Influence within Public Programs

Influence within Public Programs

Introduction

The United States has been facing harsh economic realities. As a result of plummeting economic conditions, localities and states have suggested cut down of budgets. Federal and state activists, in the United States, have recommended budget cuts for prisons in order to reduce overcrowding.

This paper will determine the impact of budget cuts on the maintenance of prisons, the treatment of prisoners, and the impact on the recidivism rate among prisoner. The recommendations for budget cut have been particularly for institutions that are not cost effective. Prisons and jail systems are considered to be examples of institutions that are considered to be not cost-effective. The local, state, and federal governments are spending approximately $68 billion on the system that has not significantly improves the safety of public. Instead, it is believed that the system has resulted in the destabilization of communities and individuals. According to a research, it has been found that the population of prisons in the United States has been increased during the last 10 years. However, there is no considerable decrease in the rate of violent crimes (Bordt & Carceral, 2012).

When the government tightens the belt, prisons are the first institutions to feel the crunch. There are as many as 26 states that have slashed prison funding. The budget cuts in prisons result in different consequences including loss of jobs, job freezers, a reduction in meal offerings, and cut backs in prison and community based programs. In some states, the prison drug treatments are also cut. A number of prison workers are laid off when the budgets are reduced.

Discussion

The prison system, in the United States, is facing several crises. Prisons all over the country are dealing with shortfalls of budget. Since federal and state activists have recommended cutting prison budgets, it is important to consider the impact of budget cut down.

Maintenance of State and Federal Prisons

The reduction in the budget of state and federal prisons will have a significant impact on the maintenance of state and federal prisons. In many states, particularly California, the prison budget has been slashed for two years. As a result, the prisons are operating at 160 percent capacity. It suggests that one of the impacts of reduction in budget would be in the form of overcrowding of prisons. It is because prisons will not have sufficient resources to expand their capacity. In many prisons that are operating on a low budget, prisoners live in very poor condition. The temporary beds are filled by parole prisoners (Brickner, 2011). The other facilities in the prison are also occupied by prisoners including gyms and rehabilitation centers. In this condition, two or three inmates are required to share the sale room. Therefore, due to the reduction in budget, the federal and state prisons would require to consolidate their facilities. The reduction in prison budget will also affect maintenance in other ways. As a result of low resources, prisons will reduce personnel. The healthcare expenditures on prisons will also be cut ...