Should the job of operating prisons be the sole responsibility of the government?
There are two main types of prison systems in the U.S.: government and private. They vary in how they’re run and funded, the rehabilitation efforts they offer, the types of inmates they house, and the level of security each require.
Ultimately, the question that must be answered in this matter is which system offers the best outcomes for both inmates and staff. While some point to a 2010 Department of Justice study citing private prisons have far more problem with recidivism rates and assaults of both inmate on inmate and inmate on staff, others have referenced studies that stated just the opposite. In most cases, it’s agreed that while private prisons appear to be here to stay, they are by no means the ultimate solution to providing better public safety nor improved rehabilitation options for prisons.
An ambiguous issue for sure, the debate that has lasted for years is expected to continue for many more. To date, all that has been agreed upon is the neither private prisons nor government-run facilities have all the answers.
Clearly, you can argue this either way. I will argue that the federal government should be in charge of operating all correctional facilities. Despite many people stating private prisons are better due to stricter regulations, I believe government facilities are better due to the availability and transparency of information. One of the major differences between these two concepts is while government prisons are subject to the Freedom of Information Act, private prisons are not. Thus, I favor the side of government facilities, noting that if questions arise the facts are much easier to uncover.
If you were a warden, how would you handle long-term prisoners?
Prison Wardens are employed in correctional facilities to manage day-to-day activities. They oversee and train staff, set goals and timeframes, develop prison policies, and ensure staff obey all governmental laws.
Early views of the impact of serving time in prison depict a process of systematic destruction of the person among offenders sentenced to long term. Recent research, however, suggests that this deterministic view is simplistic—the impact of incarceration being highly variable. The prisoner’s ability to invoke various adaptive strategies may serve to diminish the deleterious effects of incarceration.
If I were a Prison Warden, I would implement wholesome policies regarding the principal deprivations faced by long-term prisoners related to time management, maintenance of family and other extra prison relationships, and the preservation of self-identity and self-esteem.
Although these concerns are similar to the pains of imprisonment felt by all inmates, the time factor amplifies these deprivations in the case of long-term prisoners.