Improving Correctional Facilities
Most of the countries in the world operate under a democratic government whereby every person is equal before the law. Notably, the law is applied to all people regardless of their social status, gender, or race. In the United States of America, people who are arrested. Have pending trial or are sentenced are kept in special facilities known as correctional facilities, which are established to punish not only the offender but also correct their criminal behavior. In the state of Washington, D.C., there are numerous correctional facilities, but this paper focuses on only two, namely, Correctional Treatment Facility and D.C. jail. Therefore, a cost reduction strategy is essential in aiding the operation of correctional facilities that benefit from diversionary programs as well as improving the conditions of private facilities.
Diversionary programs can be termed as an alternative form of the justice system whereby an offender undergoes certain programs that allow them to avoid facing conviction or being written in the criminal record sheet (Scott 50). Examples of diversionary programs include rehabilitation of drug abuse and community service. Rehabilitation programs entail the process of treating a person that suffers from the addiction of drugs, while community service involves the use of police departments to oversee that an offender performs community work such as cleaning for a period of time. In the United States of America, diversionary programs are geared to reducing the number of people in the correctional facilities as well as reducing the cost of maintaining criminal offenders. It is equally important to point out that diversionary programs are a form of sentences in the judicial system that provide a remedy to criminals to reform so as to avoid their conviction.
Notably, diversionary programs are only beneficial to people with cases that revolve around misdemeanors and non-violent felonies and not felonies and violent crimes. The behavior of an offender is essential in determining whether they are supposed to undergo the diversionary program (Moore 20). Additionally, the nature of crime is an important factor when considering whether to enroll a criminal offender to a diversionary program or not. In the context of the judicial system, diversionary programs are only beneficial to people charged with misdemeanors and non-violent felonies since the crimes are less serious and can not a considerable less amount of time to rehabilitate or to restore good morals to the offenders. For instance, a person that has been charged with the abuse of illegal drugs and substance abuse is much easier to rehabilitate. Addiction is a behavioral or health problem that when a person is enrolled in a rehabilitation program that can help them to avoid abusing drugs. The programs can take three to twelve months, depending on the type of drugs abused and how the body of the offender responds to the drug.
On the other hand, people charged with felonies and violent crimes can significantly benefit from diversionary programs since their criminal acts go beyond their behavior. Felonies and violent crimes such as robbery with violence and drug trafficking involve numerous people that require security apparatus to conduct through investigations (Kamrath and Gregg 60). A point in case is where a person is charged with murder and is enrolled in a correctional facility. A person facing homicide charges causes pain on the part of the family members of the deceased person and the community at large. Enrolling such a person in community service to rectify their behavior may aggravate the pain of the bereaved family in which they may retaliate in action. Therefore, incarcerating people facing violent crimes and felonies is more beneficial than enrolling them in diversionary programs.
Furthermore, diversionary programs such as rehabilitation and community service can significantly benefit male and female inmates in Correctional Treatment Facility and D.C. jail (Michals and Kessler 50). Notably, the District of Colombia Jail is run by the state of Washington Correction department which normally handles prisoners that handle convicts sentenced with a misdemeanor which makes D.C. Jail a suitable facility for using community service to correct the behaviors of people charged with assault or the crimes that are considered to be small under the judicial system of the U.S. Besides, the people waiting for the adjudication of their cases can be enrolled in community service to avoid their names being added to the criminal record sheet.
On the other hand, Correctional Treatment Facility in the state of Washington DC that houses females, males, and juveniles that have been charged as adults. Correctional Treatment Facility handles convicted people that face up to six months in the center, which makes the facility a good spot for applying diversionary programs such as rehabilitation of people charged with drug abuse (Evans 152). The Correctional Treatment Facility can enroll the drug addicts to treatment facilities to treatment programs that reduce their consumption of drugs and ultimately help them to live a drug-free life.
Nonetheless, there are private correctional facilities in the U.S., such as the Correctional Treatment Facility, which have their pros and cons. One of the pros of private correctional facilities includes the creation of job opportunities in the community of people who manage the facility, such as cooks (Courtney 50). In addition, private facilities are instrumental in reducing the population of prisoners in state-owned facilities. On the other hand, there are cons of operating private facilities, which include the occurrence of corruption where an inmate serves a shorter sentence than the one stated. Besides, the living conditions in private facilities may be poor due to the fact that the facility may be in need to cut the cost of operation and generate more profits.
Moreover, cost reduction strategy is an important factor in ensuring that correctional facilities are operated effectively and offer efficient services. To cut the cost of operation, a correctional facility can enroll a sizable number of the inmates in diversionary programs such as community service that reduces the population of inmates (House 21). In addition, a facility may consider using technology by installing CCTV cameras as opposed to employing a huge workforce of guards. In terms of foodstuffs and medical supply, the management of the correctional facility can negotiate cheaper rates from suppliers while at the same time marinating the required quality standards.
In conclusion, correctional facilities offer a number of services, which include, punishing, rectifying behaviors, and treatment of inmates. There are diversionary programs such as rehabilitation and community service that are geared towards changing the behavior of inmates. Notably, the D.C. Jail and Correctional Treatment Facility are two centers that can employ the use of diversionary programs to reduce the population of correctional facilities. Besides, a cost reduction strategy entails reducing the population of inmates, negotiating cheaper of cheaper medical supplies, and the use of technology. The cost-cutting measures go a long way in reducing the resources used and ensuring that correctional facilities offer efficient services.
Work Cited
Courtney, Jeremy A. “The Relationship Between Prison Education Programs and Misconduct.” Journal of Correctional Education (1974- ), vol. 70, no. 3, 2019, pp. 43–59.
Evans, Amy Baron. “Federal Defender Analysis of Corrections Act of 2015.” Federal Sentencing Reporter, vol. 28, no. 2, 2015, pp. 151–153.
House, Lexy. “An Overlooked Population: Systematic Review of Transition Programs for Youth with Disabilities in Correctional Facilities.” Journal of Correctional Education (1974-), vol. 69, no. 2, 2018, pp. 3–32.
Michals, Irena, and Suzanne Kessler. “Prison Teachers and Their Students: A Circle of Satisfaction and Gain.” Journal of Correctional Education (1974-), vol. 66, no. 3, 2015, pp. 47–62.
Kamrath, Barry, and Julia Gregg. “Escaping the Prison Classroom: A Case Study of Correctional Teacher Turnover and Retention.” Journal of Correctional Education (1974-), vol. 69, no. 2, 2018, pp. 59–71.
Moore, Austen. “Correctional Agriculture as a Transformative Learning Experience: Inmate Perspectives from the Marion County Sheriffs Office Inmate Work Farm Program.” Journal of Correctional Education (1974-), vol. 66, no. 3, 2015, pp. 16–27.
Scott, DeWitt. “Developing the Prison-to-School Pipeline: A Paradigmatic Shift in Educational Possibilities During an Age of Mass Incarceration.” Journal of Correctional Education (1974-), vol. 68, no. 3, 2017, pp. 41–52.