Ryan Ahern Evaluative Essay
English 101
4/21/14

52,920,000. That’s the number of inmates the United States has currently incarcerated in our penitentiaries. That is 756 people out of every 100,000 in the global population, according to the International Centre for Prison Studies (a study from the United Kingdom). Many argue that that number is too high to be within the United States’ means, attributable to the debatably high costs of government control over the prison system, as well as their reputed feeble ability to control the situations happening inside and out. Others, however, would claim that it is manageable, even beneficial for the good of the nation. One might wonder how over fifty million inmates with paid expenses and climbing charges could be maintained economically and, also, in a management sense. Under US law, inmates are granted humane treatment and basic living and functioning needs, such as water, plumbing and hygiene, and three squares a day. However, you might not know of all the extra amenities and opportunities given to US prisoners. Within certain penitentiaries, many residents are given a little extra, such as an allotted amount of hours watching television on sets installed in their cells, or job opportunities earning a reduced income. Other programs include certain privileges regarding attending post-secondary education classes in a holding area on site. Funding for these programs is situational, with public prisons receiving their budget from the fed’s, while state or private penitentiaries pay for it themselves. Marc Santora, of the New York Times, estimates that, “The city paid $168,000 to feed, house and guard each inmate last year.” Whether this information includes amenities or extracurricular activity, it is unclear. With that, even the bare minimum gets costly. Feeding, housing, medical and dental services are expensive for free US citizens. Now tack on 50 million inmates to the federal and state bill. That isn’t including what Michael P. Jacobson, the director of the City University of New York Institute for State and Local Governance and a former city correction and probation commissioner, said part of the reason the city’s budget was out of control was because it had a richly staffed system. “The inmate-to-staff ratio probably hovers around two prisoners for every guard,” he stated. Aside from cost, what else is the overcrowding of our penitentiaries doing to the nation? City police and locals would claim that it is dangerous having too many locked up at once. Crimes are still being committed through the walls, with gang leaders and organized crime reigning safely from within the system made specifically to keep the public safe from them. “On the inside, murder and in-fighting are more common than ever; the large numbers are contributing to a violent and chaotic atmosphere that is dangerous to themselves and any personnel around them,” Mel Dierdran, a corrections officer, commented. While some fear the state of the system, others rejoice in what it has produced. A common argument is that the streets are cleaner, now, and safer for the public than ever. With the Justice system doing their job, and law enforcement making big moves in keeping America safe, there is less to worry about in the land of the free. Gangs are dispersing, leaving hideouts and ghetto neighborhoods safe to walk again. Organized crime has