Imprisonment in the United States has been a controversial topic for years. The unique challenges of incarcerated individuals are often not talked about in the forgotten part of the justice system. With over two million incarcerated individuals in the United States, the jails and prisons that house these individuals have found a way to keep many aspects of the justice system quiet.

With such a large number of individuals incarcerated, the probability of overcrowding is at an all time high. The increased number of crimes being committed, there seems to be no other option at the moment to house these individuals. Overcrowding in these facilities could lead to a number of problems including the increased contact between everybody inside the facility. Not only does this obviously mean that inmates are going to be at a higher risk, but correctional officers and employees of the jail or prison that they work in. Overcrowding also has a high correlation to hygiene and cleanliness in these facilities. Many times, the supplies and inventory that jails and prisons carry will not be enough for the increased number of incarcerated individuals being housed. Hygiene products, clean bedding and showering are a few of the products that inmates were denied, especially during the Covid pandemic where every resource was scarce. A survey titled “Community Insights on California Jails” talks a lot about the pains of imprisonment and how it affects individuals that are incarcerated. Based in California, 47% of the inmates said that they were given items like a toothbrush, soap and deodorant while the other 53%  (Community Insights, 2021) were not given these products. When it came to bedding like sheets and blankets, the participants of the survey indicated that only 43% of the inmates received clean, usable bedding. Another question was simply if the incarcerated individuals found the jail was clean; with a response of only 14% of the inmates answering yes. Some of the characteristics of this jail described by the participants of the study were the abundance of rodents, feces, urine and bugs (Leigeyl and Ryder, 2015). With health hazards such as these, there is no doubt that diseases and sickness are a big concern for inmates. An interview from this survey stated that one inmate got a MRSA infection from the bedding he was issued not being cleaned from the last incarcerated individual to use it (Leigeyl and Ryder, 2015); also in this interview was the mention of a lice outbreak in the same facility.

A large part of the pains incarcerated individuals face while in jail or prison is the food aspect. Usually, inmates are given three meals a day in the mess hall which seems like it would be enough. In most cases the quantity of the food holds a clear advantage over the quality. Many incarcerated individuals say that the food that is provided to them is more than enough to eat but holds no nutrition. “Most of food was an empty carb- white bread/white rice. Processed meals, minimal vegetables, most often vegetables were canned or molded. High sodium levels led to development of hypertension which had a negative effect on my pregnancy” (Community insights, 2021).

Critical Thinking Questions/Exercise

Home Confinement

This exercise is meant to show you what It’s like to be incarcerated and the pains that one must go through well-being incarcerated. Understanding the feeling of incarnation can help gather an all new perspective of prisoners. As well as being used as a deterrence method. This exercise will not be fun, and will simulate the harsh conditions one might face incarcerated. Order to follow this exercise. One must lock themselves within a confined area (most likely your area of living) for 24 hours. Well you are being ” incarcerated” there are rules that you must follow.

You are not allowed to:

1. No using any electronics including watching a TV, using a computer or your phone
2. You’re only allowed to take three 20 minute trips to the kitchen or refrigerator to eat food and you’re not allowed to eat at any other times other than those three designated times
3.  No contact with anyone from who is not within your living space (This includes texting) only one shower per day and no closing the bathroom door
4.  No jewelry for makeup
5. Outer clothes must be casual as a t-shirt and either sweatpants or jeans

You are allowed to:

1. Use prescribed medicine
2. Do any school work that must be done
3. Use your phone in case of emergencies

References

“Community Insights on California Jails” Survey, Summary of Findings, August 5th 2021, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OM1mfWOIl4st_HE0-gb9BaX5B-UiRdl9/view

Elle Mae Boag David Wilson , (2014),”Inside experience: engagement empathy and prejudice towards prisoners”, Journal of Criminal Psychology, Vol. 4 Iss 1 pp. 33 – 43.

Linsey Belisle, Breanna Boppre, Jaclyn Keen & Emily J. Salisbury (2019): Bringing Course Material to Life through Experiential Learning: Impacts on Students’ Learning and Perceptions in a Corrections Course, Journal of Criminal Justice Education, DOI: 10.1080/10511253.2019.1684537

Margaret E. Leigeyl and Michael A. Ryder,  Jun3 11 2015, The Pains of Permanent Imprisonment: Examining Perceptions of Confinement Among Older Life Without Parole Inmates.

Wendy R. Calaway, Todd Callais & Robin Lightner (2016): Going to Prison: The Effect of a Prison Tour on Students’ Attitudes Toward Punitiveness, Journal of Criminal Justice Education, DOI: 10.1080/10511253.2016.1145708