Overcrowded Prisons

[JoshPosh]

Do you think that the current correctional facilities in the USA is overcrowded? Has you area considered expanding or building a new facility all together?

 

[DancingLady]

I hear about overcrowding in prisons from time to time on the news. I think one of the main reasons they don't build new facilities is that they don't have the funds. I don't know if it's just low priority or what. I think there is definitely a place for more non-jail corrections work and probation, but there is also a need to put criminals who are dangerous behind bars and overcrowding sometimes leads to people being released early when some of them probably shouldn't be.

 

[Rainman]

Most people are in jail for petty crimes. Some were arrested and imprisoned because they had some weed. I heard of another who was sentenced to life in prison because he stole a phone. The problem isn't "we don't have big enough" jails. It is sending every poor Tom, Dick and Harry into prison. There should be some way to rehabilitate those who commit petty crimes without having to send them to prison.

 

[Peninha]

Well, more and more people are in jail because more and more crimes are being committed, what can we do, allow the criminals on the streets?

 

[januz101]

Just like Dancinglady said, lack of funds means no additional correctional facility will be built. You see buildings and other infrastructure nowadays need to have an approved budget specially if it's government in nature. And the government can't afford to allot tax payers money on these facilities if there are more government agencies that needs more attention like health and education.

 

[TXgirlNCworld]

I think overcrowding is a serious in corrections and a little bit is being done about it. I think overcrowding comes from a million of issues, but I think one of the main reasons is some people are getting time for things they should be getting probation for or just other charges that people are being locked up for. Also funding has played a major role in overcrowding too. It is sad the one program in the United States that is supposed to have goals of turning these people into better citizen or protecting our society from the true evil criminals is not even important enough to have the proper funding. I think overcrowding is a major issue with corrections and I hope eventually something is done about this.

 

[bala]

Over crowding is bound to happen unless there are stringent laws to curb these offenders,lest we might as well have to allow criminals on streets.maybe funds is an issue,but they need to address the root cause first.

 

[Gelsemium]

There are more and more criminals because middle class is disappearing, when are the politicians going to realize that?

 

[Patrick]

Yes, overcrowding is becoming a serious issue. What is worse is that it is placing an increasing drain on taxpayer's money as prison populations grow.

 

[primalclaws1974]

A decade or so ago there was a saying in my home state of Iowa. "Iowa: Home to more poker, pigs, and prisons". My state is rural. We are 30th in population ranking for the country, and even we have overcrowded prisons. We keep building them because the prison population is swelling here like the rest of the country. The alternative is to let people out early, which is wrong in my view. We need to take some money designed for prisoners and prisons and put it into preventative programs, so the people don't end up there in the first place!

 

[milyjohnson]

I have heard of overcrowding in prisons. I am not sure if they have that problem in New Jersey. They do need to come up with a bigger place for the criminals so they won't get off on a technicality.

 

[Onionman]

I've heard of situations where prisoners are moved across state lines simply to reduce the numbers, given that some prisons are so overwhelmed. Maybe the justice system will look at changing it's approach to the penal system and locking people up. Or maybe they'll just build more prisons....

 

[LitoLawless]

I do think that the prisons are EXTREMELY overcrowded. What's worse is they have killers and rapists in the same facilities as people who were probably who were probably wrongfully convicted. At the end of the day the prisons are a business and it has to stay booming somehow.

 

[Gelsemium]

To be honest with so much crime going on, I don't know how the state can support the prison system, something has to change in years to come.

 

[pattycake]

I have heard of overcrowding in prisons. I am not sure if they have that problem in New Jersey. They do need to come up with a bigger place for the criminals so they won't get off on a technicality.

I doubt that prisoners are getting off due to overcrowding. It's definitely something else that gets a prisoner paroled when they by right shouldn't. It has nothing whatsoever to do with overcrowding or any other technicality.

 

[pattycake]

To be honest with so much crime going on, I don't know how the state can support the prison system, something has to change in years to come.

I heard that prison is on the stock market, and prisoners are now used for labor for companies. I hear that prison is big business now.