Introduction
The criminal justice system of the United States of America has the highest number of incarcerated people in the world. A 2018 Bureau of Justice Statistics report shows that more than 2 million people were in prison or jail (Weidner & Schultz, 2019). The system exhibits distinct differences in demography as there are significantly more males than females in prison or jail. Gaps are also evident in the racial composition of the incarcerated, as there are considerably more black prisoners than any other race. Members of minority communities are the most affected because their numbers are the highest in the system (Weidner & Schultz, 2019).
The high incarceration rate has led to criticism of the system, which is considered oppressive on minority communities because of the high number of incarcerated individuals from these communities. Concerns have also been raised about the large population in the system, leading to high costs for states and the federal government. These factors have led to efforts to reduce the prison population through sentencing reform.
Several states have reformed their sentencing and correction policies to facilitate reductions in the prison population. The reforms are motivated by several issues, including the racial disparities evident in prison populations, the costs incurred by states to support prisons, and the effectiveness of sentencing in reducing crime and reforming incarcerated individuals (Vardsveen & Wiener, 2021). Each state has a different approach to sentencing and correction policies based on the values of the state and the political inclinations that exist. Industry standards that regulate the criminal justice system apply as several states continue to revise and improve their sentencing policies to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Reforms are expected to adhere to the country’s constitution and are subject to criticism and further changes based on need. The existence of industry standards helps to guide improvements in the criminal justice system by providing a framework to assess and measure the outcomes. This paper analyses how industry standards can ensure effective guidance of state sentencing reforms.
Industry Standards
The criminal justice system is guided by several industry standards that apply to the various departments that make up the system. The criminal justice system has three primary units, courts, police, and corrections. Each of the units operates independently, but they also ensure that they provide support to others. The justice system has several standards that apply to each unit based on relevance. The current sentencing reforms apply to the courts responsible for prosecuting and passing judgments. The courts are guided by a set of principles that ensure the provision of justice for all. Some applicable standards include the provision of defense services, criminal appeals, pretrial release, free press, a free trial, trial by jury, and alternative sentences and procedures. The courts have the huge burden of determining what happens to the lives of every individual who is presented before them, which demands that they should be competent.
Framework from Industry Standards
The industry standards help to provide a framework to guide the assessment of sentencing reforms by ensuring that all due procedures are followed and that there is no interference with the provision of justice. The industry standards offer a framework by identifying the areas fundamental to the courts and areas that can be changed to achieve the desired outcomes. The framework also contains key elements like performance indicators and the effectiveness of the sentencing approaches. The framework will be essential in evaluation by identifying the areas essential for assessment to determine the effectiveness of the adopted interventions.
Data Collection, Assessment, and Interpretation
The assessment of the sentencing reforms will be based on the collected data after the adoption and implementation of the relevant reforms. Every sentence passed after the reform will be assessed to determine whether they effectively achieve the desired outcomes. Factors like the outcomes of the sentences will be recorded for measurement after specific periods. Interpretation of the data is based on the reasons for evaluation. However, the primary data interpretation will focus on examining whether the proposed interventions effectively achieve the desired outcomes. Measurement of the outcomes will be done by identifying the sentencing outcomes before the adoption of interventions and after their adoption. The goal of any reform is to improve the outcomes of a process or change it. The ongoing sentencing reforms are aimed at addressing various issues affecting society and the government. Therefore, the evaluation of outcomes will be based on whether they uphold the industry standards and achieve the desired outcomes.
Policy Improvement
Sentencing reforms can be improved by ensuring that each state adheres to the criminal justice standards during creation and adoption. Sentencing reforms have progressed slowly because each state acts as an independent entity with unique values that guide the adoption of policies and reforms. The independent adoption of sentencing reforms allows for assessing each state’s adherence to the established standards. The adherence level can help inform the types of corrective measures that can be adopted to ensure that the values that guide the country’s justice system are upheld. The results can be used to improve future reforms on sentencing and other policies that relate to the criminal justice system. The assessment outcomes are broad and apply to the entire system, increasing its applicability.
Policy Evolution through Continued Assessment
Sentencing reforms have evolved over the years to address the prevailing issues in society and the need for effectiveness in correctional efforts. Sentences are punishments for offenses and aim to deter people from committing the same illegal actions. Sentencing has evolved with time in accordance with the needs of society. For example, the current reforms aim to remove previous policies that have led to many incarcerated people. The current approach aims to ensure that sentencing punishes and improves the incarcerated. The policy is bound to evolve in every state as society continues to look for solutions to its existing challenges. Continued evaluation of the criminal justice system can help to ensure that sentencing is effective in helping to build a better society.
Conclusion
Policies are meant to guide processes in organizations or society, and changes made to them should be assessed through the established industry standards. Standards help to provide a framework to guide the adoption of reforms when necessary. The ongoing sentencing reforms aim to improve the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. The reforms are subject to evaluation to determine whether they adhere to the industry standards and achieve the desired outcomes. More reforms on sentencing are bound to be done, and their continued evaluation can help to ensure improvements in the criminal justice system. Adherence to industry standards should be ensured in every reform that is adopted.
References
Vardsveen, T. C., & Wiener, R. L. (2021). Public support for sentencing reform: A policy-capturing experiment. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 27(2), 430–446. Web.
Weidner, R. R., & Schultz, J. (2019). Examining the relationship between U.S. incarceration rates and population health at the county level. SSM – population health, 9, 100466. Web.