A Critical Examination of the U.S. Correctional System: Inefficiencies and Injustices
Despite limited government funds, the U.S. correctional system often squanders these resources in ways that negate their intended purpose. Instead of using these funds to improve societal wellbeing, such as healthcare, education, or infrastructure, the system remains undermanned, underfunded, and rife with inefficiencies and injustices. This article delves into the systemic failures and wrongful practices within the U.S. correctional system, highlighting the failures that permeate every level of the institution.
Financial Mismanagement: Deserving or Not?
Arguments against increased spending on prison infrastructure and health care are often made in public discourse, despite the critical importance of proper medical care and humane living conditions for incarcerated individuals. The common refrain, echoed by politicians and the public alike, is that the correctional system should not be “a luxury,” and prisoners should not receive the same luxury as other citizens. However, these arguments neglect the reality that inmates do not receive free healthcare or certain basic necessities, but rather they pay for these services through their own funds.
Costs of Incarceration and the Inmate's Experience
Inmates are required to pay for various services directly from their commissary accounts, such as medications, personal hygiene items like shampoo, deodorant, and undergarments. Additionally, booking fees, daily fees, and other excessive charges further deplete their already limited resources. For women, the experience is particularly challenging as they must pay for single-use tampons and toilet paper, which are insufficient for many.
Some jails even charge over $20 per week for inmates to remain in custody and $50 for booking fees, directly impacting the essential items inmates need like soap and tampons. Failure to have cash on hand upon arrest results in the forfeiture of banked money to cover fees, potentially leading to a negative balance and the inability to purchase necessities.
Furthermore, the financial incentives for keeping inmates in custodial facilities exacerbate issues with racial and class discrimination. White-collar criminals face probation, while non-violent drug offenders or those involved in victimless crimes can end up in jail for even minor offenses due to the non-payment of fines or lack of bail. This system disproportionately affects the poor and homeless, forcing them to choose between probation or jail time without a viable financial solution.
Systemic Discrimination and Injustice
The U.S. correctional system perpetuates systemic discrimination through its handling of various offenses. Pedophiles, rapists, and embezzlers often receive probation while non-violent drug offenders are locked away for extended periods. The justice system’s response to drug offenses, particularly for minor possession, is often harsh, with no provision for treatment or rehabilitation. Detoxing from drugs cold turkey, without medical assistance, poses significant health risks, including the danger of life-threatening withdrawal symptoms and seizures.
Inmates with mental health conditions often face further mistreatment. Medications necessary for those with schizophrenia or other mental illnesses are often removed without a comprehensive plan for managing withdrawal symptoms. Moreover, the medical care available within prisons is often inadequate, and healthcare is denied to those in solitary confinement. Reporting suicidal tendencies often results in severe and isolating punishment rather than compassionate care. This is evidenced by the case of an elderly disabled woman with schizophrenia who had a mental breakdown due to the lack of medication, being left naked and isolated without medical assistance.
Human Rights Violations Within the System
Conditions within U.S. prisons often violate human rights, with overcrowding leading to three people sharing a single-person cell. Additionally, the system's approach to medical care for pregnant inmates is often negligent. When a woman in labor was ignored and then forced to choose between solitary confinement or staying in the unit, her medical needs were disregarded. A pregnant inmate was left unchecked, potentially endangering both her and the child. In such a system, it is unsurprising that re-entry statistics show that over half of released inmates develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a condition they did not have before imprisonment.
The correctional system’s treatment of incarcerated individuals does not merely reflect economic mismanagement; it also embodies profound injustices against marginalized and vulnerable populations. The abuse and neglect within this system are not justifiable on any level and call for a critical reexamination of our penal practices.