Sara Vafai

Amy Sydoruk
Government
14 October 2015
A Night in Jail
There is no simple way to tell whether or not a night in jail will prevent petty crime.
Some might say that putting thieves in jail hasn't stopped theft. Others might say that getting
tossed in the slammer could definitely stop petty crimes like jaywalking. Both are plausible
points, but people need to see the big picture. In terms of crime control, yes, a night in jail for
things like jaywalking and parking on a red curb could prevent people from committing
violations. Unfortunately, this course of action could do just as much bad as it can do good.
The first and most obvious problem with this is prison overcrowding. America already
has a major issue with prisons exceeding their inmate capacity. Putting jaywalkers and parking
violators in jail with dangerous criminals isn't going to help with that. Aside from overcrowding,
it could be counterproductive to put people who commit minor offenses in jail with those who
have committed worse crimes. It could affect them psychologically as well as physically. The
current punishment for minor offenses is enough to keep people from committing them.
Currently, if one makes a parking or speeding violation, they are fined. Some might argue that
fines aren't stopping people from committing these violations anyway. This is true, which is why
I believe that fines need to be incredibly heavy (I.e.: $100+). People work hard for their money,
which is why they'll be much more careful not to make any offenses that will procure fines.