The Overdue Reform within the American Prison System
With over 2 million citizens behind bars and the highest incarceration rate, it is questionable if the United States is still able to pride itself on the nickname “the land of the free”? While although the United States population accounts for less than five percent of the world’s population, it accounts for a staggering 25% of the global prison population. The country’s mass incarceration rate, which is the highest in the world, has left correctional facilities bursting at the seams with little resources and funding. These monumental numbers present the financial burden on the country, as well as confirms the need for reform within the country’s current failed criminal justice system. America is in a crisis; however, as the media focuses on current and more interesting political issues, many forget about the large percentage of the nation that is locked up behind bars. Corruption within the American prison system has been a demanding issue for decades, and the long overdue reform will require cooperation from both political parties.
Per 100,000 United States citizens of any age, approximately 716 are estimated to be imprisoned in their lifetime. Harsh sentences with drug offense are a large component of the high rate of incarceration. In the 1980s, the Reagan administration authorized the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 which sparked the “War on Drugs”. Since then, the number of people put behind bars increased by over 350%. The war on drugs is often blamed for the overpopulation of jails and prisons due to mandatory minimum sentences. A mandatory minimum sentence is a minimum number of years a person must serve when convicted of a drug crime. In the case of drug possession, it typically depends on the amount of drugs. The purpose of this act was to harshen punishment on high level drug offenders; however, most drug cases that resulted in a mandatory minimum sentence involved low level offenders. Another component of mass incarceration attributes to the misplacement
Mass incarceration has caused issues within and outside prisons and jails. Correctional facilities are often understaffed, over-crowded, and lacking resources. Additionally, due to the high rate of recidivism within the US, prisons often see the same people rearrested and back in containment within 5 years of release.
I like your opening sentence but I do not think there needs to be a question mark at the end of it. I do not see a thesis and I’m honestly not sure what you are trying to argue against. I understand that you are saying that the United States prison system takes in way too many prisoners, however you have not yet discussed what could be done to fix that. I would suggest adding more details on what the goal of this issue brief is. You could maybe talk about how many people in prison either have or develop mental health issues. You could also discuss how much money goes to our prison systems and what certain rehabilitation programs (or lack there of) are in prison. Your style of writing is very smooth and easy to read, and it kept my attention the whole time. Overall the issue brief is good, it just need more details.
I wanted to make a correction to my comment. I have reread it again and I saw the title. That makes it very clear what you are arguing for. A reform just needs to be discussed in the issue brief.