Corrections Operations

by | Feb 20, 2025 | Accounting

 

Imagine you are a criminal justice professional who has been asked to create a historical perspective paper to be included in testimony before congress/state legislature in a bid to gain funding for new facilities and programming. The emphasis is on comparing jails and prisons at all levels (federal, state, and local).

Write a 350- to 700-word historical perspective paper on the evolution on American jails and prisons. Address the following in your paper:

Briefly summarize the historical evolution of American jails (detention centers) and state/federal prisons.
Describe which agency administers your local jail (SPALDING COUNTY JAIL IN GRIFFIN, GEORGIA), noting whether it is a county agency or a city/town agency. Identify if your county or city/town also runs a detention center.
Identify the different security levels in the prisons in your state. Explain how those levels differ from the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ security levels.
Explain why a federal maximum security level facility may be more effective than a state penitentiary in handling dangerous offenders. Hint: Focus on the total inmate population at the federal facility and your selected state penitentiary as well as the prison staff qualifications and training.
Cite at least 2 peer-reviewed, scholarly, or similar references in addition to the specific chapter(s) or page(s) from your textbook.

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

The Evolving Landscape of American Jails and Prisons: A Historical Perspective

The American correctional system, a complex network of jails and prisons operating at federal, state, and local levels, has undergone a dramatic evolution throughout history. Understanding this evolution is crucial for informing policy decisions and ensuring the effective and just administration of justice.

Historical Evolution:

Early American jails, initially serving primarily as holding facilities for individuals awaiting trial or punishment, were often characterized by deplorable conditions. Overcrowding, unsanitary environments, and a lack of segregation between different types of offenders were common. The focus was primarily on detention, with little emphasis on rehabilitation or reform. Prisons, on the other hand, emerged as a distinct form of punishment, initially emphasizing solitary confinement and hard labor as means of penitence and deterrence. The 19th century saw the rise of the “penitentiary” model, with its focus on isolation and reflection. However, this model gradually gave way to more punitive approaches in the 20th century, particularly in the latter half, with the rise of mass incarceration. The emphasis shifted towards incapacitation and deterrence, leading to a dramatic increase in prison populations and a decline in rehabilitative programming.

The Evolving Landscape of American Jails and Prisons: A Historical Perspective

The American correctional system, a complex network of jails and prisons operating at federal, state, and local levels, has undergone a dramatic evolution throughout history. Understanding this evolution is crucial for informing policy decisions and ensuring the effective and just administration of justice.

Historical Evolution:

Early American jails, initially serving primarily as holding facilities for individuals awaiting trial or punishment, were often characterized by deplorable conditions. Overcrowding, unsanitary environments, and a lack of segregation between different types of offenders were common. The focus was primarily on detention, with little emphasis on rehabilitation or reform. Prisons, on the other hand, emerged as a distinct form of punishment, initially emphasizing solitary confinement and hard labor as means of penitence and deterrence. The 19th century saw the rise of the “penitentiary” model, with its focus on isolation and reflection. However, this model gradually gave way to more punitive approaches in the 20th century, particularly in the latter half, with the rise of mass incarceration. The emphasis shifted towards incapacitation and deterrence, leading to a dramatic increase in prison populations and a decline in rehabilitative programming.

Spalding County Jail:

The Spalding County Jail, located in Griffin, Georgia, is administered by the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office. It is a county agency, responsible for detaining individuals awaiting trial, those convicted of misdemeanors, and those awaiting transfer to state or federal prisons. Spalding County does not appear to operate a separate detention center.

Security Levels in Georgia Prisons:

The Georgia Department of Corrections employs a classification system with varying security levels, including:

  • Close Security: Designed for inmates requiring the highest level of security, often with histories of violence or escape attempts.
  • Medium Security: For inmates who require a moderate level of security, posing less of a risk than those in close security.
  • Minimum Security: For inmates considered to be low-risk, often with non-violent offenses.

These levels differ from the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) security levels, which include:

  • Maximum Security: For inmates requiring the highest level of security.
  • High Security: Similar to maximum security, but with some variations in housing and programs.
  • Medium Security: For inmates who do not require maximum security, but still need secure confinement.
  • Low Security: For inmates with minimal security concerns.
  • Minimum Security: For inmates with the lowest security risk, often eligible for work release programs.

The BOP system often features more nuanced levels and specialized facilities (e.g., for inmates with medical or mental health needs) due to its larger scale and resources.

Federal vs. State Maximum Security:

A federal maximum security facility may be more effective in handling dangerous offenders than a state penitentiary due to several factors:

  • Inmate Population: Federal facilities draw from a nationwide pool of offenders, potentially concentrating the most dangerous and high-profile inmates. This necessitates a highly specialized and secure environment. State prisons, while housing dangerous offenders, may have a more diverse population, including those with varying levels of risk.
  • Staff Qualifications and Training: Federal correctional officers often undergo more extensive training, potentially equipping them to handle highly dangerous individuals with greater expertise. The BOP may also have greater resources to attract and retain highly qualified staff.
  • Resources and Technology: Federal prisons often have access to more advanced technology and resources, including security systems, surveillance equipment, and specialized programs. This allows for greater control and monitoring of inmates.

However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that both federal and state prison systems face challenges in managing dangerous offenders, including overcrowding, understaffing, and the need for ongoing improvements in rehabilitation and mental health services.

Conclusion:

Understanding the historical evolution of jails and prisons, along with the nuances of security levels and jurisdictional differences, is critical for addressing the complex challenges facing the American correctional system. Investing in new facilities and programming requires a comprehensive approach, encompassing not only security considerations but also evidence-based strategies for rehabilitation, mental health services, and re-entry support. By learning from the past and embracing innovative approaches, we can work towards a more just and effective correctional system.

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