Ethical issues in prison
Ethics is a code of conduct that governs the prison system where prisoners are sent there as a punishment and not to get punished. Therefore, it is fundamental to correct prisoners in an amicable way to reform permanently. Despite the unethical practices within the prison systems, there prevail some ethical practices as well. A valuable moral matter is equipping prisoners with technical skills. Such skills help quicken the rehabilitation process; they include art and design, tailoring, masonry, and woodwork. Such technical skills help them cope with life even after their prison term is ended and help them be shy from recommitting the crimes
Such skills are profitable to them as the beneficiaries have proved to be competent in their areas of specialization. Therefore, the moral levels of the community are improved. Secondly, permitting relatives to visit prisoners and especially spouses who visit each other often. Across the globe, there have been changes in all prison systems that even allow inmates to make phone calls to their relatives. One factor that adversely affects prisoners is the lack of conjugal rights. This situation has frequently prompted rape and homosexuality; therefore, changes have been made to allow spouses to visit often. During the visits, they receive psychological advice from their loved ones hence equipping them with moral support. During the holidays also there are recreational activities like partying and watching, among others.
Prison Privatization Versus Traditional Government-Run Facilities
It is the role of the state to carry out correctional services for all its citizens. However, currently, there has been awake of private prisons. These prisons have created job opportunities, reduce prison populations, and the system is justifiable by its outcomes. Nonetheless, these prisons are unethical since they can select which prisoners to correct; they grant the community any obligation where they are located. Most of them operate on a contract basis. Above all, they have prioritized commercial gains instead of the significant objective of prison systems in offering correctional services. Therefore, they may offer less severe correctional services compared to the government-run facilities.
Punishment for Correctional Officers
The law is apparent that correctional officers should not violate any inmate’s rights, and their relationship should be clear. Although they are faced with numerous dilemmas, they should exercise caution when executing their duties as they can be rendered to dire punishments than their subjects. These subjects range from job dismissal, imprisonment to demotion. The above punishments are executed according to the weight of the offense.
Community Corrections Programs
Possibly the most viable merits of community corrections are equitable to its demerits. Such programs allow reducing crowding in prisons and give the offenders a chance to mitigate imprisonment penalties. Such programs have placed too much burden and risk on communities and citizens since they do not offer appropriate correctional services. Such programs also might be filled by offenders who could have been subjected to dire punishments. Prosecutors and judges have increased the net widening gap by sending offenders who do not desperately need intensive care, preferably the ones the program hosts. Because of this, the safety of the public is compromised.
The rate of recidivism among such offenders is usually high than if they were in prison custody. With funding channeled to jails and prisons, resources have not kept pace with the community programs’ development. The resources are disseminated so thinly among the community programs translating that the services offered are poor. Notably, electronic monitoring when one is at home is compromised because of the poor resources, and the authorities are not assured that the offender can reform and shy away from criminal offenses. For instance, when offenders leave their residing zones to run errands, they can commit crimes when away from home.
Options for Community Programs
Mostly used communities are parole and probation; however, some of these programs are better than others. Parole has proven to be the best because its conditions have yielded better results in the community. This is because it aids in integrating the offenders in society slowly. For instance, one can be barred from accessing public grounds like parks. Parole operates based on conditions that are supervised, especially release from prison, while probation works based on correctional sanctions away from prisons. Parole offers an excellent opportunity in managing resources, and the offender can be examined in phases to ensure that the reforming rate is sufficient.
Physical Punishment
Some situations call for corporate punishment so that the state can not only punish but also keep criminals away from the public. Corporate punishments allow the prison systems to scale punishments well such that a person who steals a loaf and one involved in a robbery with violence is not subjected to the same treatments. Physical punishments make rehabilitation more effective. At the end of the programs, one has experienced a lifestyle of punishment; hence one is reformed without any other form of coercion. However, in situations where one is a prison bird, it is not necessary, psychological counseling and strict mentorship is crucial.
References
Braswell, M. C., McCarthy, B. R., & McCarthy, B. J. (2017). Justice, crime, and ethics. Taylor & Francis.
Boyle, O., & Stanley, E. (2019). Private prisons and the management of scandal. Crime, media, culture, 15(1), 67-87.
Ferdik, F. V., & Smith, H. P. (2016). Maximum security correctional officers: An exploratory investigation into their social bases of power. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 41(3), 498-521.
Alarid, L. F. (2016). Community-based corrections. Cengage Learning.
Wooldredge, J., & Steiner, B. (2016). The exercise of power in prison organizations and implications for legitimacy. J. Crim. L. & Criminology, 106, 125.