The U.S. Prison System: A Failed System in Dire Need of Reform

• In Event: Prisons in the Americas in 2016: Major Public Policy Challenges

Abstract

This paper examines the prisons system in the U.S., focusing on the overall trends. The U.S. incarcerated more people than any other country in the world—more than other repressive regimes such as Iran and China. The cost of housing prisoners is excessive ($30,000 to 40,000 per year on average and $59,000 per year in California according to Bruce Bagley (2015)). More than half of prisoners at the federal level are in prison for drug-related charges, from possession to trafficking. The prisons system in the U.S. has continued to warehouse millions of today’s youth and has not been effective as demonstrated by the high recidivism rates. Prisons have become revolving doors as inmates are stigmatized and often unable to find jobs upon leaving prison. Scholars like Michelle Alexander (2012) have discussed the role of race and the ineffectiveness of prisons in the U.S. After analyzing the general trends, this paper highlights the major challenges that exist and focuses on the case of California and the three-strike law.

Author

• Jonathan D Rosen, Florida International University