1. Prison Reform & Alternatives
By: David Michaux, Jessup Lowe, and Sally Smith

2. Issues with American Prisons
Overcrowding
Excessive amount of prisoners in jails for non-violent crimes
Inadequate prison healthcare
Prisoners unlikely to receive rehabilitation services
Expenses of keeping inmates in prison for minor offenses

3. America’s High Prison Population
Growing issue all around America
Leads to prisoner misconduct
Leads to officer/warden misconduct
Increases inmate violence
On average, each inmate costs tax payers about $31,000 a year. More prisoners equals more money out of your pocket.

4. Rehabilitation Pros and Cons
Prisoners now are less likely to receive rehabilitation than they once were
Services such as psychological and educational programs can help the prisoner contribute to society once they are released
These types of reform can also decrease their chances of landing back in prison
Many elected officials are afraid of looking soft on crime so they ignore this problem

5. Privatization
Prisons that are run by individuals for a profit and can lead to funding of new prison projects
Very controversial issue
Some say private prisons have been accused of corruption and corrosive incentives involving race
Also, others claim private prisons for profit attempt to maximize their own profit, which leads to a lack of medical care, food and clothing to security as well as inmates. This can be a danger to the public

6. Reform or Punish
People who are in prison for minor drug offenses should be given the opportunity to learn and educate themselves within the prison or released on probation since they are not a danger to society.
By reforming inmates as opposed to punishing them we can help the economy by using tax payers’ money for more productive services and better society.
It is more beneficial to the country to have prisoners leaving jail educated and reformed than it is to have them locked up for long periods of time.