Prison population problems

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Prison population problems

• Submitted by Ieva Butrimaviciute PNVbd6-01

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Content

• Statistics of incarceration
• Reasons for prisons population growth
• Why do higher prison populations matter?
• Ways of reducing the prison population.

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Statistics of incarceration

• The US 2.1 million people (2006)
• England and Wales
• 2002 70.860
• 2003 72.144
• 2004 73.640
• 2005 75.815
• 2006 87.000.
• In October 2006, there were only 125 places left.

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Reasons for prisons population growth

• Deterministic explanation
• changes in the crime rate
• demographic changes
• social and economic factors
• child poverty
• the breakdown of the family
• poor education and unemployment.

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• 2. Policy-driven explanation
• decisions taken by government ministers,
  legislators and criminal justice
  agencies (especially the courts)
• greater use of prison sentences
• longer and harsher sentences
• restrictive conditions concerning early release.

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Why do higher prison populations matter?
High prison populations invariably lead to
overcrowding. It brings other major
problems 1. restricted living space 2.
poorer conditions of hygiene 3. poorer
sanitation arrangements 4. insufficient bedding
and clothing 5. food is less satisfactory in
terms of quality and quantity 6. health care is
more difficult to administer effectively 7.
diseases spread more easily 8. more violence
between prisoners and against staff 9. risk of
self-injury and suicide.
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• The ratio between staff and prisoner
  falls
• less effective supervision
• treatment programs, including pre-release
  courses, are likely to be negatively affected
• harmful effects on staff in terms of increased
  stress and sickness levels.

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Restricted living space
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Poor conditions of hygiene and poor sanitation
arrangements
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Insufficient bedding and clothing
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Food is less satisfactory in terms of quality and
quantity
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Health care is more difficult to administer
effectively
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More violence between prisoners and against staff
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Risk of self-injury and suicide
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Ways of reducing the prison population

• making less use of pre-trial detention
• making pre-trial detention shorter
• increasing the availability of alternatives to
  imprisonment
• making prison sentences as short as possible
• amnesties.

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Thank you for your attention