Summary Of Overcrowded Prisons

Introduction
Stern’s (2006) book, “Creating Criminals: Prisons and People in a Market Society”, gives us the black and white truth about important topics that are not usually talked about in the media, nor acknowledged by most in American society. The author explains that she is in no way defending criminals with her literature, rather researching and informing society about the ineffectiveness of the criminal justice system and the market society. She argues that many policies go in favor towards those who have money, leaving people who don’t have money behind, which ultimately leads to creating criminals. She explains the dangers of overcrowded prisons, who are the people more likely to be imprisoned, and the role of a market society within
Although criminals should pay the consequence for their behavior, it should not mean that they should live in overcrowded prisons. An example of an overcrowded prison is shown in Angola, where the max occupancy was for 800 prisoners, yet they had 1,750 prisoners (Stern, 2006). When this happens, the lack of resources, space, and training from needed officers increases. Therefore, conditions become hazardous and prisoners and officers are at higher risk for diseases such as HIV and Tuberculosis (Stern, 2006). Although society feels safe with criminals locked up, they have to realize that a main purpose for prisons is to help reduce crime by showing prisoners that breaking the law will cause them the loss of freedom. Ultimately, leading those criminals who are able to get out, to come out with a sense of a change behavior. However, the system that puts these women, men, and young people in overcrowded prisons are not even worried about the criminal. Instead, they keep increasing the definition of “crime”, which increase the number of criminals in an ineffective prison
In fact, in situations of extreme poverty with no roof over their head, it is sometimes done with good intentions by the system. In their eyes, this allows the now labeled criminal to have a roof over their head. In situations like these, excluding the things the criminal could learn in prison, they will come out with a criminal record, which personally seems worse than before. Stern (2006) brings up the topic of life after prison, where she briefly explains certain things that happen to an ex-convict when they are trying to get their life back together. Those people who are put in jail for the lack of money, representation or suffer from mental illness/addictions often struggle with necessities like, getting a job, housing, etc. These things ultimately define if they will be able to live life outside of prison