American Prison Systems Do They Really Work - 4530 Words

American Prison Systems: Do They Really Work? Introduction: A History of American Prison Systems Prisons were among the first public buildings erected in the New World, and were considered as essential as a cemetery in every town (Lynch, n.d.). However, colonial American prisons were not houses of punishment, as they would later evolve to be (Lynch, n.d). A person who committed a crime was sent to prison only while awaiting trial, and after the trial was complete, the sentence would entail something quick and decisive either death or release. Thus, early American prison systems certainly worked to the extent that they were only designed to temporarily detain suspects and occasionally house convicted criminals for longer periods. The concept of the prison as a house of punishment and a place where criminals would be segregated from society is one that emerged later. After the American Revolution, the core social and political climate began to change. Americans began to question the extent to which the death penalty was being issued (Lynch, n.d.). Values, social norms, and political philosophies also changed, and so too did the demographics of the nation. The transformations in American society during the early modern and modern eras led to a transformation of the physical form of prisons and also their function and their place in American consciousness, (Lynch, n.d.). American prison historians generally describe two movements in early American prison history:Show MoreRelatedInside Look At The Prison Industrial Complex1484 Words   |  6 Pages2014 An Inside Look at the Prison-Industrial Complex Business’s that appear to be removed from the corrupt corporation of prison are ultimately expanding the prison industrial complex. Prison incarceration has become a multi-billion dollar industry that needs more than 2 million U.S. citizens to put into prison on any given day. This paper will be base for explaining how the PIC works and what really goes on behind all the barbed wire and armed guards. â€Å"The term ‘Prison Industrial Complex’ was firstRead MoreEssay on Should Capital Punishment Be Legal?992 Words   |  4 Pagesdoesnt really go along with the idea of incorporating the offender back into society; on the contrary, it just gets rid of the individual, because in society eyes, the offence committed is so wrong, that the person is no longer able to return into society. On the other hand, how can one really know if the person is really able to change his ways. Capital punishment also does a lot of good for the community. It saves the taxpayers money by not making them pay for the life sentence in prison. 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