Prison overcrowding is a social phenomenon occurring when the demand for space in prisons in a jurisdiction exceeds the capacity for prisoners. The First Step Act of 2018 passed overwhelmingly in both houses of Congress and was signed by President Trump. Within the first year of enactment, more than 3,000 federal prisoners were released based on changes to the good-time credits calculation formula under the First Step Act, and more than 2,000 inmates benefited from sentence reductions.
Narrow down which types of responses you would like to see.
Narrow down the conversation to these participants:
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
Yes
@9D9JDC52yrs2Y
I think that overall we should switch from the outdated and moralist "punishment" model to the intelligent, ethical, and up to date "rehabilitation model" for our legal system. While current prisons are INCREDIBLY UNETHICAL due to the abuse of inmates and use of slavery, I think that the only reason someone should be in prison anyways is because they are a danger to society. Someone who evaded taxes is not a danger to society, they're harmless and possibly a cool person.
@MotivatedSheepDemocrat2yrs2Y
The punitive aspect of the criminal justice system also serves as a deterrent. For example, the possibility of prison may dissuade potential tax evaders. While a tax evader may not pose a direct physical threat to society, large scale tax evasion can weaken public services, which society relies on, thereby indirectly putting people at risk. How would you propose we deter such non-violent but still harmful crimes in a rehabilitation-focused model?
@9HLL7S92yrs2Y
No they should not because that's not fair to everyone else who has served their time for similar crimes
@9FYNRM92yrs2Y
The number one reason why most prisoners are imprisoned is for drug charges. However, most drug dealers were raised into it and are just trying to provide for their family.
@9G7N8GKIndependent2yrs2Y
Without rehabilitation, there will be reoffending, and without creating incentives to be better citizens along with release crime with increase
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
No
@9FYNRM92yrs2Y
We need to allow second chances for prisoners, many prisoners were just young, dumb kids when they made their stupid decision to imprison them. Many of them really do change in prison and aren't able to prove that.
@9C67VV7Libertarian2yrs2Y
This is what's happening now with NO BAIL. Criminals are being let out for shoplifting or other small offenses. Stores and shopkeepers have to pass on the cost of any losses to the honest customers. There has to be consequences for breaking the law or there is no incentive for folks not to commit crime.
@9FMJ4ZQ2yrs2Y
I just don't think that this is a smart idea. They are just going to sit in there house and think of ways to get out or make more issues.
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
No, but we should increase funding to offer education and skill building services for prisoners
@9G5DRCD2yrs2Y
Crime can be due to poverty, lack of coping skills, lack of opportunity. So we should focus on improving those things that we can control. I don’t think a person should spend long in prison and nonviolent crimes shouldn’t be felonies for the most part but a person should serve their 3-6 months in prison getting education and skills and then go out into the community and receive wrap around services to help them succeed. After 3 strikes a repeat non violent offender shouldn’t be treated as lenient. Intent and repetitiveness should also matter.
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
Yes, but place them under house arrest using an electronic bracelet
@9FMJ4ZQ2yrs2Y
No, this isn't a good idea because they could just go out there and cause more problems. Just build bigger prisons and more places for them to go.
@9FMNV23Republican2yrs2Y
No because they should still be in prison they commited a crime and should face there punishment in the prison that's like saying a rapist should be allowed to wear a electric bracelet insteaed of being in prison.
@9G5DRCD2yrs2Y
Committing crime should have consequences that entail a loss of freedom. Non violent offenders shouldn’t spend long in prison but they should serve their time. Shorter sentences coupled with education and skill building is more important than sitting at home where the offender came up with the idea that it was okay to commit a non violent crime in the first place.
@ISIDEWITH4yrs4Y
No, transfer them to under crowded prisons instead
depending of what said prisoner was convicted for, like drug possession, or self defense they should be able to be let out on terms of good behavior.
Yes, but they should be required to attend some form of rehabilitation such as frequent community service, anger management classes, skills training, or a treatment center for addiction and mental health.
@99JGS332yrs2Y
Yes, but they must perform community service on a daily basis and should be monitored using an electronic bracelet. Another way to reduce overcrowding prisons is to execute all death row inmates and execute all murderers, terrorists, and all violent criminals. Once they are sentenced to death they should be executed ASAP.
@7BW8QSN3wks3W
Glorification of violence
@93PWQPQ3yrs3Y
No, transfer them to under crowded prisons instead.
Yes, but they should be required to undergo some form of rehabilitation and should remain on a parole-like check-in system for a certain time period.
@9D8JZSB2yrs2Y
@9LXTYYR1yr1Y
Yes, but if they commit another felony they should not be released from jail until there time is served even if they are non violent
@9G3DHMG2yrs2Y
No, we should abolish prisons and instead sentence all convicted criminals to the death penalty instead.
@9DXJFQP2yrs2Y
Yes, and stop sending people to prisons for non-violent crimes
@9D4PDDZ2yrs2Y
Yes, but they must perform community service on a daily basis and should be monitored using an electronic bracelet. Another way to reduce overcrowding prisons is to execute all death row inmates and execute all murderers, terrorists, and all violent criminals. Once they are sentenced to death they should be executed ASAP and not spend years on death row.
@9D3RPBQ2yrs2Y
We Must Increase More Funding to offer Education and Skill Building Services for Prisoners; we treat them as human beings, and Abolish Prisons.
@9X359Q98mos8MO
Yes, but they should be held liable in a different way, or be required to take reformation classes 5 days a week.
Yes, but require that they attend some form of rehabilitation like daily community service or mental health treatment and place them on a parole-like check-in system for a set period
@9MFBRSL1yr1Y
Yes, but they should be required to perform daily community service and report to a parole officer for a set period. Also create more job and skill-training services, housing support, mental health/addiction treatment, and other social programs to ensure that these prisoners reintegrate into society effectively
@9L74FFC1yr1Y
Yes, but require that they attend some form of frequent rehabilitation for re-integrating into society such as anger management courses, community service, addiction treatment, and skills training etc. Also place them on a parole-like check-in system to monitor their progress
@9L4Z23BIndependent 1yr1Y
Yes, but they must be given a fine, granted parole, and ordered to perform community service by a judge
@9FJJFYL2yrs2Y
Yes, as long as the crime committed was a minor crime.
@9GZDTYYIndependent2yrs2Y
No, we should instead reform our justice system to remove prejudice and injustice for individuals on such a large scale. The U.S. has 10.4% of the world's prison population despite only making up 4.2% of the world's population, which means that our legal system is placing too many people in prison and our legal system needs to undergo some major reform, which can start with a reformation of the government to approach drug issues from a medical perspective rather than a legal one.
Yes, but also they should have fulfilling rehabilitation opportunities waiting for them.
@96FRNJ73yrs3Y
Yes, but they must perform community service on a daily basis and should be monitored using an electronic bracelet. Another way to reduce overcrowding prisons is to execute all death row inmates and execute all murderers, terrorists, and all violent criminals.
@sterdiz 5yrs5Y
No. More prisons/jails should be built and more mandatory labor from the inmates should be required in order to support the prisons/jails.
Deleted2yrs2Y
Only for non violent drug offenses.
@8F7X9DV5yrs5Y
it depends on what they're there for.
@983HWZH3yrs3Y
Decriminalize drug usage and we wouldn't have over crowded prisons.
Yes, but place them under the supervision of a probation or parole officer for the remainder of their sentence
@8X4HP324yrs4Y
Yes, they should, however I think it is still important that we keep a close eyes on those criminals. Also I think we should start a fund to send prisoners somewhere, like a retreat, before the prisoner is able to step back into society. A place where they can be examined by psychologists, talk to therapists and have parole officers determine if they are well enough to re-enter society.
Every prisoner who did not commit a violent or sexual crime should be released, and from now on nobody should be imprisoned except for a violent or sexual crime, and for any crime other than that they should either get a fine or community service.
@98NPJBP2yrs2Y
No, but there should be less prisons. There should not be for-profit prisons
@B2P2DXXRepublican5mos5MO
Yes, and should perform community service. And if they repeat the same crime, then they must be put in jail.
@9L74W6T1yr1Y
Yes, in moderation and upon an-unbiased jury's decision to release them. The sentence should be served closer to completion than starting and the jury must go over the facts of the case and the trial to make a well informed decision based on the character of the prisoner.
@9F9J3SP2yrs2Y
depends on what there in prison for
@9F597PF2yrs2Y
well I think that if you do the crime you should do the time because the people who are ono-violent people will do it again or something more serious so NO they should stay in there
@9F4D82W2yrs2Y
Yes, but still should be a part of a rehabilitation program to help them get back into society
@9F4B9YP2yrs2Y
Be more organized and section prisoners off better
@9DW22XR2yrs2Y
Yes, but only if they are on parole or have 2 or less years on their sentence
@9DTZBM42yrs2Y
It would depend on the severity of the non-violent crime
@9DS9WLT2yrs2Y
yes, and reduce the amount of convictions given to non-violent criminals.
@9DPMQ8H 2yrs2Y
No, we should reduce overcrowding by implementing an immediate death sentence on people who commit the most horrific crimes with irrefutable evidence or dangerous psychopaths who can never be rehabilitated.
@9DHM9ZQ2yrs2Y
Yes, but provide a work program for them
@9DGB99H2yrs2Y
Yes, and we must also provide them rehabilitation services to make their transition into society easier.
@9D7VRVM2yrs2Y
Yes, but it depends on the crime and they should be under house arrest.
@9D7RQVKConstitution2yrs2Y
No, follow through on real and harsh punishments would be a good deterrent. Our judicial system is broken
@9D6SCHY2yrs2Y
Prisoners in jail for things that are no longer crimes should be released first, and go from there.
@9D5434F2yrs2Y
All Juvenile offenders should be enrolled into a Military Acadamy until 18 years of age forgoing all contact with family. All adult offenders should serve in the military for minimum of five years to maximum of life or age 75.
@9D4XNST2yrs2Y
Yes and No. Depending on crime and case by case bases, there might be specific situations where people can not be let out do to flight risks, gang affiliations, or even to protect them from people want to hurt them. It should be a Case by Case choice, but if released, should be house arrested with an electronic bracelet and must perform community service on weekends. But more than they, there should be a Special Exception for Drug cases. Cops should be allowed to watch and show up at their houses randomly in the day to test them for drugs, and allowed to do a small contained search around the… Read more
@9D4Y3KJ2yrs2Y
Yes and have more programs to help teach about life and rehabilitation
@9D4Y7JBRepublican2yrs2Y
No, Releasing of prisoners is not the solution to reduce overcrowding. A combination of new prisons and better sentencing should be used to correct this.
@9D4QSCN2yrs2Y
There should be programs to complete and reviews for all inmates, both violent and non-violent to reduce their time. A violent charge does not mean the person is violent the same of a non-violent charge means the person is non-violent. It should be base on the inmate willing to improve and better themselves.
@8C5L9755yrs5Y
Yes, but the government should fund re-integration programs to ensure lower reincarceration rates
@93SB7YB3yrs3Y
Yes, but they perform community service on a daily basis until their time is served.
@934W25Z3yrs3Y
Yes, but they should wear monitors, check in with officers, have unannounced visits, and increase funding for education and skill building services
Yes, but they must regularly see a probation or parole officer for the remainder of their sentence, and maintain some form of employment or be enrolled in an educational skills building program
@98NTRYSWomen’s Equality2yrs2Y
We should not have prisons
@Brett-Bagsham3yrs3Y
Yes, unless they are a repeat offender
@952NDSG3yrs3Y
Prisoners convicted of victimless crimes should be released from jail in order to reduce overcrowding
@93Y8XNR3yrs3Y
Yes, but put them on parole
@93GDZVH3yrs3Y
Yes, and abolish the prison-industrial complex.
@8FFSX395yrs5Y
Yes, but only for those convicted of victimless crimes
@8F356YM5yrs5Y
Yes, but they should be required to participate in some form of education or rehabilitation in order to prevent them from being a repeat offender.
@B5YDH2G4 days4D
No, We should:
-increase funding to offer education and skill building services for prisoners
-transfer them to under crowded prisons instead
-build more prisons
-place them under house arrest using an electronic bracelet
-make them perform community service on a daily basis
@B5YB8G65 days5D
possibly but they should still have some form of sentence in either communtiy service, parole, house arrest etc. if they committed a cirme they should still serve some form of time but it may not be best served in prison.
@B5XVFLK1wk1W
Abolish prisons for all but the most egregious offenders, by which I mean landlords, fraudsters, billionaires and horrible bosses. Violent offenders should subject to psychiatric detention.
@B5XRWM91wk1W
They should be performing community service everyday and have an electronic monitor on so their exact location is always known.
Yes, but their probation needs to be for the remaining length of their sentence plus 24 additional months.
@B5WBBGC2wks2W
I don't think they should just be released because they still committed a crime and they have to do the time they were given but I think we could find a better alternative than just releasing or putting them on house arrest.
@B5TQNFG3wks3W
It depends on the criminals sentence. It does not matter if they are behaving if they murdered 30 people
@B5TCCXJ 3wks3W
No, transfer them to under crowded prisons instead, and increase funding to offer education and skill building services for prisoners
@B5SKGVB3wks3W
it all depends on the individual case but for the most part on "non-lethal or non-threatening" cases yeah.
@B5S4Z7X4wks4W
There ought to be certain increases to availability for parole in the case of nonviolent offenders if they specifically meet strict criteria in terms of their criminal offenses, i.e. misdemeanor charges primarily. Felonies would require specific restrictions in which the crime doesn't involve abuses or risks of endangerment.
@B5RXC57Independent4wks4W
No, nonviolent prisoners should be in prisons focused on rehabilitation like those in scandanavian countries
@B5RT93J4wks4W
Maybe on a case by case basis. Some non-violent prisoners may still be at high risk of causing continued harms to society if not incarcerated.
@B5NT3MP1mo1MO
It depends. For drug possession/use, then yes. For theft/fraud, then yes, but they perform community service.
Yes, and we should put resources into programs that support prisoners with readjusting to life outside prison
@B5M34D71mo1MO
Yes, but we should also build separate facilities that they must frequently visit that monitors their behavior and keeps them on the path of reform
@B5JWZBN2mos2MO
yes, but after release there needs to be a rehabilitation back into society depending on crime and checking with PO to ensure a safe and proper placement back into society.
@B5GT3FB2mos2MO
Yes, and they should receive support and rehabilitation while also being required to provide some community service.
@B5G5C592mos2MO
Non-Violent prisoners should have to do however many hours of community service in accordance with the crime they've committed
Loading the political themes of users that engaged with this discussion
Loading data...
Join in on more popular conversations.
