DOES PRISON WORK Introduction This essay will address the question of whether or not prison works.

In order to do so, the essay will explore the purpose of prison, the argument that prison does work, the argument prison does not work and nally, the conclusion of the argument. Purpose of prison Prisons and prison sentences are used for a number of reason Firstly, the prospect of prison aims to deter someone who would otherwise commit crime and in the case of an offender serving a prison sentence, deter them from reoffending once released. Secondly, to punish, or obtain retribution from, those who commit serious crime. Thirdly, to encourage reform and rehabilitation of those who are sent to prison. Finally, in some cases it is necessary to protect the public from those who commit serious and/or violent crimes. Prison works. Michael Howard, Home Secretary speaking at the 1993 Tory Party Conference, stated the prison works. He went on to claim that it was no coincidence that recorded crime had fallen by a record amount over the last four years at the same time the prison population had risen. At the time of the speech, the prison population had was 60,000. At present, the prison population has reached 85,000. The rate of reported crime has almost halved. Prison can be said to work for a number of reasons. Firstly, if an offender is in prison, they cannot commit further crimes outside of the prison. Secondly, as stated my Michael Howard, as the prison population has risen, recorded crime rates have fallen. It would be difcult to disprove there is a direct correlation between the two facts. Finally. the cost of sending an offender to prison (38,000 per year) is not as expensive as the cost of crime. Home ofce research has shown that, on average, those in prison have committed 140 crimes in the year before they had been sentenced. The cost of those crimes to society is 400,000 In his work, Discipline and Punishment, Foucault (1975) believed that the prison system was not a failing system designed to decrease crime by punishing criminals and deterring others. He believed the prisons system instead functioned very effectively at accomplishing its goals. The prison system allowed the upper class to continue the subjugation of the lower class. The prison system effectively incarcerated, isolated and economically controlled the most dynamic members of lower class. The continuous cycle of segregation and supervision rendered this most volatile group both politically and socially harmless. Foucault referred to this as the Great Connement. Prison does not work The main argument from the anti-prison lobby is that prison does not work due to the very high rate or recidivism. In the UK, roughly 60% of those convicted each year are only in prison for less than 12 months, because they are there as a result of mall offenses, and drug offenses. Of those who leave prison, roughly 60% of them are convicted again within one year of release. The short spell in prison does not provide adequate time for the relevant authorities to implement any kind of rehabilitation program. However, the sentence is long enough to have a dramatic effect of the offenders life. Many ex-prisoners

are on drugs, have no accommodation on released, no job and no employment skills, and the lack of ability to fend for themselves or look after their dependents. At the end of their sentence, they are released onto the streets and are often immediately at the mercy of drug dealers or their former associates. It is also true that some offenders go to prison drug free and leave heavily dependent on drugs due to the amount of drugs readily available in prison. Conclusion Both sides of the argument as to whether prison works or not has strong supporters. It is clear that prison does work as a form of punishment by depriving the offender of their freedom and liberty, It is also true that prison works in regards to Foucaults theory. That is, prison puts away people who are a burden to society in connement and controls them so that their labour and energy is exploited by the state. However, that is the extend why it could be argued that prison works. Prison does not work in regards to deterring offenders or reforming them. This is apparent from the alarming rate of recidivism amongst released offenders. The prison system is in desperate need of reform regarding rehabilitation of offenders. A shift is required from human warehousing of petty offenders serving short sentences to more measured and concerted efforts to decrease the prison population and prevent recidivism through in-prison treatment and training, and more joined-up welfare support upon released.