Think About Our Prison Systems

question 82

Essay

Think about our prison systems. Many folks think the role of the prison system is to punish people who break the law, and that we should have more prisons to punish more people. But let's look at what happens to the average burglar. If (s)he is caught, (s)he will probably not go to trial for a year or two and then is likely to get probation or a light sentence. If (s)he does go to prison, (s)he is unlikely to learn any useful skills and will meet other criminals who will probably not be good role models. Additionally, (s)he may not end up serving his/her entire sentence due to overcrowding conditions in prisons. Given what you know about operant learning principles, reinforcement, and punishment, critique the way our current prison system works and suggest some better ideas. Be sure to be specific about the principles that you have learned from our textbook.

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Definitions:

Direct Costs

Costs that can be directly traced to the production of specific goods or services, such as raw materials and direct labor.

Uncontrollable

Refers to factors or costs that cannot be controlled or influenced by the management or operations of a business.

Loan Interest

The additional money paid to a lender in return for borrowing money, calculated as a percentage of the loan amount.

Stationery Expenses

Costs associated with office supplies such as paper, pens, and envelopes, used in the daily operations of a business.