The Failing Punitive System Of Today s Society - 1298 Words

Julia Schulman Ms. Roberts English 10-7* February 17, 2017 The Failing Punitive System of Today’s Society As a society, prisoners terrify us. We are scared of the rigid box that we’ve forced them into through their portrayal in television, news, and other sources of media. The answer to this issue may lie in the punitive system of our country, that focuses on revenge instead of rehabilitation, and admits a recidivism rate of 76.6 percent. (Vera Institute of Technology, â€Å"The Price of Prisons†). With statistics that frightening, how can we be expected to treat criminals like functioning members of society when statistics prove otherwise? We must change the facts. Through the decrease of the maximum time in Solitary confinement, the†¦show more content†¦From the same source, a former prisoner, Joe, states, â€Å" The cell became pitch black. I stayed like that for ten days†¦ I was locked in the cell for 23 hours a day. Some guys would go months without rec or shower.† These are human beings that we have promised the right against â€Å"Cruel and Unus ual Punishment.† I believe this constitutes as a major violation. This could cause numerous lawsuits and cost the judicial system our tax money. The New York Times stated on January 4, 2016 that, â€Å"What goes on inside these prisons is largely hidden from view, and there is little accountability for wrongdoing.† While there has been a successful movement toward police transparency, prisons are largely neglected. â€Å"The state pointed out in a 2006 audit that the commission had essentially defaulted on that responsibility. Nine years later, little has changed.† (New York Times, â€Å"What’s Going on in Our Prisons.†) It seems as if there are not many people checking on the higher-uppers in prisons. It creates a situation in which unlimited power is given. This psychological phenomenon is best conveyed by the famous Stanford Prison Experiment, created by Philip Zimbardo. In his book, â€Å"The Lucifer Effect,† he explains how treating a person in a certain way, can prompt them to act like what is expected. Zimbardo’s study was composed of young men who took on the role as either guard or prisoner. It was shut down within six daysShow MoreRelatedâ€Å"â€Å"Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a1300 Words   |  6 Pagesschool this was founded in 1925. The Supreme Court of the U.S has held that parents have a fundamental right to rear their children without undue interference by the government. Parenting carries significant legal responsibilities. In the late 1980’s California and other states passed laws aimed at reducing what states saw as an epidemic of gang-related crimes by youths. Most parental responsibility punishes parents for what they haven’t done. The laws make parents criminally reliable because ofRead MoreThe School Of Prison Pipeline : Rhetoric Or Reality By Aaron Kupchik Essay1318 Words   |  6 Pages1. In the article, The School-to-Prison Pipeline: Rhetoric or Reality, by Aaron Kupchik, he discusses youth introduction to the juvenile justice system. The article argue s that schools do in fact shape a child’s interaction with the system and it has to do with the school’s discipline, which Kupchik describes using â€Å"the school-to-prison pipeline† metaphor. The article delves into the unhealthy changes which schools have implemented to their discipline that promote the pipeline. He concludes by proposingRead MoreThe Government And Its Effects On The Minority Report By Philip K. Dick1399 Words   |  6 Pages The government plays a major role in dystopic stories and novels, and as these stories start to unfold, one can see the flaws in which how government works and how if effects the rest of society. 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Despite efforts for reform, one still cannot overlook the nature of modern torts and fail to see a convoluted system of rules and laws that has seized the efficiency, fairness and original purpose of tort law. The issue of the functionality and practicality of modern tort law has ripened in recent years. Skyrocketing insurance claims, fraud and collusionRead MorePrison System : Who Is Right?2263 Words   |  10 PagesLakeisha Clayborne Professor Alexander Tolj ENG Comp 111 22 April 2016 Prison System: Who is Right? The Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica defines prison as an institution for the confinement of persons whom have been remanded into custody by a judicial authority, or who have been deprived of their liberty following conviction for a crime. There are several accepted reasons for the use of imprisonment, with the individual reasons able to include one or several of them: †¢ One approach aims to deter those who