Prison System in Crisis?

The term crisis refers to an intense succession of difficulty, trouble or danger, or a time when difficult decisions must be made. However, in the context of the prison house house dodging, it has to be looked at differently. This can be copn passim the rise in how thither have been times of danger, and difficult insurance decisions made. In looking at whether these troubles atomic number 18 important to the prison system, it has to be looked at whether it is hindering the purposes and objectives of prison. It is also worth noting that the prison system has been regarded in universe in crisis for many years by the media and academics (Cavadino & Dignan, 2007).Thus it would expect the crisis hasnt been at one specific time its been gradu all toldy edifice year after year. The purpose of prison in todays society is to treat prisoners in a secure and safe facility, where they allow be treated benevolently, decently, and lawfully. This is as come up as protecting the pub lic, ensuring the prisoner is punished for the crimes committed, as well as also helping them reconstruct themselves. These aims are issued by the National Offender trouble Service (NOMS).The delegacy in which NOMS are satisfactory to do this is by their close family with the probation service, gathering of statistics and also the setting of key operation indicators. Key performance indicators can be targets such as reoffending rate going drink crush by 10% from the previous year, no category A escapes, dose misuse rates and percentage of prisoners in overcrowded adaption (Leech, 2009). The gathering of all this information delegacy that officials can now monitor the performance of prisons and see if they are sufferling their functions.If they are not then it is reasonable to suggest that the prison is in crisis and needs to address the issues, which are ca development the lines. In identifying whether there is a crisis in the prison system, different thoughts of crimino logy offer different explanations. whizz musical score that explains the crisis is the Orthodox. This account suggests that the crisis consists of many different components which all intertwine to melt to a crisis (Tredwell, 2006). It also suggests that the crisis itself is not one of the whole penal system but one plainly within the prison system itself (Cavadino & Dignan, 2007).The setoff detailor that Jewish-Orthodox criminologists address is the effect the community of prisons have on the system. Through out the history of the prison system in detail the twentieth century it can be seen that the prison macrocosm has been steady rising. For example in 1960 the reasonable prison population was 26,198, in 1990 43,378, match this to 2011 which was 81,763(Berman, 201218). As this shew shows, through out the twentieth and twenty initial century the prison population has been rising. This increases the demand on prisons and prison provide to be able to deal with the upl ifteder(prenominal) numbers.This is a major(ip) problem for the prison system if the trend is not altered, it provide keep on increasing year by year as the evidence suggests. This problem directly leads on to fact that prisons are overcrowded. Overcrowding in prisons according to orthodox account sees it much harder for prisons to be able to meet their purpose of rehabilitating offenders. Overcrowding retorts federal agency when the number of prisoners held exceeds the establishments Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) (Berman 201211). CNA represents the good, decent standard of accommodation the service aspires to provide all prisoners.Any places above the CNA are referred to as overcrowding places (Jewkes & Bennett, 200838). In England and Wales in 2012 over sixty two per cent of the prison e bring up was overcrowded according to CNA statistics (Berman, 2012 11). Looking at this, in intercourse to the aims of having humane conditions for prisoners to live in, the prison sys tem is not meeting its targets. prisons shouldnt be overcrowded, but the majority are meaning that more(prenominal) prisoners are communion cells then what is intended. In relation to rehabilitation it is clear to see the higher number in prison the slight resources entrust be available for prisoners.The less resources available to prisoners entrust mean less time worn out(p) on individual cases limiting the chances of success in reformation. High Prison population and Overcrowding also lead on to the fact that there will be problems within the prison concerning round. One of the problems in cost of faculty will be the numbers available. With the increasing numbers, and the reductions in the prison budget, authority the staff to prisoner ratio will continue to worsen. With this means that the charge of prisoners will be less available which will put down time out of cells and time in classes hunt towards rehabilitation.This also leads on to some other problem withi n staff in prisons, in terms of their relation with the home office. The more prisoners coming into prisons increases the workload for the staff, this is without the relief of additional staff being employed. Staff unrest can lead to industrial action, which will lead to the breakdown of the prison service. The final factors that need considering in this account is the effect all of the above has on the security in prisons. Prisoners shift out of prison are seen as causing massive problems.This is comparatively non-existent in prisons today, since 1995/1996 there has been no escape from prisons (NOMS annual depict 2011 5). This means that in terms of protecting the public with the high prison population and no escapes the prison system is operating real efficiently. Another feeling that has to be looked at here is the fact of security inside prison. Riots are still present, as seen last year in the Ford untied prison riots. This would suggest that in some instances prisons are not truly capable of controlling their prisoners.Riots are seen clear evidence of a crisis in prison but riots are very rare in the prison system. From all of this stated above it is clear that the orthodox account, is still very pertinent in todays prison society. In particular is the issue of high prison population leading to increased overcrowding levels. Which in 2012 are at an all time high. However one development to this theory comes from churchman Woolf who agreed with orthodox accounts of security and control being authoritative to a stable prison system, put also placed importance on well(p)ice. Justice refers to the obligation of the Prison Service to treat prisoners with humanity and frankness and to prepare them for their return to the community in a way which makes it less wishly that they will reoffend (Woolf 1991 para 9. 20). This quote coming from Woolfs report in 1992 can be seen still to be extremely relevant today, when looked at the prison systems aims an d purposes, as mentioned earlier in the essay. This makes Woolfs testimonial crucial to looking at what the state of the prison system is in today.In terms of conditions there are utter to be ternion elements, which influence the quality of life for prisoners. The first being the wretchedness of the carnal accommodation, the second being the regime the prisoners are subject to on a daily basis. The final one being the difficulty prisoners face in maintaining relationships with family and friends whilst inside (Cavadino & Dignan 2007). In looking at the physical accommodation of prisoners in todays society the view is that prison is much alike a holiday camp for prisoners. He said he would make sure jails dubbed holiday camps by critics are no longer seen as places which convicts enjoy (Gayling, cited in The Mail, 2012). This quote supports the view that contrast to back in 1992 prisons are now at a state where they could be said to be to nice for prisoners. This results in th e fact that prisoners become to comfortable with prison life that once they leave, going back to prison seems very showy to them. This would suggest that the prison system is failing to do one of its more traditional roles of deterring prisoners from crime.Therefore it is failing in another one of its purposes adding to the evidence that the prison system is not working. The second component of exactlyice in prison is preparing the prisoner for life back in the community. This is tackling what put them in there for the first place through rehabilitation. This is done through versatile programmes such as, offender behaviour programmes, drug addiction programmes, alcohol, work friendship and educational programmes. In addressing this essay question, one of the thoroughgoing goals in prison today is rehabilitation of offenders.If rehabilitation was working then the rates of re-offending should be low. In 2010 around 170,000 offenders committed a proven re-offence within a year, pr oviding a re-offending rate of 26. 7 per cent (Ministry of Justice, 2012). This statistic shows that in society unspoiled now a significant amount of the prison population do re-offend. Relating this to purpose of prison today it is clear that it is failing in rehabilitating offenders. strengthen the belief that the prison system is in crisis. This essay has addressed the purposes of prison today and how they match up to accounts of what a crisis is by criminologists.It is clear using the orthodox account and Lord Woolf that the prison is in crisis. The prison population is at a record high, as are overcrowding levels as well as re-offending rates. This all suggests that the prison system is unable to match their purposes, and fulfil their aims in modern prisons systems, so it is in a state of crisis. However, to just say it is the prison system that is a in a state of crisis would be a very narrow approach to the issue. One crucial aspect to look at when examining the prison syste m is penal policy, and roughly importantly would be sentencing policy.Sentencing can be seen as a fundamental component of the prisons system. The sentences given out by judges in the courts will influence the prison population as well as find how long the prisoner will be in there. One of the major problems through sentencing, is the fact that the sentences are unjust or to petty. In terms of duration of sentences the average custodial sentence as of 2012, is 14. 8 months (Ministry of Justice, 2012). This statistic shows that the average prisoner will solo spend a relatively short period of time, which leaves the question as to whether this enough time for rehabilitation to take place. It concluded that 60% of short-sentenced prisoners commit another crime within a year of getting out (Cooney, 2010. ). This quote is evidence that for short-term offenders the majority will reoffend. Therefor this leads to the conclusion that prison does not work for them, thence meaning the res ources spent on them would be better for long-term prisoners. The fact that the prison population is increasing through this policy means that already scarce resources for rehabilitation are becoming even scarcer.This is having a gigantic impact on the prison system in being able to rehabilitate offenders, to reducing reoffending rates. A recent report from the National audit Office (NAO) confirms what many people knew already short sentences just do not work (ibid). This sums up the point that the sentencing policy is not working and needs to be changed, which could result with the problems in the prison system being reduced. However this doesnt appear to be likely to be changing in the future with the new secretary of state for justice Chris Gayling. Am I planning to reduce the number of prison places? No Im not. I do not want to set a target to reduce the prison population. (Gayling, cited in Telegraph, 2012. ) This quote shows that future policy will only strengthen to incr ease the prison population not reduce it. In conclusion to this essay it is clear from the evidence gathered in this essay that the prison system is in state where there are abundant problems within. The high prison population, overcrowding levels and lack of rehabilitation highlights this the most.However since looking at the data gathered it is clear that these are issues that have not just affected the prison system in todays society. This could suggest that if its always been plagued by problems that, in reality its not in crisis its just business like usual. Despite this, relating back to the definition previously mentioned it is clear that the system is in crisis because of the intense difficulties it is facing. All of this could be argued that it is down to penal policy rather than the prison system, which as mentioned is contributing importantly to the difficulties.References Used* Berman, G. (2012) Prison population statistics. Library House of Commons.* Cavadino, M. and Dignan, J. (2007) The Penal dust An Introduction 4th edition, London SAGE Publications Ltd.* Cooney, F, insidetime (April, 2010) Short sentences are not the answer (Internet) operable at http//www.insidetime.org/articleview.asp?a=720c=short_sentences_are_not_the_answer , Accessed 28/11/12.* Jewkes, Y. and Bennet, J. (2008) Dictionary of Prisons and Punishment, Devon Willan Publishing.* Leech, M. (2009) The Prisons Handbook 2009 11th edition, Manchester Prisons.Org.Uk Ltd. * Ministry of Justice (2012) Criminal justice statistics (Internet) Available at http//www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/criminal-justice/criminal-justice-statistics, Accessed 28/11/12.* Ministry of Justice (2012) National Offender Management Service Annual Report 2010/2011 Management Information Ammendum. Available at http//www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/statistics/prison-probation/prison-probation-performance-stats/noms-annual-report-2010-11-addendum.pdf, Accessed 20/11/12* Ministry of Justice (2012) Proven re-offend ing (Internet) Available at http//www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/reoffending/proven-re-offending, Accessed 27/11/12.* Slack, J. and Chapman, J. Mail Online (2012) Ill stop our jails being like holiday camps, says new minister of justice. (Internet) Available at http//www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2205824/Ill-stop-jails-like-holiday-camps-says-new-minister-justice.html?ITO=1490, Accesed30/11/12* The Telegraph. (2012) Prisons should be tougher for criminals, justice secretary Chris Gayling warns. Available at http//www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9554533/Prison-should-be-tougher-for-criminals-Justice-Secretary-Chris-Grayling-warns.html, Accessed 30/11/12.* Treadwell, J. (2006) Criminology, London SAGE Publications Ltd.* Woolf, H. and Tumin, S. (1991) Prison Disturbances April 1990, Cm 1456. London HMSO.Note Received a 21 for this work