A Little Wiggle Room

Today we will be looking at two articles written by University of California Psychology Director Craig Haney. He specializes in the assessment of institutional environments curiously the psychological force- come ins of incarceration.He has written several(prenominal) scholarly articles and is involved in mevery research projects mostly specializing in the put of incarceration and overcrowding, making headway into the judgement of the nitty-gritty an overtaxed system has on an individual.He looks at issues much(prenominal)(prenominal) as recidivism, prison madness, moral and emotional dis founds and the long term personnel of solitary or supermax facilities when inflicted on trim security inmates due to overpopulation.In these two articles empower The Wages of Prison Overcrowding and Prison Overcrowding counter arable Consequences and nonadaptive Reactions I believe Haney tries to not only explain the great buzzer that overcrowding has on an individual as wellspring as the taxpayer, but offers solutions to ease out(a) of the actual trend spending more(prenominal) than(prenominal) tax dollars converting facilities into sleeping quarter.There is a clear association between the parturiency of living space and the occurrence of disciplinary violations. (Haney 2) Haney goes on to point out the occurrence that when a prison is filled beyond its capacity, there is slight of e reallything to go around, make hoarding, violence and tension between prisoners.Prisoners argon force to do without elemental necessities much(prenominal) as showers and toilets being compel to handgrip for availability increasing tension at bottom the facility.Guards argon left futile to condition the already agitated population caused when commonwealth who may already be deficient social skills necessary to function in everyday life are forced to live in close quarters with other(a)s. The current solution most prisons make for is more staff, better armamen ts for the staff, and better correctional measures with which to control the inmates, making the prison more painful and harmful to the inmates.Areas normally close for recreational facilities make way for cut space with basic security modify to inmate idleness and inactivity win worsening the problem.The prisoners are left with less to do and less outlets for releasing tension, the role of prisoner animosity towards each other rises, as well as towards the resistances.Facilities generally used to rehabilitate prisoners, such as education and prison spiel facilities are transformed into bed space, going prisoners with unfilled needs, adding to the problem of recidivism.He has shown that a legal age of prisoners read at or be execrable a third grade level calling them marginally literate (Haney 5) and points out they leave prison in very much the said(prenominal) condition.Unprepared and therefore unable to function as normal productive citizens with a lack of education and basic job skills, they return to their old ship fuckal and end up back interior the system in much the same condition they left prison in.In his articles Haney attempts to inform not just his fellow worker scholars, but also the individual states and penal systems on the effects they are having on the people theYincarcerate.How being pushed through a system too overworked to notice a prisoner with special needs such as mental of emotional disabilities shadower have a serious effect on the people they are forced to live in close quarters with. This eventually leads to a equipment failure of the prisoner moral, leading to dissention, and prison violence.These articles are a great starting point for any discussion into prison life, recidivism, prison overcrowding or assessments on how tax dollars should be spent. I share the authors teaching that if nothing is done and eventual breakdown of the prison system is inevitable.He points out that the current solution, bringing in more weapons and more brutal tactics by guards can have an even worse effect on the individual prisoner, causing low risk inmates into recidivism. Tactics that enforce order and control over inmates rather than better living conditions often worsen violence inside prison walls.Rather than deal with the issues that caused the authorisation violence in the first place they fight fire with fire. While (overcrowding) is not the only cause of the sometimes perilous conditions and potential for abuse that exists in many of our nations prisons, it is a key and critical issue that must be effectively addressed if these other problems are to be solved. (Haney 12)SourcesHaney, Craig. Prison Overcrowding slanderous Consequences and Dysfunctional Reactions. prisoncommission.org. 2 Nov 2008. Commission of Safety and vilification inAmericas Prisons. 3 Feb. 2009 Haney, Craig. The Wages of Prison Overcrowding Harmful Psychological Consequences and Dysfunctional Correctional Reactions. http//l aw.wustl.edu/. 5 Dec. 2008. Washington University Law School. 3 Feb. 2009.