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Batul Almasri
Mrs. Lesniak
WLC
April 4th, 2022

How can prison systems improve?

Although we live in a developed country, our government and society tend to follow an

ignorant system when it comes to certain situations; thus, people of color and minorities are

severely mistreated and frowned upon. There is a stigma that is associated with each of those

minority groups, which recognizes them to be a threat to society. On the other hand, white people

are known to be superior due to the tremendous support the government provides for them.

When looking at this crisis at a molecular level, there are innocent people put in jail simply due

to their skin color and ethnicity. In order to improve this corrupt system, the amount of people

in prison must decrease and those in prison must be provided with excellent mental health

support; in addition, people need to be educated about the inhuman treatment of those minority

groups in places like prison in order to find a solution to this injusticej.

Prison overcrowding leads to increased violence, the inability to provide necessary

medical care and other essential services, and degrading practices like requiring prisoners to

sleep on the floor. Initially, the issue of overcrowding might “pose risk of harm” which is why

change must occur so that “vulnerable prisoners can access health care”(The Impact of

Overcrowding). The prison system is lacking the need to give prisoners space and decreasing

the need of health providers for prisoners, which increases levels of diseases all around the

prison community. In order to “achieve a healthy prison,” diseases in prisons must be controlled

and tested and “modifications to prevent diseases.” These diseases are being “caused by

overcrowding” which is the main impact on prison systems around the world (The Impact of

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Overcrowding). Most medical instructors believe that diseases in prisons are caused by

overcrowding. Overcrowding increases disease count and lowers the health of prisoners. By

fixing overcrowding the prison system can decrease disease number and significantly improve

prison systems. Mobile judges travelling to prisons to hold court hearings “reduces the number

of remand prisoners”(The Impact Of Overcrowding). A solution to overcrowding which not

only decreases the amount of prisoners in one place but also the amount of diseases. The overall

society agrees that most people in prison are not having enough space to do daily activities. This

is going to negatively impact not only prisoners but the society as a whole.

Mental health in the prison systems is not acknowledged. Prisoners must have the right

to “ see doctors and be treated” the same way as any other person around the world does. This

provides “true equivalence” and doctors will be guided by the same ethical principles. Physical

and mental health systems need to provide healthcare for these individuals to ensure “equality”

and development. (Prison Systems Around the World). In order to make prisons a good

environment, prisons must give the same options like work to the prisoners and provide them

with mental Health care in order for prisoners to develop when they are out of prison. Most of

society believes that they don’t get enough attention in order to develop and become a better

person outside of jail time. Furthermore, Providing mental healthcare for prisoners will “improve

the individuals’ healthcare outcome” by maintaining a functional individual when the prisoner is

out of prison. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, he/she will have the mental capabilities to deal

with other inconveniences after being locked up if they are provided with mental healthcare. It

can improve the individuals’ healthcare outcome and protect against the implications of

continued poor mental health on the overall health of the nation and society at large”(Health in

Prison Systems). It will have a positive impact on the prisoners' out world life and prevent

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further problems in a prisoners case. It also shows that if we improve mental health not only

does it affect prisoners in prison life but cause less problems in an outside prison environment.

Finally, ”Is useful to define, monitor and develop prison mental healthcare in accordance with

national codes of professional practice and policy on mental health using the same methods and

standards that apply in the wider health service, such as National Service Frameworks and

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines”(prison systems around the

world). By giving all the support to prisoners mental health this will cause an excellence on

national services and causes a healthier prision line. If prison systems provide equal health care

to all prisoners it not only proves the prisoners health care in prison but also out. Mental health

specialists agree that if prisoners continue to live in an unhealthy lifestyle prison systems will

have to improve in order to succeed and in order for prisoners to develop.

The amount of time an individual is in jail is affected by race in Prison systems. Jail time

for an individual depends on the crime that the person has committed. But society prisons ten

times more African Americans than white people for drugs, “even though white people do drugs

5 times more”(“Black lives matter”). Most of society argued that it is not fair to the African

American community to be treated unequally and not having the same punishments. This leads

to violence which is needed if that means no more racial discrimination in the system. This

illustrates that the prison systems racially discriminate against people of color which shows the

problem of the prison system. This affects prison systems as a whole and racial discrimination

will be shown even more if this is not advised. If society doesn’t take this problem to an extent

racial discrimination will be normalized and problems like getting unreasonable Colored people

thrown in jail will be a normal thing. Racial bias in prisons include abuse ; “over 15% of African

Americans have been abused” in prisons, while only 3% of white prisoners have been abused in

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prisons. (Lichtenberg). Not only are they being put in prison due to their race, but they are

treated badly there as well. Being abused is a sign of inequality to African Americans. The

United States is a place of freedom and equality but prison systems don’t represent that. A 15%

ratio compared to a 3% ratio for the same punishment is racial discrimination against the

individuals. If this is continued and we do not meet the three requirements prison systems will

fail to succeed in their goals as an environment. Finally, the stereotypes of black people causing

danger to society is the “major cause of African Americans” disproportionate rate of fatal police

encounters(Black Lives Matter:eliminating racial inequality in the Criminal Justice System).

Those stereotypes cause police officers to treat African Americans very harshly when they are

caught doing a misdemeanor. The prison systems are abusing the human rights of different races,

which makes the prison system a bad environment not only for prisoners but staff as well. In

order to improve these negative actions advisors are needed and clearly racial discrimination is a

bad environment for all to live in. A way to fix racial discrimination is making sure every race

gets the equal amount of punishments and the equal amount of freedom or the punishment they

deserve, no matter the race, gender, and/or religion. By comparing the “Black Lives Matter”

article to Litcheberg, we learn that all African Americans around the world that end up in prisons

are treated unequally, whether it's being thrown in jails for unjustified crimes or being abused in

prisons; this all leads to a negative environment. They both illustrate that racial discrimination is

shown in prisons and continued this is not unfair and African Americans around the world are all

equally being abused for their race. Both evidence shows inequality that is not supposed to be

normalized but is due to prison systems.

In conclusion prison systems are not acting upon these acts. Not only does this impact

prisoners but it impacts the prison environment as a whole. These issues can be solved by

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communication and equality around this environment. Solving overcrowding,discrimination,

and mental health of prisoners can improve the prison system significantly.

Works Cited

The Development of Equivalence as a ... - Journals.sagepub.com.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0141076814523949.

The Development of Equivalence as a ... - Journals.sagepub.com.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0141076814523949.

“Psych 424 Blog.” Applied Social Psychology ASP RSS,

https://sites.psu.edu/aspsy/2019/03/04/americas-prison-system-is-flawed/.

Umidjon.rahmonberdiev. “United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.” Developing an Effective

Prison Reform,

https://www.unodc.org/centralasia/en/news/developing-an-effective-prison-reform.html.

Warmsley, Roy. “Prison Health Care and the Extent of Prison Overcrowding.” International

Journal of Prisoner Health, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 1 Jan. 2005,

https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1080/17449200500156897/full/html.

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