Is Rehabilitation Worth It?
Provide an argument for or against the use of supermax prisons. The good thing about the Supermax prison is t takes problem inmates away from the population. They can no longer harm other inmates while in solitary confinement. In addition, inmates can be better monitored. On the other hand, inmates do develop a mental illness while in solitary confinement. Supermax prisons are incredibly costly. The staff is not adequately trained to handle prisoners in Supermax. There should be continuous psychological evaluations done on the prisoners. Access to therapy, work, education, visitation, and recreational activities should be given. Staff should be better trained and required to complete specialized staff training in issues unique to supermax prisons. The purpose of the Supermax is to divide the worst prisoners from the ones that behave. The idea is to have more control over the prisoner. Unfortunately, the mentally ill are vastly overrepresented in supermax, and once subjected to the stress of isolated confinement, many of them deteriorate dramatically. Some engage in bizarre and extreme acts of self-injury and even suicide.
STUDENT REPLIES
STUDENT #3 Deaquanitta Scott
I am arguing for supermax prisons is one of the worse prisons someone could go to. In a supermax prison life is not just tough, life does not exist at all. In the sense of heartbeats and functioning organs it works, but in terms of human realities, all are stripped away the mentally ill are vastly overrepresented in supermax prisons, and once subjected to the stress of isolated confinement, many of them deteriorate dramatically. Some engage in bizarre and extreme acts of self-injury and even suicide. The official line is that these prisons are reserved for the “worst of the worst” — the most dangerous and incorrigibly violent — but most states have only a few such prisoners. In overcrowded prison systems, the typical response has been to fill the remaining supermax cells.
Reference
David Fathi, National Prison Project