Prior to this time prisons were "used largely for persons awaiting trial and other punishments and for debtors…." (Johnston) But with the advent of these new systems, a whole new era emerged in prison design, purpose, and administration
Not surprisingly, then, those confined in the nation's correctional facilities continue to lack adequate health care services (Droes, 1994).Furthermore, not only is the nation's prison population growing older and requiring geriatric healthcare services (Beger & Erger, 2002, a disproportionate percentage of those serving time in the nation's prisons tend to suffer from a wide range of mental health issues which can reasonably be expected to become further exacerbated in such conditions (Doyle, 1999)
Over the past two decades, the nation's prison population has skyrocketed and it continues to increase at alarming rates. While policymakers across the country are calling for stricter laws and lengthier prison sentences, the system has become stretched to its limit and many institutions have been reduced to little more than secure warehouses for people (Buck, 2000)
Not surprisingly, then, those confined in the nation's correctional facilities continue to lack adequate health care services (Droes, 1994).Furthermore, not only is the nation's prison population growing older and requiring geriatric healthcare services (Beger & Erger, 2002, a disproportionate percentage of those serving time in the nation's prisons tend to suffer from a wide range of mental health issues which can reasonably be expected to become further exacerbated in such conditions (Doyle, 1999)
10). Not surprisingly, then, those confined in the nation's correctional facilities continue to lack adequate health care services (Droes, 1994)
1 million people, or approximately one in every 138 U.S. residents (McDonough, 2006)
29). In what way is the size of the sample used adequate? While quantitative analyses require larger samples to ensure reliability and validity (Neuman, 2003), a qualitative study of this nature can draw important insights from a representative sampling of 30 psychiatric nurses specifically employed in a prison setting
Furthermore, not only is the nation's prison population growing older and requiring geriatric healthcare services (Beger & Erger, 2002, a disproportionate percentage of those serving time in the nation's prisons tend to suffer from a wide range of mental health issues which can reasonably be expected to become further exacerbated in such conditions (Doyle, 1999). Complicating the problem for prison healthcare practitioners is the fact that some inmates may attempt to conceal the fact that they have a serious mental health problem as, for example, in the case of the highly encapsulated delusional system of the morbidly jealous or psychotically deluded individual; in fact, the results of a study published in 1991 found a small number of inmates whose psychotic delusions appeared to be quite unknown to the prison staff (Prins, 2005)
) There were 7700 self-harm incidents in the first half of 2003, including a quarter of all women in local prisons -- a 30% increase on the previous year. During 2003, 94 people committed suicide: over a third of these were awaiting trial, and 40% took their own lives within their first month of custody (Davies 378)
These include: tougher criminal policies that view imprisonment as a primary means of punishing criminals. Included in this is "a trend toward longer sentences reflecting a reaffirmation of the value of punishment and a movement toward more determinate sentences and restrictions on early release, thereby reducing the ability of prison administrations to deal with overcrowding problems" (Giertz & Nardulli 71) in addition, there is a reduced use of bail and a failure to fully implement early release programs, an increase in crime rates in many countries, and an overburdened, inefficient criminal justice system ("Addressing Prison")
Both developed and developing nations are experiencing prisons that are filled to up to 300% of their capacity. In the United States the prison population more than quadrupled between the years of 1978 and 2001 (Marciniak 10)
Compounding the problem is an increase in the number of parole violators. Between the years 1980 and 2000, the number of parole violators that were sent back to prison increased from 27,000 to more than 200,000 (Travis)
As the authors further note, some states have in addition to embracing these programs also gone a step further and established supervision initiatives in which case offenders are assigned to the most appropriate supervision level based on their risk of reoffending. Further, in those instances where offenders are involved in some minor violations of community-based supervision procedures, most states now embrace alternative sanctions that do not necessarily require former prisoners to be jailed again (Henrichson and Delaney, 2012)
Cost savings in this case could be realized on two main fronts. To begin with, supporters of private prisons point out that such facilities could in addition to applying sophisticated management practices also bring on board a leaner and more productive staff (McShane and Williams III, 1996)
This is more so the case for those suffering from chronic conditions including but not limited to diabetes and high blood pressure. Prisoners in this case could have developed the said health conditions prior to their incarceration or following their imprisonment (Settersten and Angel, 2011)
Decision-Making Model Source: LaPierrre (1973) The work of Bassand and Ryser entitled: "The Implementation of Public Policy Concerning Space a General Outline" states that while not appearing in the diagram of Lapierre, "he makes it clear in his study that decision-making does not solely imply an exchange of information and views, but includes, at every stage of the process, power relations that require the sue of the concepts of class relations and political culture." (Bassand and Ryser, 1980) Additionally stated is that "a number of recent studies show that implementation is as complex and perhaps even more than the preparation of the decision
According to Alfred Blumstein of Carnegie Mellon University, as reported by Coyle (2002) in the work entitled: "Race and Class Penalties in Crack Cocaine Sentencing" crack cocaine began as an innovation in the drug market "crack distribution rights and boundaries were apportioned amongst competitors with the use of violence." (Coyle, 2002) the following table relates the median street-level dealer drug quantities and mandatory minimum imposed by the Anti-Drug Act of 1986
The work of Jensen, Gerber and Mosher (2004) entitled: "Social Consequences of the War on Drugs: The Legacy of Failed Policy" states that "the 1986 War on Drugs has resulted in some of the most extensive changes in criminal justice policy and the operations of the justice system since the due process revolution of the 1960s." (Jensen & Gerber, 1996, p
This distinction has led policy-makers to justify their sentencing recommendations by labeling crack traffickers and users as volatile and violent, more so than powder cocaine dealers." (Levenson, 2006) So prevalent is this disparity that a poor black women, with children who has purchased 5 grams of crack to feed her addiction "would be sent to jail much longer
Four years later, the average federal drug sentence for African-Americans was 49% higher." (Vagins and McCurdy, 2006) Additionally stated by Vagins and McCurdy is: "In 2000 there were more African-American men in prison and jails than there were in higher education, leading scholars to conclude that our crime policies are a major contributor to the disruption of the African-American family