Pros And Cons Of Prison Research

There are many opinions on if prisons work to straighten people up. Every year millions of people are arrested in the United States, and every year many prisoners are released. To begin, there are many programs inmates can go through that help them become better people. In Addition, most prisoners end up back behind bars within a few years. Also, just because you put gang leaders or members in prison does not take down their operations. Therefore, many people do straighten up their act, but many do not.

Primarily, prisoners are joining a variety programs to clean up their act. Prisoners are joining programs such as POOCH (Prisoners Overcoming Obstacles & Creating Hope) to change their lives. Many people have researched the outcomes of inmates who go through programs, “Research has shown animal prison training

programs like this are therapeutic reducing violence in correctional facilities. Inmates who train dogs are performing a valuable service to the community”(Arcega-dunn). Many prisoners are joining programs like POOCH and it is helping many prisoners find a meaning to be good and seek a better life. Also, helping them help other people changes their mindset on life. Programs like this have changed inmates lives and that is a proven fact. Army Captain Marlene Krpata was the first to get one of the service dogs, “Mix is enjoying the progress of this service dog Saturn is making. He says being a part of the program has changed how he looks at life”(Arcega-dunn). Inmate, Mix who joined POOCH was the first to get a dog

through the program and that alone helped change his view on life. Just think if other places had programs like POOCH they would have less inmates coming back. Mis is one of the many inmates that joined a program and is a prime example of how programs help inmates.
To begin, being in prison alone helps prisoners just for them to be drug free and away from other criminals on the streets. Many prisoners have been on drugs for many years before getting locked up. A group of 30 men came into a prison,“They were on heroin for 10 to 25 years,” Diaz said. “Until two months ago, they were all still on heroin inside the prison. The warden wouldn’t even come in here without five armed guards”(Shea). These prisoners, like many others, learned good values in life and how they can live without drugs. These prisoners do not want to get back into drugs and will do everything they can to stay away from them. These inmates being off of drugs helped them seek out a better life inside the prison and outside when they get out. Them being off drugs has done so much for them, “Things are different now, Diaz noted. You can see the difference in their faces. These inmates—the roughest in a tough Mexican prison—are today drug-free and want to stay that way. Equally important, they are learning how to live honest lives outside prison upon release”(Shea). Prisoners being without drugs realize what it is to live without drugs and be able to make their own decisions again. These prisoners learned good values about life and what it is like to not be on drugs. Prison alone forcing the prisoners to be off drugs helps tons, they get a better mindset on life and strive for a better life.
Opposingly, most prisoners end back up in prison after their time is up, or get it extended. Prisoners often seek a life of crime and enjoy committing them. Prisoners are held like experimental animals locked up in cages, “when our nation’s 2.2 million prisoners are held in conditions that do little to help address the roots of criminal behavior, they remain likely to continue in a criminal lifestyle after they are released”(Colson). Let’s face the facts, most people who have been in prison end up back behind bars, you see it on the news every day. Even with programs to help not all prisoners can do them, or even do them. Also, prisoners inside can get their time they have to serve extended. At Lee correctional, a maximum security institution, a group of inmates killed 2 officers and assaulted 3 others and gained control of parts of the prison taking other inmates as hostages”(SPYNEL: A Surveillance Solution for Prisons). Prisoners placed in prison trying to break out or get fights started constantly. These inmates are extending their time and taking others lives. Many prisoners end back up in prison or never get out.
Just because they get the leaders does not mean they stopped the operation.

Many gang leaders, drug lords, and other high position criminals get arrested all the time. Most gangs know how to run without their leaders, “Organized criminal gangs still operate when leaders or members are behind bars and cell phones assist these organizations to continue to be powerful”(SPYNEL: A Surveillance Solution for Prisons). Cell phones and other prison contraband help gangs keep organized and operate. Also, help them inmates keep track of where the Guards are so they can get illegal drops. Second, a great deal of contraband is being dropped into prison walls. Lately, there has been lots of contraband smuggled into prisons, “A dangerous trend in the past few years has been the rise of UAVs being used to smuggle contraband over a prison's perimeter fences”(SPYNEL: A Surveillance Solution for Prisons). UAVs and other flying devices have been used to carry contraband over prison fences, and other drop it right into a designated drop zone for inmates to collect. Many contraband has been being smuggled in to gang leaders and members it is almost like they control the

prisons.
Some people clean up their act in prison, but many major gang members and some other people do not. There are programs for prisoners to help clean up their act. Along with that many prisoners return to prison in a few years of being out. Also, contraband is being smuggled in at alarming rates. There are ideas for better security cameras, and programs, but honestly not everyone will change..