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Community Corrections Written By: Ryan McKinniss Community corrections have a direct effect on the society in which they are practiced. Many people believe that community corrections are an effective way to elevate overcrowding of corrections facilities, there is a bigger reason we need community corrections. Community corrections are also an integral component of the prison bureau's correctional programs. Prisons in foreign countries are similar to prisons in the U.S., but they also have some differences as well. Many other countries have a different idea of imprisonment and putting it into practice. I really think all communities need to utilize the use of residential reentry centers (RRCs), as a community corrections option. “Community Corrections” is just that correction that involves criminals within the community. The community justice system has influenced the way prisons all around the United States are being operated. Community correction is the process in which petty or less dangerous crimes are evaluated in lower or local courts, and the criminals are sentenced to actively serve within their community in some manner. This can include community service, counseling, or other forms of sanctions like halfway houses or probation. Community justice has definitely contributed to certain changes as it has evolved over time. Prisons everywhere are having the inmates participate and do services for the community, so that they can actively learn their lesson. This is mainly due to the effective manners of community justice. Also, with community justice taking care of lower level crimes, criminals who do deserve to serve jail or prison time can. Unnecessary criminals who were in prison are now serving in alternate and efficient manners, leaving needed space and money for the people who deserve to be there. The government has changed over the years; with new ways of punishment being developed to make sure crime is prevented. Criminals will never fully disappear; police officers and officials all across America will always dedicate their lives to making sure that their communities are safe. Many prisons in other countries are really harsh compared to the prisons in the United States. Al-wathba prison in Abu Dhabi is notorious for its human rights abuse, stoning to death, lashings, overcrowding. Inmates sleep in cells designed for 8 which hold up to 22 inmates with 3 lice infested blankets on a cement floor. Prisons in Afghanistan are in grave violation of international standards for those held in detention. They are entirely inadequate for the care of the number of people now held there, the food is insufficient, the water supply unclean, sanitation virtually absent, clothing meager, and barred walls open to the elements expose the inhabitants to winter conditions. Disease is rampant. African prisoners continue to face serious abuses. Poor conditions and lack of funds have turned many African prisons into places of corruption, abuse, HIV, drugs & violence. Unfortunately, the major similarities are overcrowding and violence. Only in foreign prisons violence is much more common and. If the United States ran there prisons like some of the other nations do; they would most likely be facing an abundance of lawsuits. Another big difference between foreign prisons and U.S. prisons is U.S. prisoners have rights! The U.S. Constitution protects the rights of an individual throughout the entire criminal justice system. One of the greatest things about community corrections is the ability to ease a criminal back into society. Many long-term prisoners do not have many options when they are realized back into society. That is why I believe residential reentry centers (RRCs), as a community corrections option is a great choice. Inmates serve most of their sentencing in prison. Then before they are released back into society they enter a RRC as a pre-release program. Pre-release inmates participating in release programming at an RRC remain in Federal custody while serving a sentence imposed by the U.S. District Court or DC Superior Court. Offenders under the supervision of U.S. Probation or the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) are housed as a condition of their supervision. Accordingly, RRC staff monitors an inmate's location and movement 24 hours/day. The contractor authorizes an inmate to leave the RRC through sign-out procedures for approved activities, such as seeking employment, working, counseling, visiting, or recreation. Staff continues to monitor inmates by visiting the approved locations (home or work) and/or making random phone contacts at different times during the day. Staff also administers random drug and alcohol tests for those inmates returning to the RRC from an approved activity and conducts random and scheduled in-house counts throughout the day.