Imprisonment has been around since nearly the beginning of time, yet the methods of

this notorious system have generally remained the same ever since its start. Though modern

civilization has moderated these methods, the idea is generally the same - catch the criminal

and lock them up to keep the rest of society safe. This system, though, completely dismisses the

idea of reforming these prisoners to reduce the crime rate as well as the prison population.

Despite the need for reform,these prisoners are aware of the laws put in place and knew the

consequences to their actions and deserve to be punished. However, for the past four decades,

the current method of simply placing prisoners behind bars has not proved effective and needs

a change. The Federal government should focus prison funds on programs that reform

prisoners to build a society that benefits each and every individual.

Although many people argue placing criminals in prisons reduces crime, doing so

actually increases it. Simply placing criminals in prison does not help these individuals become

better people. Prisons should serve as a place that helps criminals to improve so that they do

not continue to commit crimes after their release. So far, little emphasis has been placed on the

inclusion of reform programs within correctional facilities. The only attempts to reform

convicted felons exists in the form of support groups consisting of other prisoners, and the

occasional correctional psychologist. Research has shown that prisons can actually have

negative psychological effects upon individuals. Filmmaker James Burns revealed the

permanent psychological effects isolation can have on an individual through his own 30 day

experience within solitary confinement. He proved that, when faced with this situation, inmates

can actually start to form feelings of depression and anger and can even begin to turn one

against themselves (ACLU.org). The effects of solitary confinement can also be translated over
to the effects of prisons as a whole. Prisoners spend a majority of their day confided in a place

which makes them somewhat isolated increasing their anger while decreasing their will to

improve. For almost 23 hours a day, prisoners are confined in a small cell with maybe one other

person and are only allowed fresh air for one hour a day. Prisoners are also constantly

surrounded by influences that they are supposed to be veering away from, only discouraging

them from seeking improvement. Guard abuse also plays into the discouragement of prisoners

to seek help. In october of 2016, a New York state prison charged five officers with federal civil

rights violations (npr.org). Once released from prison, many former convicts find it difficult to

acquire a sense of financial security, and often resort back to crime as a seemingly only option.

For example, most employers require job applicants to state if they have ever committed a

felony; this often dramatically decreases any former convicts chance of being hired at even the

simplest of jobs. Parole agencies often times do not offer help to criminals either, but instead

actually set them up for failure with harsh regulations that prisoners are not used to following

without restriction.

While some people argue against more funding of prisons, they should be focusing on

the bigger issue of how this money is being used. Although the government spends an immense

amount of federal funding on prisons, the incarceration rate in America continues its

skyrocketing assent. According to the Hamilton Project at the Brookings institution, the

government spends nearly $80 billion on prisons each year. THe Washington Post reports that

the prison population has quadrupled in the past forty years, calling for more federal funding to

prisons. Despite this massive budget on prisons, scarcely any mandatory reform programs exist

within prisons. One of the only forms of prisoner reform includes support programs consisting
of other prisoners who want to change or who were required to do so. Psychologists are one of

the only forms of outside support prisoners receive but even they answer to the warden.

Funding should be spent on programs that teach criminals how to adapt to modern society and

how to live a life outside of prison without crime. Many criminals spend several years in

incarceration, unaware of the societal changes which have occurred since their conviction and

have no clue how to adapt to this new life of theres. After being locked up like animals behind

bars for several years with no guidance or reform, prisoners find it difficult to abide by parole

regulations and often end up back in prison for failure to abide by these rules.

Despite the fact that the United States is the leader of the free world, they hold the title

of having the largest incarceration rate in the world - and some people do not see this as a

problem. The crime rate now is the lowest it has ever been, but the incarceration rate is at its

highest. Last year, Senator Clinton addressed the fact that the United States makes up less than

five percent of the worlds population but holds almost twenty five percent of the worlds

prison population in a speech she gave to Columbia University two years ago. In 2013, the

International Centre for Prison Studies released the World Prison Population List which proved

the United States holds a total of 2.24 million prisoners out of 10.2 million of the worlds

prisoners (WA Post). The fact that the land of the free imprisons over two million of its

citizens each year is sickening. According to the FBI crime report, the annual number of crimes

committed has actually dropped by over 2,000 in the past two decades alone (Left Call).

However, the incarceration rate has skyrocketed. The justice system needs reform to reduce

this problem and stop the epidemic they have created of mass incarceration.
 Every year, the American prison population continues its rapid climb as thousands of

prisoners are added to this grueling institution. Every year, the cycle continues, increasing in

pace as the same primitive principles are applied to this system. Every year, billions of dollars

are wasted as money is mindlessly dumped to the funding of prisons. By concentrating federal

funds on the addition of reform programs to prisons, America can expect fewer and fewer

incarcerations as well as the first step to a safer society. A reformation in the justice system

would ensure the betterment of every citizen, providing help to those who need it. America

would then truly live up to its title as The Leader of the Free World.