Building More Prisons Will Solve Prison Overcrowding (From America's Prisons: Opposing Viewpoints, P 112-117, 1991, Stacey L. Tipp, ed. - See NCJ-159858)

• NCJ Number: 159871
• Author(s): J M Quinlan
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 6 pages
• Sale Source: Greenhaven Press
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article argues that the Federal prison system must expand its capacity through new construction in order to deal with prison overcrowding.

Abstract

Overcrowded conditions are largely due to significantly increased average length of time served by inmates, itself attributable to enhanced law enforcement activity, longer sentences, and elimination of statutory good time and parole programs. One way to reduce the costs associated with prison construction is to build dual-purpose facilities. In addition to construction and other site acquisition activities aimed at reducing prison overcrowding, employment, particularly industrial jobs, is a key element in combatting the adverse impact of prison overcrowding. The expansion of community corrections, day fine programs, home confinement, and electronic surveillance will help ease the burden on prisons to house all convicted offenders.