Prison violence is increasing in number and frequency. Prisons contain people who pose a threat or are a potential danger to society. They have rules that they must follow and these can lead inmates to act violently towards staff members as well as other inmates. Reforming prisons is therefore essential. The Howard League for Penal Reform partners with other charities in order to prevent violence. Their goal: to improve the criminal justice process. The Howard League for Penal Reform was created to address rising prison violence.
In order to combat prison violence, there is an increasing demand for better prisons. Margaret E. Noonan talks about the severity of the prison violence. The author backs her position with statistics that show an increase in prison violence from 2001 to 2014. Noonan states that in 2014 there were 3,927 inmate death in… prisons.” Noonan also demonstrates the increasing number of deaths in federal prisons. Nicholas D. Thomas examines the relationship between violence in prisons and prisoner’s psychoopathic behavior in “International Journal of law psychiatry”. According to Thomas, prisoners with aggressive tendencies and self-regulation problems are more likely than others to commit violence in prison. Conflict increases due to the confined prison environment and inmate engagement. The increase in prison violence puts many at risk. It is important to prioritize making prisons safer. The Howard League for Penal Reform is an independent group that campaigns to improve prison conditions. They serve prisoners from both juvenile and women prisons. They encourage people to avoid crime. This charity was founded in 1866. They were the first to promote penal reform.
Howard League for Penal Reform has teamed up with the Center for Mental Health to combat prison violence (Howard). This organization promotes “meaningful change within the criminal justice systems” and they actively work for prison reform (Howard). Howard League’s latest project is on prison overpopulation and violence. A recent article on prison overpopulation stated that male prisons hold more prisoners than they are allowed to (Bulman). According to The Howard League, overcrowding refers to prisoners not having enough access for purposeful activity. This makes it clear that violence is fuelled by overcrowding. According to the Howard league, “Prisons are rivers full of crime”. The crimes that inmates have committed can vary and one cannot be sure how far they will go. Inmates are able to adapt to their environment, which can create a power system that clashes and encourages violence.
The increase in prison violence is concerning and an issue to address. Inmates are often inactive and surrounded by volatile prisoners, making them more likely to commit violent acts against staff. Prisoners are not receiving any government assistance, so The Howard League has been created. They are committed to reforming prisons, from encouraging crime prevention to educating the public about the injustices faced by prisoners. It’s a tough task to improve the criminal justice systems.
