Prisons Book

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