Discussion 1
"The Sentencing Process and the Problem of Prison" Please respond to the following:
• From the first e-Activity, examine the extent to which the sentences the defendants in each case received were appropriate for the offenses they committed. Debate the degree to which corporal punishment is an effective form of sentencing when given in conjunction with a prison term. Provide support for your rationale.
• From the second e-Activity, imagine you are a warden in prison, and you have been tasked with deciding the most appropriate way to allocate funds.
Choose the one (1) issue that you would distribute the most resources toward in order to combat the findings from the Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prison's report on the United States' correctional system. Classify one (1) advantage and one (1) disadvantage to deciding to allocate the most resources toward the issue you have chosen. Provide support for your rationale.
Please also reply to the student
Donna Mattia
RE: Discussion 1
Hi, Professor and classmates,
Reading the cases online detailing crimes of rape, drug possession, fraud, and unlawful business (i.e., breach of trust) practices, I found the sentences including corporal punishment and imprisionment to be disturbing but quite appropriate in those countries that employ it. The case regarding the rape of that woman, who was a mother of 7, seemed appropriate including corporal punishment and prison.
I suppose the combination of their being whipped and then being incarcerated is a means of instantaneous humiliation and "bodily penalties" linked with a prison term that is long and arduous, makes it more effective than there being one or the other as punishment. Where corporal punishment is a regime that is harsh but has an immediate end, prison takes these criminals away from their homes, jobs, and communities for a long time leading to isolation and subjection to more immoral behavior with other prisoners.
As a warden, I would allocate funds in the prison work programs where the prisoners would learn hands-on skills that would advantageously help them return to society with a skill in order to gain employment, make a living, and become self-sufficient.
A disadvantage to the prison work programs is noted by those who oppose them for they feel these programs are a means of using prisoners as a source of low-cost or free labor. They feel this type of labor is inherently exploitative of prisoners, and is offered only to the most trustworthy or motivated inmates; therefore, not available to all willing participants.
Discussion 2
"Prisoners' Rights" Please respond to the following:
• According to the text, offenders do not have full Constitutional rights, but the U.S. Constitution does afford offenders some protection. Choose two (2) of the four (4) key sources of prisoners' rights (i.e., the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, state constitutions, and state statutes). Provide your opinion on the manner in which offenders receive some protection of their Constitutional rights through the two (2) chosen sources.
• According to the text, an area ripe for litigation is the right of prisoners to have access to healthcare versus cost effective prison management. Select one (1) special prison population, and argue for or against state and federal government's use of tax dollars to care for this special population. Support your position with at least one (1) example from the text.
Please also reply to the student
Regina Manzanares
RE: Discussion
According to the text, offenders do not have full Constitutional rights, but the U.S. Constitution does afford offenders some protection. Choose two (2) of the four (4) key sources of prisoners' rights (i.e., the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, state constitutions, and state statutes). Provide your opinion on the manner in which offenders receive some protection of their Constitutional rights through the two (2) chosen sources.
Offenders do not have the same rights that other citizens do when not in custody. The rights afforded to them, while derived from the same sources are adjusted pursuant to their confinment.
The US Constitution for example provides certain restrictions on the rights given. Maintenance of institutional order for example, provides that the inmate will be provided with an orderly environment including being disciplined appropriately while serving their sentences. Safety is also granted to them, meaning they are entitled to spend their sentences without having to be subjected to physical harm.
State constitutions can often be similar to the US constitution. State constitutions in all states are not uniform however and sometimes allow for the inmate to challenge their rights while incarcerated. Offenders are still granted the right to be safe and secure and the opportunity to right any wrongs by implementing steps to rehabilitate themselves for a certain period of time.
• According to the text, an area ripe for litigation is the right of prisoners to have access to healthcare versus cost effective prison management. Select one (1) special prison population, and argue for or against state and federal government's use of tax dollars to care for this special population. Support your position with at least one (1) example from the text.
• One special prison population that the government uses federal tax dollars to assist in the care of are inmates with special needs. I am in support of the government putting tax dollars towards the care of these uinmates as they would require care that goes beyong that of an inmate with no mental or physical handicaps.
Inmates with special needs according to our text are those who have physical, mental, social and programmatic needs. These inmates would require therapy, medications, doctors visits, and counseling that otherwise would not be a factor. I feel this is necessary in order for them to be able to be succesful in the completion of their sentences. Failure to provide inmates with the required type of care could result in the prison system having to spend more tax dollars in the event that the inmate is not treated.