Internet_Article_Analysis

Internet Article Analysis Heather Maddox CJA/453 January 31, 2011 Fran Hart Internet Article Analysis Budgeting in the criminal justice system is very important. Spending way too much money in one area can cause other areas that are more important to be cut. The article discussed in this paper is about programs being cut that are a necessity. These programs can mean the difference between life and death. In the text Justice Administration: Police, Courts, and Corrections Management (Peak, 2010) it stated that the prison systems spend $250,000 for one cell in a maximum security prison. The types and brands of materials used to build these cells are unknown, but there definitely exist cheaper materials that are just as strong to build them with. Many people’s homes do not cost as much as one of these cells does and if complete houses can be built cheaper so can the cells. Correct budgeting is in need here. If the budget is being adhered to, then the system would not be spending that much money on one cell. This type of budgeting is the reason that so many programs and such are being cut from the criminal justice systems. These programs are a necessity in the rehabilitation of offenders. Without them, the offenders with just reoffend and return to prison. The money in the prison systems should go to the most important areas first and rehabilitative programs are more important than building cells with the most expensive materials when the basic materials will do just as well. In the article that was chosen (Carleton & Duara, 2010) they discussed the programs that are being cut from the prison systems all over the country because they cannot afford to keep them in use. Also discussed is one man who keeps reoffending by drinking and driving. He had already been charged with driving while intoxicated and served a 10-month sentence. He was released on parole in January of 2009. During his 10-month sentence he was not ordered to undergo any kind of treatment for alcohol abuse. He was not ordered to undergo treatment as a condition of his parole either and 15 months later he was again charged for the same crime. The only difference is this time he plowed his car into another and killed a women and her daughter. The article states that this is what would be happening all over the country if these drug and alcohol programs were removed. If this man had been ordered to undergo treatment for alcohol abuse the likelihood that this tragedy would have occurred would have been greatly reduced. Now, this man is likely to serve several years in prison because he took the lives of two innocent people while driving under the influence. It seems as though the most important areas are the ones that are cut when there are problems with the budget. When there is a problem with the states’ budget, the government immediately cuts the education budget which is the future of this country. When there are problems in the budget in the criminal justice system the programs that help to rehabilitate the offenders are cut. These programs are what helps reduce the recidivism rates and sometimes saves the lives of the offenders and those that they come into contact with. As stated before, cutting the cost of building materials would be a huge help in saving money that could go towards these programs. The types of materials that are used are not going to make a difference in the lives of these offenders; these programs will. There exist many other areas that could be cut in order to keep these programs intact. Inmates receive many luxuries that they do not deserve in prison. Cable is one of those luxuries. If the inmates have enough money on their books to buy a television, then they are able to watch whatever they want as if they were sitting at home. Cable is not something that they should have. As punishment, many children become grounded from the TV if they do something they are not supposed to do, yet criminals get to have TV. Because of the TVs other crimes are being committed as well such as gambling on sporting events. If all luxuries were cut to where the inmates could do nothing, but read, write, or sleep in their free time, then there would be plenty of money to fund the programs needed to rehabilitate the inmates. If something is not conducive to the rehabilitation of an inmate, then the inmates do not need it. References Carleton, J. & Duara, N. (2010). The San Diego Union Tribune. Budget problems forcing prisons to cut counseling. Retrieved from http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/apr/15/budget-problems-forcing-prisons-to-cut-counseling/ Peak, K. (2010). Justice administration: Police, courts, and corrections management. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice-Hall.