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A supermax prison is a maximum-security facility that houses the most dangerous criminal offenders

Sociology

A supermax prison is a maximum-security facility that houses the most dangerous criminal offenders. Inmates such as Zacarias Moussaoui (9/11 attacks), Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (Boston Marathon bomber), and Ted Kaczynski (Unabomber) are confined to small, concrete cells for 23 hours per day with very little human contact. Supporters of supermax prisons argue that extensive measures must be taken to punish and protect the public against the most violent and dangerous criminals. Critics argue that supermax prisons are too expensive to build and maintain and that conditions are inhumane.

In this Discussion, you will consider arguments for and against the use of supermax prisons.

Post a response that addresses the following:

Provide an argument for or against the use of supermax prisons. In your argument, be sure to consider the following issues related to the use of supermax prisons:

  • The safety of the public, prison employees, and the general inmate population
  • The control and order over inmates in the prisons
  • The conditions and punishments in the prisons
  • The rehabilitation of inmates, their successful reentry into the community, and their likelihood of recidivating
  • The costs of building and managing the prisons

 

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Supermax prisons are one of the most secure correctional facilities. They are designed to house some of the worst criminals. However, despite the facilities being the most secure for such criminals, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding their effectiveness (Butler et al., 2017). Despite the disadvantages linked with the existence of supermax prisons, the benefits outweigh the costs. One of the significant benefits of supermax facilities is that it protects other inmates and staff who would otherwise be placed in the same facilities if supermax facilities did not exist. Individuals held in supermax prisons are highly violent and dangerous individuals (Shalev, 2017). If such individuals are placed with other minor offenders, there is a high probability that the minor offenders would be at risk of being hurt or killed. The staff could also be in danger because they may not have the best training or skills to handle supermax prisons. In addition to protecting staff and inmates, supermax facilities make the community safer by keeping dangerous offenders confined.

            Without the existence of supermax prisons, prisons would have very little control over troublesome criminals. Supermax prisons provide a platform for problematic or dangerous criminals to be closely monitored because their movements are restricted. As a result, violent or disruptive behavior is mitigated. In addition to offering more control to prisons, supermax prisons have been linked with low recidivism rates (Butler et al., 2017). Individuals held in supermax facilities and later released are less likely to commit crimes in the future. Most prison officials assert that the threat of being held in solitary confinement is compelling enough to keep them away from crime once they are done with their sentence. Although the cost of managing and building prisons is higher than other correctional facilities because of the increased security features and extra personnel needed, the facilities are highly effective in keeping the community safe (Butler et al., 2017).

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