Sage Publications: London.