Injustice and Inequality in America’s Prison System
Injustice and inequality are revealed by the conditions of the imprisoned women in American. Every person has the right to enjoy equal treatment and fairness despite gender, but this is not the case in American prisons. In most jurisdictions, women in jail are neglected, and men are given more programs than females (Duckett & Schinkel, 520). It is disappointing to see how American prison programs practice gender inequality even after humanitarians’ efforts to fight for gender equality and fairness in America. Instead of focusing on what led women in prison to commit the crime, the programs offer little of women in criminal justice need. The programs need to focus on the traumatic paths, which led them to conviction to avoid recidivism (Brewer &Heitzeg, 626). They should get important parenting programs to help them survive in the world after completing their prison terms. The prison employees, parole officers, do not understand that women in criminal justice differ from men and hence fail to give them suitable programs indicating injustice and unfairness.
Statistics show that the number of women joining prison has increased over the past decade to 81%, compared to a 45% increase in men (Brewer &Heitzeg, 632). Half of the imprisoned women have mental and health problems, and that is why it is essential to over programs that deal with traumatic incidences that led one to crime. In most cases, women facing criminal justice are poor, single mothers, under-educated, and in most cases, women of color (Brewer &Heitzeg, 632). These women have faced a lot of abuse and increased poverty levels, which have led them to criminal activities such as theft and drug smuggling. Gender neutrality in prisons is making women suffer since they are affected by differing circumstances from men. Gender disparities and treatment gaps continue to endanger women and are likely to commit more crime after leaving prison or jail.
Injustice and inequality are witnessed in the American criminal justice system through racial maltreatment. Most of the most convicted individuals in America are people of color. The country is still holding at stereotypes that one race is more superior to the other (Beckett & Sasson, 34). Racial superiority leads to injustice and inequality in the United States prisons, where blacks are seen to be the primary target. Studies indicate that close to three-thirds of all black men with low levels of education are likely to go to jail at one point in their lifetime in America (Brewer &Heitzeg, 637). Criminal law is not used accordingly to judge people per their illegal activities but racial stereotypes gear conviction and imprisonment in the United States.
Instead of focusing on ways to reduce criminal activities and offer fair treatment policies in the American criminal justice system, they are determined to continue mistreating individuals due to racial differences. It is clear that those black people who lack houses, overwhelmed by poverty and have low education levels are mostly likely to commit crime than the whites living palatial lives (Duckett & Schinkel, 525). It is the high time American solves the roots of criminal activities and fight bias in the criminal justice system. Injustices and discrimination in term s of race in the criminal justice systems in America is leading to a society which is sickened and toxified by those actions of prejudice is likely to commit more criminal activities (Beckett & Sasson, 34). Racial superiority in jails and prisons encourages unfairness making the white to receive all services and programs set for the prisoners and denying blacks such chances. During judgment whites are treated with lenience but blacks receive harsh judgments and prison terms due to racial discrimination prevailing the American criminal justice system.