California’s Corrections System

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Introduction

American Corrections

The American correction system refers to a collection of practices and approaches, which enable the government to maintain social order in the United States. Through giving people access to certain freedoms and restricting others, it became possible to help them live together in a society. American corrections serves the vital purpose of handling and responding to illegal acts, as well as providing people with a path toward rejoining regular society.

Ideologies of Punishment

In working with actions of people, and criminal acts, it is important to understand the goals one is trying to achieve, and how they influence people. In society, there have been a number of theories regarding the relationship between punishment and people. Some of them regard legal repercussions as a form of retribution for wrongdoing, an act that serves in filling a sense of eye-for-an-eye sense of justice many people have. According to other potential theories, legal consequences may be present as a method of deterrence, presenting a number of unwanted or negative side effects for committing a crime. The third, and the most socially-important punishment related ideology sees the justice system as a tool of rehabilitation. Providing people with the necessary services in order to improve their lives and continue on a new path forward, it becomes possible for many to rejoin society. In the US, retributive punishment, and punishment as deterrence seem to have taken root most firmly, as accounting for the existence of long unwieldy prison complexes. Individuals are punished for breaking the law and then isolated from the rest of society for a long period of time, which does not help their rehabilitation or teach them new, valuable skills. This approach alienates opportunities for change and focuses of making people pay for mistakes.

Influence on the System

The legal system of the United States in today’s world has come about as a result of many past practices. Since 1829, when the first Penitentiary was established, US has had a focus on punishing criminals and preventing perceives wrongdoers from interacting with the rest of society (Sweet, 2020). With the increase in the number of prisons, and the perfection of the legal punishments available to the government, it became fully possible to control people through the correctional systems. In the US, “correction” is more focused on making people pay for their deeds, both in labor and spirit, and possibilities of re-integration are few and far in-between (“Why rehabilitation does not work in America | Applied social psychology (ASP),” 2019). While many present efforts have been made to change this fact, rehabilitation does not work under the current circumstances of the corrections system.

State Analysis

There is a total of 33 state prisons in the state of California. In order to manage the corrections system, the state runs a “California department of Corrections of Rehabilitation”, which helps to determine how correctional institutions are run, controlled, and designed. There is a total of 6 divisions in the CDCR: Division of Adult Institutions (DAI), Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO), Division of Health Care Services (DHCS), Facility Planning, Construction and Management (FPCM), Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), Division of Rehabilitative Programs (DRP) (“About CDCR,” 2021). According to the mission statement of the organization, California’s corrections facilities are aimed at both promoting the wellbeing of the public and allowing prisoners to be re-integrated into society (“Vision, mission, values, and goals,” 2021). Re-integration efforts include inmate education, treatment, and other rehabilitative programs. Proper job training and educational opportunities are available to people if they find them necessary. The modern restorative practices were created as an answer to a high crime rate and many counts of recidivism, which were major issues for the state. However, as reports show, the subsequent implementation of rehabilitation programs and restorative justice has been ineffective (Bliss, 2020). Despite making promising claims, the CDCR has not done a sufficient job of monitoring its rehabilitation programs, or making sure they achieve the necessary goals (Bliss, 2020). The function of California’s corrections seems to be helping people re-integrate into society, however its practical effects remain heavily scrutinized.

Seeing the CDCR’s commitment to restorative justice shows that the central ideology of punishment the state today follows is rehabilitation. Through engagement with social programs that work to assist prisoners. The state hopes to help them better work within the constraints of the law. In regards to prison populations, some alarming trends can be identified. Some populations within the corrections system are over-represented, displaying significant bias. According to parole statistics, African Americans account for 26% of parolees, with 26% and 40% going to white and Latino populations respectively (“California’s changing parole population,” 2021). Imprisonment rate, similarly, is falls much heavier on African American men, affecting 4,236 per 100,000 people, which is at least ten times higher than the incarceration rate of white California residents (“California’s prison population,” 2019). Much of this statistic affects black men severely, affecting the wellbeing of both individuals and families. In regard to corrections officers themselves, California has at least 37,640 individuals in their correctional facilities. This amount equates to 2.28 people per thousand being occupied in this field (“Correctional officers and jailers,” 2021). Comparing to most states, such as Texas, New York, Florida or New Mexico, the average number of officers is much lower (“Correctional officers and jailers,” 2021). The problem may be connected to the difficulties experienced on the job, as well as the effects of the recent pandemic (Blakinger et al., 2021). Corrections officers of California were reported quitting due to low salaries, displaying a core problem in prison system organization in the state. Overall, there are significant disparities in the state’s prisons, mostly along racial lines. Black people are predominantly persecuted, creating a demographic-wide issue.

State Patterns and American Trends

The population trends showcased in the previous section most prominently highlight one of the biggest problems of the US justice system – racism. It has been noted in many research programs and investigations that the black population is more acutely affected by the corrections system than others, similar to other people of color. This presents an issue when most corrections facilities are unable to properly ensure rehabilitation and wellbeing of their subjects, instead perpetuating prisoner’s harmful actions, or punishing people for smaller offenses disproportionately. The rate of black incarceration in California shows that despite its efforts of bringing restoration and justice to the community, the state falls in the same pitfalls other American territories face. According to most reports, black people continue to represent around 6% of the overall state population, while also being around 20% of the total prison population. Efforts of reducing prisoner numbers over the years failed to remedy this disparity, and the conditions of all prisoners in the system also remain questionable. Many reports surface about improper prison conduct and an existing culture of abuse which goes against the many principles put forward by the CDCR (Sisak, 2022). It is clear that California remains unable to truly help its inmates live better, more fulfilling lives.

When considering this discussion in the framework of morals, legality and ethics, some of the existing issues also become evident. Ethical concerns play a vital role in helping society direct its rehabilitation and correction facilities, as do they assist in providing people with the dignity and respect they are owed. Despite their status as former criminals, it is within the interests of the state to treat inmates as worthy of consideration, and provide them with the necessary tools to improve their condition, given sufficient cooperation (“importance of ethics in corrections,” 2021). Promoting empathy within the justice system and the prison industrial complex is a necessity, without which it would be wholly impossible to reduce recidivism and rates of re-offending. According to California’s own standards for correctional facilities, helping to maintain the autonomy and wellness of prisoners is a necessary and worthwhile endeavor. From a legal standpoint, prisoners also deserve to have their basic rights and dignities accounted for, as people and as citizens of the US.

Conclusion

Considering the state of California’s corrections system, it is clear than much change is still needed in order to promote better outcomes for prisoners. There are clear racial disparities within the correctional facilities, and they are currently unable to support people’s growth, change and prosperity. To help individuals overcome their past mistakes and grow into better, more productive members of society, it is necessary to make a focused effort in promoting restorative effects of punishment, and provide inmates with ample opportunities for re-integration.