OVERCROWDING IN MALE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

Running Head: OVERCROWDING IN MALE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES 1

OVERCROWDING IN MALE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

Student’s Name

Institution

2 OVERCROWDING IN MALE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

Outline: Overcrowding in male correctional facilities

I. Introduction

The state of affairs in male correctional facilities is sad as the inmates are overcrowded

and have to make use of the limited resources that are in the correctional facilities.

Thesis Statement

the congestion in the male correctional facilities has resulted in the deteriorating of the

living conditions in the facility which has threatened the wellbeing of the inmates and the

officers working in the correctional facilities.

II. Background

The rate of imprisonment in America has been increasing in the last four decades and this

has led to the correctional facilities taking in more inmates than their capacity. Men between

the age of 18- 40 constitute a large proportion of the inmates.

III. Body

1. Main point: When the inmates are overcrowded in correctional facilities they have no

access to proper medical services and sanitation, the inmates are exposed to more

diseases (Zubi, 2017).

a) Supporting Point 1: the overcrowding of correctional facilities has made the ratio of

the nurses to the inmates small; nurses have to attend to a huge number of inmates

and thus the quality of medical care is not guaranteed.

 

 

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b) Supporting point 2: since the correctional facilities are crowded resources like water

are not adequate. The inmates also cannot access clean water and that exposes them

to infections.

c) Additionally, the correctional facilities are not cleaned thoroughly encouraging the

breeding ground of bacteria and disease-causing organisms such as mosquitoes.

2. Mainpoint: the inmates have to stay in very bad conditions and lack access to the basic

needs which are the right of every citizen.

a) Supporting point 1: According to research done on male correctional facilities, studies

show that there are inmates who are forced to sleep down because they lack beds

b) Supporting point 2: the inmates lack privacy because they have to share a room with

so many people because of the rate at which the facilities get inmates.

c) Therefore there is a need for the prisons to be decongested to at least allow inmates to

have better conditions and also give them privacy.

3. Main point: The mental wellbeing of the inmates and the staff in correctional facilities

has been threatened by overcrowding in the facilities.

a) Supporting point 1: The overcrowding of prisons has been known to insight bullying. And violence in some of the inmates leading them to be stressed and even depressed

(Pollunina et al., 2017).

b) Supporting point 2: The staff have problems controlling the masses in prison. And thus

makes them experience work-related stress that could lead to the emergence of mental

conditions.

c) Consequently, there have been cases of suicide that have been noticed in the inmates. And also the staff working in the facilities.

 

 

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4. Main point: Correctional staff in the facilities are forced to use force to bring order in the

facilities.

a) Supporting point 1: The masses in the male correctional facilities have resulted in a

lot of fights. And chaos in the correctional facilities. The staff is forced to use

excessive force to stop them.

b) Supporting point 2: The use of excessive force is because of the lack of cooperation

from the inmates. And the fear that inmates might gang up against the staff.

c) It is said that the use of excessive power of officers results in the injury of the

inmates.

5. Main point: the overcrowded male correctional facilities have resulted in sexual

harassment and abuse of some inmates.

a) Supporting point 1: sexual harassment comes from both fellow inmates and the staff.

The staff feels that they have more authority over the inmates. And engage in sexual

activities with them without their consent.

b) Supporting point 2: studies show that over 100,000 male inmates are violated

sexually each year (Hodge, 2017). This is an alarming number that needs to be

addressed.