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Imagine this; a man named Thomas was at a gas station with his girlfriend. His girlfriend went in to the gas station to get change for a hundred dollar bill. A young man had the change and was giving her the change for the hundred. Thomas thought that the young man was flirting with his girlfriend. He pulls out his gun and walks in to the gas station, shooting the young man. He pulls his girlfriend, and tells her to get in the car, and drives off. He was later caught and charged with attempted murder because the young man lived. He was only sentenced for nine years in prison. Now imagine being the young man staring down a barrel of a gun. Picture being shot feeling like you were left to die. Visualize going to the hospital, getting out of the hospital, and being told that the person who shot you only got sentenced nine years in prison due to the overcrowding in prison. Due to the overcrowding in prisons, I believe in the new prison reform there should be a law to make harsher limits to prisoner releases.
Imagine this; a man named Thomas was at a gas station with his girlfriend. His girlfriend went in to the gas station to get change for a hundred dollar bill. A young man had the change and was giving her the change for the hundred. Thomas thought that the young man was flirting with his girlfriend. He pulls out his gun and walks in to the gas station, shooting the young man. He pulls his girlfriend, and tells her to get in the car, and drives off. He was later caught and charged with attempted murder because the young man lived. He was only sentenced for nine years in prison. Now imagine being the young man staring down a barrel of a gun. Picture being shot feeling like you were left to die. Visualize going to the hospital, getting out of the hospital, and being told that the person who shot you only got sentenced nine years in prison due to the overcrowding in prison. Due to the overcrowding in prisons, I believe in the new prison reform there should be a law to make harsher limits to prisoner releases.2
In the beginning of America, it was not always like this. America has developed over the years through acts, laws, and other legal regulations. Because crime increased, America needed a place to confine people who were convicted of serious crimes. To create this place, the government needed to come up with a law, act, or other legal regulation. To have structures. This is also called a prison reform according to Webster’s dictionary online. Dr. Steven Schoenherr, author of “Selling the New Deal: Stephen T. Early’s Role as Press Secretary to President Franklin D. Roosevelt”, states over many years there have been many prison reforms like Walnut Street Jail 1790, Eastern State Penitentiary 1829, Elmira Reformatory 1876, Leavenworth 1895, and Seagoville 1941. Walnut Street Jail 1790 provided the first prison ever in the United States of America, introduced prison clothes, pattern of the prison cells, and establish the basic principles for prisons. It also segregate criminals according to sex, age and crime convicted. Eastern State Penitentiary 1829 gave different prison clothes so that the prisoners could not see the other prisoners. Also was the most influential prison. Elmira Reformatory 1876 made juvenile detentions for children so they could segregate the children from the adults. It also made women prisons and reformatory institutions for women to segregate women from the men (1).
In the beginning of America, it was not always like this. America has developed over the years through acts, laws, and other legal regulations. Because crime increased, America needed a place to confine people who were convicted of serious crimes. To create this place, the government needed to come up with a law, act, or other legal regulation. To have structures. This is also called a prison reform according to Webster’s dictionary online. Dr. Steven Schoenherr, author of “Selling the New Deal: Stephen T. Early’s Role as Press Secretary to President Franklin D. Roosevelt”, states over many years there have been many prison reforms like Walnut Street Jail 1790, Eastern State Penitentiary 1829, Elmira Reformatory 1876, Leavenworth 1895, and Seagoville 1941. Walnut Street Jail 1790 provided the first prison ever in the United States of America, introduced prison clothes, pattern of the prison cells, and establish the basic principles for prisons. It also segregate criminals according to sex, age and crime convicted. Eastern State Penitentiary 1829 gave different prison clothes so that the prisoners could not see the other prisoners. Also was the most influential prison. Elmira Reformatory 1876 made juvenile detentions for children so they could segregate the children from the adults. It also made women prisons and reformatory institutions for women to segregate women from the men (1).3
Leavenworth 1895 granted prisoners the right to work and sell their products or goods to the state for money towards their bail. Seagoville 1941 provided a penitentiary without walls based on treating crimes as diseases and offering different treatments after the criminal was classified by a type. Later the prison was run by a different warrant named David Ruiz who emphasized strict discipline. Then they sued David because the prison constituted no “cruel and unusual punishment” outlawed by the eighth amendment in the United States Constitution (2).
Leavenworth 1895 granted prisoners the right to work and sell their products or goods to the state for money towards their bail. Seagoville 1941 provided a penitentiary without walls based on treating crimes as diseases and offering different treatments after the criminal was classified by a type. Later the prison was run by a different warrant named David Ruiz who emphasized strict discipline. Then they sued David because the prison constituted no “cruel and unusual punishment” outlawed by the eighth amendment in the United States Constitution (2).4
The history of prison reforms has taught us that America has had many prison reforms, but never was truly good enough. They all left something that made up the next reform, a reform is needed today. The new prison reform would help solve many of the prison problems present. For example, prisons are overcrowded which causes a great deal of tension and conflict which creates fights and other violent acts. According to U.S. Law code, prisoners can be release for “good behavior” (3). Prisoner release has happened before and the result was never good. According to CQ Research, “Philadelphia suffered an unprecedented crime wave. In an eighteen month period, the city rearrested 9,732 defendants released by a federal judge, for new crimes including seventy nine murders, nine hundred fifty nine robberies, ninety rapes and 11,113 assaults (19). If the reform had harsher release limits, this event could not happen again, and prisoners would be serving the sentence they deserve. In Reuters states that a California judge will be releasing tens of thousands of criminals in the next three years to stop overcrowding in prison (1).
The history of prison reforms has taught us that America has had many prison reforms, but never was truly good enough. They all left something that made up the next reform, a reform is needed today. The new prison reform would help solve many of the prison problems present. For example, prisons are overcrowded which causes a great deal of tension and conflict which creates fights and other violent acts. According to U.S. Law code, prisoners can be release for “good behavior” (3). Prisoner release has happened before and the result was never good. According to CQ Research, “Philadelphia suffered an unprecedented crime wave. In an eighteen month period, the city rearrested 9,732 defendants released by a federal judge, for new crimes including seventy nine murders, nine hundred fifty nine robberies, ninety rapes and 11,113 assaults (19). If the reform had harsher release limits, this event could not happen again, and prisoners would be serving the sentence they deserve. In Reuters states that a California judge will be releasing tens of thousands of criminals in the next three years to stop overcrowding in prison (1).5
This could be solved by making more prisons. My opponent would say that would increase money being spent. This is wrong because if we reduced the life sentenced prisoners cost down, we would have enough. According to deathpenaltyinfo.org, it takes ninety thousand dollars or more a year to house one life sentence prisoner and ninety thousand dollars includes their food, housing, online dating, games consoles, college online, more luxuries items, and necessities needs. With these changes, I believe that the prisons will be a better place.
This could be solved by making more prisons. My opponent would say that would increase money being spent. This is wrong because if we reduced the life sentenced prisoners cost down, we would have enough. According to deathpenaltyinfo.org, it takes ninety thousand dollars or more a year to house one life sentence prisoner and ninety thousand dollars includes their food, housing, online dating, games consoles, college online, more luxuries items, and necessities needs. With these changes, I believe that the prisons will be a better place.