Table of Contents
Foreword 13
Introduction 16
Chapter 1 Are Too Many People Being Sent to Prison?
Chapter Preface 22
Yes: America's High Incarceration Rate Does Not Prevent Crime
Prisons Neither Deter Crime Nor Rehabilitate Criminals Claire Gordon 25
Laws Mandating Longer Prison Sentences Do Not Reduce Crime Steve Fennessy 29
The Prison System Fails to Turn Criminals Back into Citizens Jennifer Gonnerman 34
Prison Expansion Is Not Cost-Effective Michael Jacobson 39
No: Sending Criminals to Prison Is an Effective Means of Crime Prevention
A High Risk of Punishment Reduces Crime George Will 44
Long Sentences for Repeat Offenders Lower the Crime Rate Debra J. Saunders 47
The Cost of Leaving Criminals Loose Exceeds the Cost of Prisons Thomas Sowell 53
Chapter 2 Are Inmates' Constitutional Rights Disregarded in American Prisons?
Chapter Preface 57
Yes: The Conditions in Prisons Violate Inmates' Constitutional Rights
The Reproductive Rights of Women in Prison Are Routinely Ignored Rachel Roth 59
Male Rape in Prison Is Still Not Taken Seriously Dan Bell 65
Female Prison Inmates Are Sexually Assaulted by Guards Jeff Seidel 73
Minority Religions Are Not Accommodated by Prison Policies Bob Ritter 82
Absent Physical Injury, Prison Abuse Victims Cannot Sue in Federal Courts Stephen B. Bright 86
No: Conditions to Which Inmates Object Are Not Always Unconstitutional
Medical Care for Prison Inmates Has Been Improved Mark Taylor 89
Prison Inmates Will No Longer Be Segregated by Race Tanya Schevitz 98
The Constitution Does Not Prohibit Serving Prisoners Unappetizing Food Arin Greenwood 103
Imprisonment Is Not Supposed To Be Enjoyable James H. Lilley108
Chapter 3 What Can Be Done About Prison Overcrowding?
Chapter Preface 115
Many States Are Releasing Prisoners Early Keith B. Richburg Ashley Surdin 117
A Federal Court May Rule that California's Prison Population Must Be Reduced Don Thompson 122
Private Prisons Increase Capacity, Save Money, and Improve Services Nathan A. Benefield 126
Private Prisons Can Ease Overcrowding But May Be Flawed William Bender 133
Some States May House Prisoners in Tents Richard Luscombe 140
Electronic Monitoring May Be an Effective Alternative to Prison Dana DiFilippo 144
Chapter 4 How Are Recent Trends Affecting Prisons?
Chapter Preface 148
Cell Phones Are a Growing Threat to Prison Security Robert K. Gordon 150
The Prison Population Is Aging Carrie Abner 155
Many States Have Eliminated Parole Jens Soering 164
Prison Camps Can No Longer Be Dismissed as "Country Clubs" Luke Mullins 173
More Criminals Are Being Sent to Supermax Prisons Jeffrey Ian Ross 183
Redesigned Prisons Provide Humane Environments for Inmates Richard Wener 193
Dog-Training Programs in Prisons Give Inmates Second Chances Matthew Schniper 200
Organizations to Contact 210
Bibliography 215
Index 221
