High Incarceration Rate Analysis

Consequences of High Incarceration Rates

In chapter 11 of our book Criminal Justice in Action by Larry k. Gaines/ Roger LeRoy Miller, one of the main consequences of high incarceration rates mentioned is the fact that incarceration destroys families and communities which is true and a very serious problem , the impact that this has in the economy is important as well.

High incarceration rates affect society directly in very many different ways. For example as mentioned in our book Criminal Justice in Action by Larry k. Gaines/ Roger LeRoy, incarceration destroys families, leaving children without their parents , leaving entire communities especially those composed of minorities very weak, and without a voice. But just like incarceration

affects families and communities in that way, it also has a great impact in the economy. For example when a father is incarcerated and he is the number one provider for a family, suddenly that family are left with no income causing that family to have to rely on welfare or perhaps cause them to commit a crime themselves to be able to obtain money.
Another consequence of high incarcerations rates is the lack of middle and low class citizens available to work common jobs. Most employment opportunities are not as CEOs of companies, or as astronauts, most jobs available are meant for the middle and low class, the more people incarcerated, theless people available to perform this jobs which results in employees having to work longer hours amongst other things.

Those however are not the only consequences that affect the economy, The most obvious one is the effect that high incarceration rates has on the taxpayers.

According to Criminal Justice in Action by Larry k. Gaines/ Roger LeRoy, the states all together spend approximately 40 billion dollars a year in order to operate their corrections system. And of course all that money come directly from the checks of every hard working, honest american that has manage to keep a job and not get thrown in jail.

Although there is numerous consequences to high incarceration rates , the most serious are the the impact that the incarceration of a family member has on a family and the impact the the incarceration of so many has on every state, economically

speaking.
According to everydaylife.globalpost.com by Tiffany Raiford the constant absence of a parent is directly linked to the unhappiness and ehavior of a child, not only that but they claimthat the 2011 census reported that a child that grows up with a parent constantly abscent is 4 times most likely to live in poverty. Imagine children not only having a parent absent, but knows their parent won't be coming back for an extended period of time because their mom/dad are in jail, or being bullied at school because mom or dad are in jail...the pain and suffering that the children of incarcerated parent have to go through is great. Not only does it affect the children and other family members emotionally but in a lot of cases it affects them economically too! whether the incarcerated family member is the primary income or just an additional income to the household it has a huge impact to the economy of the home. Perhaps the incarcerated family member doesn't work, but helps babysit, take care of the home, suddenly the family has to struggle to find someone to fulfill that role. Whatever the case may be, the incarceration of a close family member affects all those around him/her.
The high incarceration rates affect everyone directly. Everyone who works and pays taxes contributes to the prison system. Whether you agree or disagree with the death penalty, whether you a pro gun or whatever your views are towards politics and the prison system, your taxpayer money contributes to it. According to the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities at least 49 billion dollars of our taxpayer money is used to pay for the food, clothing housing, medical assistance amongst other needs of the prisoners, as well as the salaries of the prison personnel.
States like New York and California have an over population of inmates and spend about 60,000 dollars to maintain prisoners behind bars.

Every year the incarceration rates increase more and more, in the year 1990 the number of people in federal prisons was 400,000 and in the year 2014 it had increase to a little over 1,400,000. The increase in the number of inmates also increases the number of government spending in the prison which takes away from education, healthcare, transportation etc.

Although criminal justice professionals are aware of the consequences of high incarceration rates,the problems that these bring and have order states to get rid of their overpopulation in prisons along with other measures, it is still not enough.

It is our responsibility as citizens to address this problem. First by being law abiding citizens, and contributing to well being of our community, second by letting the government know that we care about our prison system and the overpopulation of such and last but not least by educating ourselves about alternatives to prison in order to punish and correct those who have harmed

society.