Prison Term Policy Recommendation Essay

As the criminologist advisor to a member of the pappa state legislature, I take on been selected to conduct research for a shoot that would range the maximum prison verge for anyone convicted of arm looting. The line is popular however it is unknown if it will do much good. It is my job to make recommendations in regards to whether the carte du jour being voted on will be safe to eitherone in the companionship of pop.The prison termination policies atomic number 18 sentencing guidelines that be created by Congress and the assert legislature to provide judges with bases for sentencing those individuals found guilty of committing a byensive formivity to ensure that each soul is treated equal without discrimination (sentencing guidelines, 2010). There are quaternity offensive activitys that make up what is known as fierce offensive activity which are murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. accord to the Uniform offence spread overage (UCR) Program a violent abuse is any crime that involves ability or threat of force to separates ( incision of Justice, 2006). Currently the rural area of papas prison terms for armed robbery are as follows for the first detestation of a violent crime a minimum of five geezerhood, for a second offense of a violent crime a minimum of 10 years, and for the third offense of a violent crime a minimum of 25 years append confinement or smell imprisonment which is symmetry with 42 Pa. C.S. 9714 ( protoactinium Commission on Sentencing, 2008). dads Uniform Crime reporting tracks all forms of looting together. According to the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting remains, in 2008 there were 18,751 reported robbery offenses which is identical to 51 per day or one every 28 minutes and 2 seconds (PA UCRS, 2008). These figures showed a falling off of 2.5% from 2007 which had 19,239 reported robberies (PA UCRS, 2008). Robbery made up 5.4% of the crime index and 37.2%of the violent crim e index in Pennsylvania in the year 2008 (PA UCRS, 2008). The reported robbery pass judgment in Pennsylvania in 2008 were 150.6 per 100,000 inhabitants (PA UCRS, 2008). Recidivism is be as a habitual relapse into crime, which is a problem that is faced at bottom the criminal rightness system. Pennsylvania tracks information on inmates released in put up to find the recidivism rates.In 2002 Pennsylvania Department of corrections released 1,711 inmates charged with robbery and within three years 46.6% returned to prison, which was a decline from 2000 when 1,776 inmates charged for robbery were released and 52.8% of the inmates returned within three years (PADOC, 2006). A study was conducted in Italy in 2006 when the Collective Clemency Bill solidifying all inmates with less than three years rest on their condemnation free however if the inmates were convicted of other crime within the next five years, the ending of their condemn would be added onto the recent fate. This allowed studies to be conducted to intoxicate if chronic prison terms would deter criminals. Studies showed that sum up the sentence by 50% should reduce recidivism rates by about 35% in septette months (Crime/Punishment, 2010). With inmates comes a saddle to cover the housing, feeding, and medical be of each inmate. The cost to house a prisoner in the Pennsylvania Department of corrections (PADOC) is $69 per day (Barnes, 2010). In July 2010 the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections housed 51,281 inmates, at $69 per day that amounts to $3,538,389 per day or $1,291,151,985 per year (PADOC, 2010).There are multiple benefits of the schnozzle being passed to double the maximum prison term for those convicted of armed robbery. The study that was conducted in Italy shows that longer prison sentences press downs the recidivism rates among offenders, which over time would reduce the nation of the already over populated prisons. The criminals would be off the streets for a longer period of time pr even outting them from committing futurity crimes. Longer prison sentences could be a hitch for some criminals. Robbery is one of the top both violent crimes perpetrate in Pennsylvania and the longer sentence imposed on those criminals whitethorn lower the rate of armed robbery however it could gain an increase in other crimes. If the bill were passed and new prisons built to accommodate all inmates there would be more jobs available such as corrections officers, nurses, doctors, dentists, psychologists, and office personnel. These job openings would non only advert with job market, but besides with having more measure payers to assist with the money needed for the dry land of Pennsylvania budget.There are also multiple disadvantages to the bill being passed to double the maximum prison term for those convicted of armed robbery. Pennsylvania prisons are overpopulated as it is and by imposing longer sentences the problem is overtaking to pass on to get wor se. As discussed forward the prison race in June 2010 was 51,281 however the occupational bed might of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is only 43,872 (PADOC, 2010). The prisons are already operating at 116.9% of capacity and by passing this bill those rates are vent to increase at a more speedy pace than they already are (PADOC, 2010). As discussed earlier the cost to house an inmate in Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is $69 per day which if this bill is passed a much larger budget is deviation to be ask because inmates are expiration to be housed for a longer period of time. The need may arise for more prisons due to the longer prison terms which would require a much larger budget. With more prisons comes the need for more employees to operate those prisons which also is going to have an effect on the prison budget.Where is the money going to come from to meet the increase in the budget? The tax payers are the ones that are going to have to suffer to make the support available for the prison system budget. Other crime rates may rise as a domino effect because criminals may turn to other crimes that are known to carry a flatboat sentence if they are caught. If the bill is passed it is not required that judges sentence those convicted of the crime to the maximum sentence. decide are required to check at mitigating and exasperating circumstances when sentencing individuals found guilty of committing crimes. Judges pure tone at prior criminal history, personal life patch, was anyone hurt during the crime, or sometimes the remorse the person shows toward the crime they committed. This bill could be beneficial in the cases of habitual offenders because there would be stricter sentencing for the first offense rather than having to wait until the second or even third offense.As we all know with anything there is pros and cons. There appears to be more cons in this situation than there are pros which should make the Commonwealth of Penn sylvania legislature take a second look into whether or not passing this bill is going to be the most beneficial thing for the Commonwealth as a whole. I would find that it would not be beneficial to double the maximum sentence for those individualscharged with committing armed robbery. The evidence shows that it would cost the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania more money to double the sentence for armed robbery. The evidence also points that close to 50% of people convicted of armed robbery are going to reoffend which is going to bring them back to the criminal arbitrator system and with one offense already committed they will receive a longer sentence the second time around. This also allows for those who are rattling capable of being rehabilitated to have the chance to prove themselves without having to spend 10 years in prison.ReferencesBarnes, T. (2010). Post-Gazette. Pa. sentencing guidelines eyed. Retrieved on revered 31, 2010 from http//www.post-gazette.com/pg/10002/1025303-4 54.stmCrime/Punishment (2010). Do stiffer sentences act as a crime deterrent? Retrieved on August 31, 2010 from http//crime.about.com/od/prevent/a/deterrence.htm Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation (2006). Crime in the United States 2004. Violent Crime. Retrieved on August 31, 2010 from http//www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_04/offenses_reported/violent_crime/index.html Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing (2008). Retrieved August 31, 2010 from http//pcs.la.psu.edu/guidelines/sentencing/sentencing-statutes-and-programs/related-statutes/mandatory-minimum-sentences/SentMandMin122008.pdf Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (2010). Monthly population report June 2010. Retrieved on August 31, 2010 from http//www.cor.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/research___statistics/10669/monthly_population_reports/568195 Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (2006). Recidivism in Pennsylvania State Correctional Institutions 1999-2004. Retrieved on August 31, 2010 from http//www.cor. state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/research___statistics/10669/annual_reports/567085 Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting System (2008). Annual Report Robbery. Retrieved on August 31, 2010 from http//ucr.psp.state.pa.us/UCR/Reporting/Annual/AnnualFrames.asp?year=2008 Sentencing guidelines (2010). Retrieved August 30, 2010 from http//www.willdefend.com/CM/ custom-built/TOCSentencingGuidelines.asp