Essay Example: Distinguishing Prisons and Jails Over History

With the existence of law and judicial systems in our society, the presence of lawbreakers is unavoidable. Ever since the late 18th century prison reform was embraced to address criminal justice, and the trend has maintained ever since. Prisons and jails developed in the recent past have similarities they share with the earlier ones, but it’s hard to ignore the differences that have come up as a result of the time difference.

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The similarities between the Walnut Street Prison and the SCI Phoenix facility include the separation of inmates based on sex and the type of crime, and high incarceration rate thereby resulting in prison overpopulation. Also, both have an overseeing officer in charge of the prison, and the inmates have time for yard exercise in both facilities. Besides, both prisons have cells to house the inmates.

The two facilities have crystal clear differences. In walnut street, prison inmates had their cells in which they spent most of their hours in it while in the SCI Phoenix Facility the inmates share their cells and interact with other inmates. Amenities in the walnut street prison are poor since inmates have their meals in their cells and the yards are small and attached to each cell, while in the sci facility amenities ae improved and activities such as eating and exercise are done in strategic places i.e. centralized dining places and yards.

Additionally, the walnut street prison majored in punishing their inmates by denying them social interactions majorly through isolation, and no family contact was maintained. Inmates went to the extent of laboring in their cells. O the other hand the SCI facility majors on treating their inmates. A process they aim at achieving evidently from the type of facilities and services installed. It has prison industries, offers educational recreational and other services to the inmates and the prisoners are allowed to meet their loved ones during visiting hours.

In walnut street prison the atmosphere was lonely. The lone atmosphere was mainly influenced by the great support for solitary confinement that was aimed at preventing peer influence among the prisoners. The inmates would spend nearly the whole day in their cells and had a small chance of enjoying the sun in the small yards attached to each cell. The prison had no major amenities since the prisoners took their meals and laboured in their cells. In the SCI Phoenix facility, the atmosphere is favourable for physical, emotional, educational, social, and spiritual growth. The inmates here are given a chance to partake in the activities of the outside world, such as pursuing their educational goals and earning income by working in the various prison industries. In this facility, the amenities are well arranged, and inmates housed more humanely.

In the SCI Phoenix facility, inmates do not spend a large percentage of their time in the cells due to the availability of various activities to engage in. The changes in the system over time points out a great deal on the reformation methods used in our country over the years. In the past reformation, houses were brought up to house lawbreakers but with no specific aim on how the correction process would benefit the inmates wholly. Currently, with all the situated plans in the system inmates gain character correction and various skills. The new SCI Phoenix Facility has put in place various amenities aimed at treating the prisoners rather than punishing them. The availability of educational activities among other activities helps the inmates to learn new skills and achieve their goals hence preventing the incubation of future criminals awaiting release.

References

Allred, Sarah L., et al. "Participatory evaluation in a prison education program: meaning & community building within inside-out think tanks." Corrections 5.1 (2020): 6-27

Seitz, Phillip. "Prisons Today: Questions in the Age of Mass Incarceration Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Philadelphia, PA." (2017): 129-132.