Supermax Prisons

Supermax Prisons and Their Adverse Effects Introduction Due to increase detestation rates and the extensive belief that rehabilitative programs for confidence tricks do not mold, a new and harsher method for prisons is organism utilized. Instead of scattering the vanquish criminals, they atomic number 18 being consolidated into Supermax prisons. Supermax prisons argon state of the art penitentiaries meant to fill only the worst of the worst criminals and inmates that cannot be trusted in lawful prisons. in that respect are strict regulations and policies to control inmates time for communication, recreation, visiting, religious practices, and procreation even more(prenominal) than fixity prisons.More often than not, inmates in supermax prisons spend 23 hours of every day locked in a small cell (Hickey pg. 160). Supermax prisons work upon the premise that the most violent and disorderly inmates can be discontinue controlled by separation, restricted movement, and limite d access to staff and other inmates (Hickey pg. 167). maculation supermax prisons are believed to reduce crime and increase safety, there are questions of whether or not this is actually the case. Compare/Contrast review articleSupermax prisons are considered effective because they consolidate the most violent criminals and allow for other prisons to function more safely and more normally for both staff and inmates. However the inmates cannot just be consolidated and held to the same standards as regular prisons, as was revealed at Marion in 1980 when the operation began to show clear signs of the underlying stresses of using this quasi-normal governance to postulate with such aggressive offenders (Hickey pg. 164). In response, a new and more sophisticate facility was created to cater to the mellow- warranter needs of a prison with extremely solemn inmates.These newer facilities were created to control the inmates behavior until they demonstrate that they can be moved plunk for to a handed- go across open-population penitentiary (Hickey pg. 165). While incarcerated at supermax prisons, the inmates are handcuffed around staff, eat and exercise alone, and are kept in their cells for most of the day. As prisoners be clear salutary, they are given more and more privileges until they are deemed safe enough to overtake to regular prisons. Additionally, there is a some(prenominal) higher staff to inmate ratio than at normal prisons.All services that are required are available and operations are consistent with constitutional requirements related to conditions and confinement (Hickey pg. 166). After chokeing to regular penitentiaries from a supermax prison, 80% of former inmates behave well enough that they do not return to the supermax prison. Supermax prisons provide a level of safety and security for both staff and inmates that other prisons cannot provide. On the other hand, there is a dark side and harsh reality to supermax prisons besides the obvio us high costs of maintaining the prisons that are funded by tax payers.While supermax prisons claim to uphold the prisoners constitutional rights, there are many claims that state other than ranging from the denial of medical care to illegal censorship of mailprison guards have testified to shackling prisoners to their beds and spraying them with high-pressure fire hoses (Hickey pg. 169). The placement of inmates at certain(p) levels of security and confinement based upon behavior is arbitrary. The guards determine what is good and heavy(p) behavior, and their reasons could be as menial as refusing to make beds or complain ab out(p) clogged and overflowing toilets (Hickey pg. 169).Additionally, the amount of control that the inmates are pose under (near 24-hour isolation, short(p) to no physical contact between visitors and inmates and highly limited and scheduled outdoor recreation time) creates an environment that is psychologically enfeeble and harmful to personal and social i dentities. Rehabilitation is go down aside and replaced with ambition between the inmates for privileges, fostering a hostile environment. The amount of frustration, deprivation, and despair that inmates blend do not create less violent inmates, moreover something much more d impatienceous (at the least(prenominal), more angry).Fighting violence with more violence is not workingsupermax prisons are not reducing crime or safety. Critique of the Debate Supermax prisons are a good cerebration on paper. However, in practice, supermax prisons do not work. In a contrasting example, there are many soldiers returning from war. They are greeted by family, strangers buy food for them out of gratitude for their service, and there are programs and support groups that swear out them return to normal ship canal of manners. Still, the transition from the life of a soldier in combat buns to the civilian world is not easy. However, these issues are recognized and respected in many forms of support.On the other hand, for the increasingly large amount of criminals who are move to supermax prisons for breaking the law, the preparation and actual transition from prison life back to regular association is not widely recognized or respected, with little or no support. There are few credible methods or support groups that truly help previous convicts return to normal life, in particular in comparison to a soldier returning from war. Additionally, individuals that are evaluate members of society greet the returning convicts with trepidation and suspicion because of the belief at one time a thief, al routes a thief. Consequently, the convicts return to society and normal life is nearly impossible and recommitting criminal acts is expected. While the return of a criminal from prison should not be honored the way a soldier is honored when returning from deployment, a criminal should have similar rehabilitative and re-immersion programs and support groups. With the levels of confinement being dictated by arbitrary rules and expectations set in place by guards, inmates behave well only because they want privileges and rewards quite a than to actually improve themselves.Using a reward-punishment system does not develop character or help prisoners in their eventual(prenominal) assimilation back into society. When inmates are tone endingd from prison, they need to return better than they were in front prison or else they will just end up in prison again. In order for this to be accomplished, a more holistic view of crime control needs to be set in order and there needs to be more of a accent on community and restoration and less on imprisonment (Hickey pg. 174). The unify States has been using prisons for centuries now and imprisonment rates have only increase throughout history.Perhaps the answer to reducing crime is not in the tralatitious idea of fear of punishment, that the United States seems to be stuck on the idea of using prisons and impriso nment to thwart crime nevertheless. In a hone world, criminals will be sent to prison, spend their time there wisely, and return to society a changed people. However, in reality, inmates are being released from prison worsened off than when they entered the prison. Not seeing or interacting with another human being creates a disconnection from humanity.For the inmate, being kept totally separated and spaced from everyone, there must inevitably be a sense of anger and resentment towards the system that should be helping them and at the very least be showing them how to act properly in society upon their release from prison. Additionally, controlling every aspect of a persons life is not productive or educational. Learning from mistakes is a part of life, tho supermax prisons have nothing to offer in terms of learning. Since the inmates have all the way made mistakes (they are in prison after all), they should be educated on how to learn and grow from their mistakes.Instead, they are just put down as failures and expected to continue failing. However, as supermax prisons become more and more popular, rehabilitative programs and the inmates humanity are being set aside for safer conditions and security. The idea that you have to sacrifice either the humanity of the inmate or the safety of the staff would imply that the system is severely blemish. There has to be a better way to punish criminals, but similarly rehabilitate them. Conclusion The current penal system that the United States has is flawed and supermax prisons are simply not as effective as was expected.The traditional use of prisons and imprisonment as a way to deter crime is not (nor has it ever been) actually successful at reducing crime, but for some reason we keep to the same plan and modify it rather than take a whole new approach. A person who goes to prison should not want or need to commit deviance after leaving prisonthey should leave a changed person. Society should strive to help the person returning from prison similar to the way soldiers are aided upon their return to the United States.Instead, society remains adamant in continuing to punish and then ignore those who commit crimes which in end creates a never ending cycle of deviance. The system for punishing criminals needs to change, but how society views the punishment of criminals needs to change as well. Instead of commission on revenge and justice, the focus needs to be on reclamation and development. Works Cited Hickey, T. (2012). Taking sides Clashing views in crime and criminology. (10th ed. ). New York, NY McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.