Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Jails and Prisons - Problems Associated with Overcrowding
Jails and prisons are understandably not supposed to be comfortable and pleasant, but since the system has far exceeded its maximum capacity it has created conditions that can border on inhumane. In some eight by five jail cells across this country, six to seven inmates are crowded into a space that is designed to fit three to four people. Because the system is overloaded, jails are forced to stack criminals one on top of the other, literally. When six or seven people are put in a cell that is designed to accommodate four, one or two people are forced to sleep underneath the metal beds on the concrete floor of the cell while the remaining person gets the luxury of the toilet to sit on.
A website called Free Chantal details life in a federal prison from the female perspective. Here are some of her descriptions of incarceration.
During court appearances Chantal is housed in county jails around Orlando. County jails are purposely horrible, to discourage homeless people from thinking three meals and a bed in jail is preferable to life on the streets. Chantal lives in a pod, which is a two-story structure with a dozen cells and a small common area with plastic tables and chairs for meals. In all facilities, there is constant noise-florescent lights always on, continual counting of prisoners, and rules, rules, rules.
Before and after visitations Chantal is stripped searched. She pays a premium on phone calls and when she calls collect she is charged exorbitant rates. All books must come from the publisher or Amazon.com and Newspapers are not allowed. All non-legal mail is read by the prison before given to Chantal. Chantal is subject to being transferred from prison to jail, from jail to prison, without notice. When she is transferred she is often left for hours in holding cells.
Chantal's experience can be tame when compared to other more gruesome accounts of what life in prison is like. It is not relative to this discussion to recount other more horrific experiences some prisoners have had behind bars. The general theme is that life in prison is not easy. There are some who cry out that prisons are too lenient and life inside prison is too comfortable, but America's imprisonment binge has made life in prison intolerable, inhumane, and abusive. What is worse is that people who should not be in prison because they are mentally ill or have drug addictions are encapsulated within the prison and jail system, deteriorating for lack of medical treatment.
A website called Free Chantal details life in a federal prison from the female perspective. Here are some of her descriptions of incarceration.
During court appearances Chantal is housed in county jails around Orlando. County jails are purposely horrible, to discourage homeless people from thinking three meals and a bed in jail is preferable to life on the streets. Chantal lives in a pod, which is a two-story structure with a dozen cells and a small common area with plastic tables and chairs for meals. In all facilities, there is constant noise-florescent lights always on, continual counting of prisoners, and rules, rules, rules.
Before and after visitations Chantal is stripped searched. She pays a premium on phone calls and when she calls collect she is charged exorbitant rates. All books must come from the publisher or Amazon.com and Newspapers are not allowed. All non-legal mail is read by the prison before given to Chantal. Chantal is subject to being transferred from prison to jail, from jail to prison, without notice. When she is transferred she is often left for hours in holding cells.
Chantal's experience can be tame when compared to other more gruesome accounts of what life in prison is like. It is not relative to this discussion to recount other more horrific experiences some prisoners have had behind bars. The general theme is that life in prison is not easy. There are some who cry out that prisons are too lenient and life inside prison is too comfortable, but America's imprisonment binge has made life in prison intolerable, inhumane, and abusive. What is worse is that people who should not be in prison because they are mentally ill or have drug addictions are encapsulated within the prison and jail system, deteriorating for lack of medical treatment.
Labels: incarceration
