Overcrowding And Its Effects On The United States Prison...

Overcrowding prisons are an issue that has been influencing the United States prison population for decades, however what is the true significance of overcrowding. As indicated by Jeff Bleich (1989) â€Å"the term overcrowding is repetitive, since crowding already refers to a higher level of social density than is desired†. An overcrowded prison is a shocking condition that causes outrage and dissatisfaction among detainees (Haney, 2014). This condition is so undesirable that one can consider it as unconstitutional. An overcrowded prison is commonly recognized as being the fundamental explanation behind appalling misconduct and the expansion of recidivism. According to Wagner and Sakala (2014), United States prison system â€Å"hold more than 2.4†¦show more content†¦According to Audrey Williams (2014), â€Å"one of the main factor of overcrowding is due to the development of harsher drug penalty law†. In 1968, â€Å"President Nixon administration declared â€Å"war on drugs†, it was implemented to help the possession of drugs off the streets, cracking down on drug distribution† (Moore Elkavich, 2008). Who is affected by the â€Å"war on drugs†, according to Moore Elkavich (2008), â€Å"Blacks and Whites (7.4% and 7.2%, respectively) and lower for Latinos (6.4%), the number of White drug users is vastly greater than that of drug users of color because White people are a larger share of the population†. Statistics from The Drug War, Mass Incarceration and Race (2016) indicate, â€Å"1.5 million drug arrests in the U.S. in 2014 and more than 80% were for drug possession only†. The report additionally stated that â€Å"5 More than 50 percent of people in federal prisons are incarcerated for drug law violations† (The Drug War, Mass Incarceration and Race, 2016). Based on this report, this operation evidently did what it was proposed to do, ye t having an adverse effect on prison overcrowding. Having said before about the high of recidivism, detainees investing more time in prison can profoundly affect their future, particularly youthful adults. This growing population increases the health risk factors for prison staff and inmates. One example in particular isShow MoreRelatedPrison Overcrowding : The United States1535 Words   |  7 Pages 2017 Prison Overcrowding The United States has the highest number of incarcerated individuals than other countries. Offenders are arrested every day for minor and major offences such as murder. America is hard on crime. When someone breaks the law the criminal justice’s system seeks an eye for an eye. 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