How should we deal with the large prison populations?

QEP Assignment: Address the problems associated with imprisonment (both social and economic) and provide specific examples of programs and/or policy proposals that address these problems. Use academic resource to support your position. The paper must be at least 1500 words, double space,Times New Roman 12 point font, APA format, appropriate citations, a minimum of two academic sources and the word count at the end of the assignment.

Answer preview

There are 2.2 million people incarcerated in US jails and prisons which represents a 500 percent increase from four decades ago (Surprenant, 2017). The high rate of incarceration in the US represents a change in the law and criminal justice policies rather than a change in crime rates across the country. The results of overcrowded prisons are evidenced by the high fiscal burden to the federal government, despite the recent research highlighting that mass incarceration is not an effective method of deterring crime and attaining public safety. Several social and economic problems are associated with imprisonment. The lengthy imprisonment is responsible for the high federal budget that is dedicated to maintaining the imprisonment facilities (Enns, 2016). Imprisonment…