Crime and Corrections Historically Crime Has Been Essay

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Crime and Corrections

Historically crime has been a concern for the public, and by extension policy makers because of the ways in which it can change and shape society. Criminal activity has the potential to influence social and economic environments within a society thus it is critical to identify measures that reduce outcomes of crime and support the reintegration of offenders into society. Consequently, crime and corrections have become big business in the United States (Smith). The money from the public purse that is expended to deal with crime is increasing in all of the states. More money is being moved from other areas of the budget to address the challenge of crime and criminal behavior. This increase in expenditure occurs in multiple areas of the criminal justice system and in spite of cost control measures. Additionally, there are fewer prisoners in within the system. This reduction in prisoners has not translated into a reduction of fear and feelings of safety within communities. Big cities remain the bastion of major criminal activity with drugs and gangs providing the largest volume of additions to the system. Ultimately, however the privatization of the corrections system is the major force that may shape all aspects of the system.

Measuring crime is a difficult prospect and the discussion should begin here (Zimring, and Hawkins 44). The measurement of crime focuses on the statistics related to arrests and incarceration of individuals. The challenge is that this picture is incomplete since arrests themselves are based not only on the existing laws, but as has been demonstrated over time there is an overrepresentation of specific segments of the population in the corrections system.

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The poor and minorities are overrepresented indicating that the system still favors those who are affluent and privileged.

The data on crime suggests that the numbers of persons in the nation's prisons have declined (Minton 1). Between 2009 and 2010, the numbers of persons in county and city jails was reduced by 2.4% (Minton 2). Additionally, the rate at which persons are being incarcerated has declined in 2010 to "242 jail inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents, the lowest rate since 2003" (Minton 3). Almost all of the persons in prison are adults with adult males accounting for 87.7% of the prison population. While majority of the prison population is white. There are large numbers of minorities within the prisons system. African-Americans account for 37.8% of all inmates and Hispanics 15.8% (Minton 3). These statistics demonstrate at least two key realities that are not informing present practices in the system. The first is that there are fewer persons in prisons so that, taking inflation into consideration, the corrections system should reducing expenditure. Secondly, the stability of the racial imbalance points to the societal structural inequities that continues to influence crime and the corrections process. There are many that have become marginalized as a result of being in the correctional system.

Another interesting perspective beyond looking at those in the correctional system, is understanding how they became part of the system. Multiple factors determine who are the criminals….....

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