Michigan Penal System

Michigan Penal System

            The Michigan penal system dates back to the establishment of the first prison in 1839. The correctional system has stagnated for a long time without significant changes being noticed. For example, the state of Michigan was served by a single prison for over 150 years. The prison later split into four prisons in 1988. The penal system has witnessed dramatic changes in the past fifty years due to the changes in the law system. Even though the definition of crime could be similar for the entire US, each state has a unique law system. The charges and sentences given for several crimes are done at the state level. The dramatic growth of the Michigan correctional services can be attributed to the dramatic growth in the number of inmates in Michigan prisons in the past 50 years. The growth in inmate numbers has been indirectly proportional to the crime level which has reduced significantly in recent years. The reduction in crime can be attributed to the high number of inmates who would be in the streets committing the crime. The Michigan penal system has done a commendable job in trying to bring people back to normal life out of crime.

Punishment should be lenient in the event that a probability of innocence exists and harsh when the offender is undoubtedly guilty. The treatment given to offenders should go hand in hand with the type of crime committed (Garland, 2017). Crimes against humanity, for example, should not be given a benefit of leniency since offenders will only feel comfortable repeating the crimes. However, the punishment given to offenders of theft crimes should take into consideration the factors that led the individual into involving themselves in crime. Sometimes, offenders may take punishment positively or negatively. For example, an individual could suffer for mistakes they have not done and then decide to revenge. Punishing innocent individuals only creates enmity instead of the correction that would have been intended to be given. After the end of a correction period, the best way of preventing more crime is to assimilate the offenders back into society in the best way possible. The feeling of belonging can serve well to make the offenders feel obliged to behave according to the societal norms. Besides, inappropriate assimilation will only make the offenders rebellious and willing to commit more crimes that will be aimed at teaching society a lesson for the treatment given.

Punishment is not necessarily deterrence to crime. First, the type of punishment given cannot be proportional to the crime committed. In one way or another, punishment will either be harsh or lenient compared to the crime committed. If punishment is too harsh than the crime would require, offenders will feel offended and may decide to give the crime another try as a form of rebellion (Nielsen, 2016). Also, partners to the mistreated offenders could look for ways to commit vengeance crimes though cautiously, to resist the treatment given to the offenders. Giving harsh punishments could also form a basis for legal battles by offenders, and if the offender has a well-organized defense team, the case may be overturned. The overturning of a case could give the offender more freedom to engage in more criminal practices. On the other hand, lenient punishments tend to give offenders a chance to mock the penal system and thus crime will still occur. The only method that can serve efficiently to deter individuals from committing crimes is making the correctional service more inclusive and assessing the punishment carefully to fit the crimes committed.

The penal system is attempting to rehabilitate prisoners before releasing them to the society. The attempt can be observed from the way laws have been made to enhance the rehabilitation process. Previously, the penal system has been under criticism for basing arguments on empty talk without. The prison has been said to be leaving the cells bitter and full of vengeance instead of being reformed. The claim by the general public has been that offenders have not been finding the reason to get reformed since the correctional process has been full of mistreatment and not rehabilitation as claimed (Phelps, 2017). One of the positive changes in the law that have helped in the rehabilitation procedure is the allowance of conjugal visits. Married inmates are being allowed to meet their family members to enhance family ties. The inmates get a chance to recall the good times they have been missing due to being imprisoned and end up getting reformed to desist from crime. Also, the introduction of prison education and vocational training can be seen as an attempt to make the rehabilitation process in the prisons effective. One of the causes of crime is the inability of individuals to support them in the economic world. The provision of education equips inmates with skills that help them to support themselves and families legally and thus desist from crime.

Crime affects the victim, victim’s family, the offender, as well as the offender’s family. The victim to any form of crime is the most affected individual in a crime event. The effect on the victim could by physical, emotional, or even economical (Becket, Knaphus & Reosti, 2016). For example, a theft crime exposes the victim to the risk of getting harmed and losing property. Thieves are always in need of property and most cases and do not care about human life. After someone’s property is taken, the individual incurs a loss and could be depressed. The victim’s family could be affected either directly or indirectly. First, the victim could be the sole breadwinner to a family, and that would mean that the family will suffer from the impacts of theft. Also, the victim could be emotionally disturbed, and the individual’s family will lose the happy connection that had existed before the event. The offender on the other side could suffer from conscience issues, or even get arrested. When an offender gets arrested, the offender’s family will feel burdened by the proceedings of court cases as well as the feeling of guilt for being associated with crime.

Criminal acts lead to unplanned financial spending and costs. The financial impact of crime could arise through loss of money or the costs incurred during the process of paying for the crime. The society is always at the receiving end of the negative impacts of crime. The impact on society could be associated with the inability to create wealth freely within a crime-prone environment, or the responsibility to pay for losses caused by crime. Also, the rehabilitation process of the offenders requires financial support and the society has to sacrifice part of its revenue to correct the offenders.

The Michigan penal system has been in existence for over 150 years. The increase in the number of inmates can be associated with the dramatic changes that have been witnessed in the system. The system has tried to rehabilitate offenders and assimilate them back to society. The effects of crime do not affect the victim alone but also the people around the victim and the offender. Generally, crime is costly.