Effects Of Jail Overcrowding

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Systematically, jail overcrowding is a major concern that has been going on for decades. Agencies have implemented new policies, revised old ones, and added new ones. Correctional Services goal is to make every member a rehabilitator, but jail overcrowding will first need to be reduced (Van der Westhuizen, 2005, p.1). Jail crowding is a broad topic and many researchers discuss it from different approaches, but little is known about how judges view their responsibilities.
Collectively, a variety of criminal justice officials and agencies play a vital role in jail overcrowding. The studies that relate to jail overcrowding discuss alternative programs, effects on prison personnel or inmates, cost, and technology advances to reduce crowding including electronic monitoring. However, few studies exist to provide solutions that lead to resolving the overcrowding issue. The research that is currently available shows view points from many different policymakers’ views on jail overcrowding, yet judges who make sentencing decisions are not included in the majority of research on jail overcrowding. Evidence has shown that jail overcrowding has caused many problems within …show more content…

The first area examines jail structure or institutional reform. Crowding research has concentrated mainly on the spatial density and social density of crowding (John Howard Society of Alberta, 2002, para. 1). Jail spatial density only gives a certain amount of space of square feet per inmate in a housing unit. Once another inmate shares that space, it builds overcrowding effects. The effects reflect upon individual inmates and staff. Inmates tend to engage in inappropriate behavior. They become more aggressive, less cooperative, and more socially withdrawn. What is there to do next? Resign or reform jails is what some researchers have

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