Prisoner’s Dilemma
The 21st century is plagued by numerous events that are considered injustices and forms of intimidation to the masses. Most of the world’s middle eastern countries and Asia are among the states responsible for the vice of freedom of speech violations. Most journalists jailed in these countries are as a result of getting intimidated into refraining from unveiling certain sensitive information about political figures or government dealings. It has gotten reported that some journalists that have gotten murdered over such controversial terms while incarcerated pending trial. Such a case is that of Jamal Khashoggi, who allegedly got tortured and killed in the Saudi Arabia consulate in Turkey, Istanbul. The heinous act got carried out by a 15-member team sourced from Saudi Arabia.
Criminal behavior is nurtured by the notion that said acts are inconsequential and have
no adverse effects. Overreliance on illicit behavior and illegal activities to support daily needs
in life over time become a part of an individual or associated group. The subtle difference
between law-abiding citizens and criminals and gang members does not lie with the personal
character and psychological build-up but rather what the individuals have learned from their environment. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Prisoner’s Dilemma
Terry is one of the prisoners in the Statesville Correctional Centre, serving a jail sentence
of forty-five years. Terry got transferred into Statesville Correctional Centre from Menards
A prison that gets located in the southern part of Illinois, where he was involved in a fight with
another prisoner. Before the transfer, he had already served about ten years of his forty-five jail
term. He got jailed for killing two people in the same day but I different instances using his short
gun. One of the people he died was his ex-girlfriend’s roommate, while the other was a man who
had tried to date her. One of the most significant challenges Terry is facing is meeting his
mother and his new girlfriend. When he was in Menards Prison, his mother was only one hour
away and could frequently visit together with his new girlfriend. After being transferred to
Statesville Correctional Centre, the visits became challenging for his old mother because she has
to travel for about seven hours to reach him.
Terry has a challenge of keeping a healthy relationship with his new girlfriend, who is now far from him. While he was in Menards Prison, the new girlfriend, Lydia, visited him about five times every month, which made their relationship strong. Terry’s mother and her new girlfriend are the only hopes that keep him going. The fact that he got transferred to a prison that is making it hard to visit him is the main challenge. Terry, together with his attorney, is trying their level best to ensure that he gets transferred back to Menards Prison (Lockup, 2018). This transfer will make him connect again with his family easier as compared to when he is in Statesville Correctional Centre.
Terry is faced with the dilemma where he should accept that the changes regarding his incarceration will automatically affect his relationship with Lydia and his reputation to her mother or end things. The road to recovery has become particularly hard for Terry since he got sent to prison. The change in food types served, the general atmosphere in the form of safety, and the constant fear of his life has put him on edge. He believes that by maintaining a living out of prison, it will be easier for him to go through life behind bars. His relationship is steady but shows signs of failure.
If he decides to let go of the relationship prison and its devices, as mentioned in some scenarios below will take a toll on terry. In the event, he decides that he wants to maintain the relationship, it will result in psychological issues primarily and altered state of reality. This eventuality will arise when Lydia, tired of waiting, will move on, and Terry will maintain an ideology of a loving and fruitful relationship that is nonexistent. In the event terry finds out about the betrayal, it will damage his emotional and recovery progress, thus might result in psychotic behavior. Given the factors mentioned above, Terry is on the fence concerning his commitment to his relationship or his recovery process.
In prison, Sergeant Baldwin, together with his team, apply to maintain or keep safety and order in the Statesville Correctional Centre. One of the methods used by Sergeant Baldwin is to lock down the prisoners within their cell rooms throughout their stay in prison. Locking the
prisoners up is one of the best ways to ensure they don’t hurt each other or become violent to the
prison officers (Lockup, 2018). The prisoners are usually already angry and filled with revenge
or are disappointed with their situation and would do anything to release the anger.
Jack, Terry’s friend, got locked up to help him to cool down and give them a chance to re-think after he got involved in a gang brawl. One of the advantages of this method is to reduce the level of interaction. Once prisoners freely interact with each other, they usually team up and find ways to attack other prisoners or the prison officers violently. Locking them also protects the prison officers who are always at a risk of being attacked, leading to injuries or deaths. The primary con of this method is that their roommate might attack the prisoners without the prison officers or fellow prisoners’ knowledge.
Jack often develops depression and mental health problems for being isolated in one place for a long time. Ethically, this method is against the prisoner’s wish to freely interact, which reduce stress levels that face most prisoners. Another technique used by Sargent Baldwin and his team is the use of guns whenever violence arises within the prison territories. The effectiveness of this method is that once the prisoners hear the gunshots, they realize that the prison officers are on the watch (Lockup, 2018). Prison officers do not shoot violent prisoners, but they can shoot in the air or near the prisoners.
The pro of this method is that it does not hurt anyone but acts as a warning. In case the violence or fighting continues or becomes uncontrollable, the prison police can shoot those involved to protect others or themselves. The disadvantage is that the prisoners may be used to gunshots. It is also likely to cause deaths or injuries which may be intentional or unintentional. Ethically, this method may traumatize prisoners who are not used to gunshots, making them live in fear.
Central factors of the realist-neo-liberal institutionalist debate.
According to the neoliberalist approach, Prisons and jails have four primary functions, which are incapacitation, retribution, rehabilitation, and deterrence. The correctional system is mandated to keep society safer by locking up those who cause violence or deaths, among other criminal activities. Even though prisoners are guilty of their wrong deeds or actions, they should also get treated with dignity by providing them with adequate and nutritional food, clean cells, and freedom of associating with their parents and friends. The neoliberalist front gets dedicated to the privatization and the exploitation of prison systems, by ensuring the incarceration rate is maintained. Neoliberalists gain, thus are a pro increase in incarceration.
The United States of America contains a whopping 2,220,300 incarcerated adults and
4,751,400 in probation, making it the leading country with the highest prison population
followed by Russia and China, respectively. Although the United States did not have the highest
population in prisons, it houses 25% of inmates in the world. Countries like Germany have
embarked on reducing reliance on penal systems (Chammah, 2015). Western countries have seen
an influx of inmate populations in the past decade. Western countries spend on social welfare
programs to reduce prospected offenses in their countries. Norway's prison system is one of the most successful correctional systems in the world.
According to the neorealist perspective, In Norway, less than 4,000of the 5 million populations of Norwegians were behind bars in the year 2004. The rate of incarceration in Norway is 75 per 100,000 people compared to the United States’ 707 per 100,000. Norway ex-offenders tend to avoid prison when they get out. It boasts of having the lowest recidivism rates in the world at 20% compared to a 76.6% high rate in the United States (Chammah, 2015). Crime levels in Norway prove significantly lower compared to America. Norway maintains its success by using a restorative justice system other than punishing individuals. The corrective system aids in repairing the harm done other than punishment, thus resulting in the right rehabilitation of offenders.
Neorealists believe that societies are existent and flourish as a result of specific distinct systems and organizations placed to iron out the continuous and progressive cycle. Justice is one of the main components of civilization that ensures the allocation of appropriate punishment and rehabilitative methods. The project aims at addressing the need for a fully functional justice system that not only incarcerates criminals but rather rehabilitate them to be better parts of society. This ideology mainly focuses on mitigating incarceration as a result of other suitable and efficient practices.
Prediction from the Prisoner’s dilemma about what “is likely” to occur in this situation.
The prison officers in Statesville Correctional Centre get adequately armed as a measure
to ensure that the level of violence and protection of imprisonment are maintained. I think that
the holding of guns itself is likely to make Terry fear to become violent. It is because he
knows that he can get shot if he hurts one another or attacks the prison officers. Guns also help
the guards to protect themselves in case they get attacked. Some of the prisoners are in prison as
a result of killings they may have committed. Attacking the correctional officers may not be a
big issue for them. The prison officers may use guns to protect themselves in case the prisoners
attack them. Gunshots also enable the officers to calm violence whenever it erupts, even without
getting near the fighting prisoners. It is probable that in his darker days, Terry might be subject to death or participation in murder if his psychological situation worsens.
Prisoners freely interact with each other; they usually team up and find ways to attack other prisoners or the prison officers violently. Locking them also protects the prison officers who are always at a risk of being attacked, leading to injuries or deaths. The primary con of this method is that their roommate might attack the prisoners without the prison officers or fellow prisoners’ knowledge. These series of events may occur in the instance Terry, angered by his problems, may agitate a dangerous inmate resulting in his shanking. Terry might also develop depression and mental health problems for being isolated in one place for a long time. Ethically, this method is against the prisoner’s wish to freely interact, which reduce stress levels that face most prisoners.
Effects of inmates’ isolation, connections, and interaction with people in the outside
world In the Statesville Correctional Centre, prisoners are always locked up in cells at any given
time. They have no chance to interact with each other at any given time. They live two prisoners
per cell and only get to meet others when they are allowed to go out to get fresh air or sunshine.
They take their bath, eat, and answer the call of nature in their cells. They have little contact with
the outside world except for family members and close friends who are only allowed to see them
for at most two hours every day. It can significantly affect their mental status, where some can
develop depression or other psychological related problems. It is because many feel that they
have lost their dreams and hopes in life and that their lives are at a standstill (Haney et al., 2016).
Gay inmates face several difficulties while in prison. One of the main problems is that
they are usually at a very high-risk o contracting HIV and IDS and many other sexually
transmitted diseases. It is because they engage in unprotected sexual activities. Another
challenge is Terry’s risk of being raped by their fellow prisoners or prison officers. Addressing this rape challenge is crucial to be provided with condoms to regulate the spread of HIV in prison.
When it comes to rape, gay inmates should be allowed to stay one inmate per cell to ensure they
are always safe (Mennicke et al., 2018). It will help in reducing the fear of being raped,
especially for those who have been raped before, like Gregory Crowder.
One of the issues that have to get addressed in the Statesville Correctional Center is the
food provided to the prisoners. The government should address this by adding more funds to
ensure that the inmates eat better fresh food as compared to what they are currently having.
Another issue that needs to get addressed is the use of force by the prison officers. The inmates
who engage in violence or any mischief, they are violently beaten by the officers, which is not
right. The officers should get trained on how to handle the inmates in a friendlier manner other
than using extra force.
The factors mentioned above are a clear representation of the treatment prisoners get and some of their dilemmas while in prison. The reality is that all the topics addressed show what most of these journalists must go through and adapt to during their incarceration periods. My understanding is that having a permanent record associated with crime and imprisonment affects prisoners differently. In cases where an inmate gets released, they have to come back into the world with a tainted reputation. This shortcoming affects their chances of employment and acceptance back to society, with most people getting discriminated against and shunned due to their past. This factor is a significant reason why most prisoners, once released or incarcerated, are just focused on finishing their sentences other than rehabilitating. The lack of cooperation among the said inmates contradicts the very same neo-liberal institutionalists were not effective in bringing about collaboration.
Modern society is not bent on the identification of the type of organization, rather the
understanding of aspects of organizations. According to history, the current state is very
incompatible and is not hospitable to crude organizational structures. Although the idea of the
order was inconceivable, then in the beginning, with growing pressure, it may become to be
needed by being more feasible. Though the rejuvenation of the ideology gets projected to rise, there
is the fear of occurrence of structural conditions tied to it not improving. The difference in the
success level in the contemporary government is no less different compared to the new
government.
Public administration requires a practical application of theories and concepts learned in a
third party setting like schools. Justice in public administration gets mainly used in the avoidance
of adversely adverse effects like corruption and theft, among others. The world is facing a lot of
corruption and theft cases, especially from people in power tasked with taking care and
overseeing public resources. Reforming the justice administrations is solely dependent on the
willingness of the public functionaries to make changes in the working process and management.
Strengthening and modernization of the legal service using effective employment systems will
result in proper leadership. This occurrence enables maintaining the acceptability of highly
efficient administrative conduct.
Isolation of offenders from society restricts them from inflicting criminal effects on the public. The correction systems inflict discomfort to convicted individuals while offering them a chance to rehabilitate (Stojkovic et al., 2014). The introduction of further studies and extracurricular activities help ease the rehabilitation process while making them productive members once they get released to society. According to Webber, an organization includes a division of clear labors and formal rules that govern the institution as depicted by the various aspects of judicial, administrative, organizational structure.
Sergeant Baldwin, together with his team, apply methods to maintain or keep safety and order in the Statesville Correctional Centre. One of the methods used by Sergeant Baldwin is to lock down the prisoners within their cell rooms throughout their stay in prison. Locking the prisoners up is one of the best ways to ensure they don’t hurt each other or become violent to the prison officers (Lockup, 2018). The prisoners are usually already angry and filled with revenge or are disappointed with their situation and would do anything to release the anger.
Conclusion
Prisons and jails have four primary functions, which are incapacitation, retribution,
rehabilitation, and deterrence. The correctional system is mandated to keep society safer by
locking up those who cause violence or deaths, among other criminal activities. Even though
prisoners are guilty of their wrong deeds or actions, they should also get treated with dignity by
providing them with adequate and nutritional food, clean cells, and freedom of associating with
their parents and friends.
References
Bachman, R.D. &Schutt, R.K. (2017). The practice of research in criminology and criminal justice. (6th Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Chammah, M. (2015). How Germany Does Prison. The Marshall Project, June 16.
Chaskin, R. J. (2010). Youth gangs and community intervention: Research, practice, and evidence. New York: Columbia University Press, contemporary homeland security, and law enforcement operations.
Fagan, J. (2017). The social organization of drug use and drug dealing among urban gangs. InGangs (pp. 273-309). Routledge.
Gosz, J. R. (2015). A critical analysis and study of fusion center integration and utilization in contemporary homeland security and law enforcement operations.
Haney, C., Weill, J., Bakhshay, S., & Lockett, T. (2016). Examining jail isolation: What we don’t know can be profoundly harmful.
Kaeble, D., Glaze, L., Tsoutis, A., & Minton, T. (2016). Correctional populations in the United States, 2014. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1-19.
Mennicke, A., Gromer, J., Oehme, K., &MacConnie, L. (2018). Workplace experiences of gay and lesbian criminal justice officers in the United States: a qualitative investigation of officers attending an LGBT law enforcement conference. Policing and Society, 28(6), 712- 729.
Stojkovic, S., Kalinich, D., & Klofas, J. (2014). Criminal justice organizations: Administration and management. Cengage Learning.