Current Issues in Correctional Management

Current Issues in Correctional Management
Name
Institution
Due Date
Current Issues in Correctional Management
Correctional facilities all over the world are managed by a team of individuals who are dedicated and mandated to aid in the development rehabilitation of delinquents within society. These individuals are often considered to have gone beyond the set boundaries of society, and therefore condemned to rehabilitation. However, reports appear to indicate that correctional facilities might be failing to rehabilitate Americans who have been incarcerated. The rates of recidivism appear to increase, rendering the rehabilitative work done void. According to Benecchi (2021) from the Harvard Political Review, the U.S. currently has the highest number of incarcerated individuals in the world, with more than 1.8 million American citizens locked up at the moment. She continues to write that every year, the country releases more than 600,000 individuals who often end up re-arrested at a rate of 50% incarcerations for the released individuals. Such numbers are increasingly challenging and point to a number of issues that are currently facing correctional management. Aside from the above, other issues, including mental health issues and gender and transgender-related issues, happen to be up and coming and greatly influence correctional management.
Gang and Gang Violence
Gang and gang violence is a major issue that impacts correctional management. This issue greatly impacts the success of the rehabilitative exercises that seem to take place in correctional facilities. According to the FBI (2022), in the U.S. today, there are 33,000 active gangs. These gangs participate in various activities ranging from prostitution, human and drug trafficking, robbery, and fraud cases. These gangs greatly contribute to the number of incarcerated individuals in the U.S. Aside from the above, the culture of gangs appears to be on the rise in American prisons. According to the U.S. Department of Justice (2021), prison gangs vary in composition and organization. Examples of some of the most structured gangs in the U.S. include the Aryan Brotherhood and the Nuestra Familia. These two are some of the fiercest gangs in American prisons and contribute to a high number of violent activities in American prisons.
The challenge gangs and gang violence lead to in correctional facilities is an increase in the number of injuries and prison deaths. Further, recidivism rates are high for individuals who have been in gangs or been related to gang activities while in prison or outside of prison. Pyrooz et al. (2020) indicate that individuals who do not rescind their gang membership after going to prison have a high rate of recidivism. Also, the researchers indicate that former gang members happen to be arrested at a higher rate. Such reports indicate a lack of progress with regard to the rehabilitation efforts of correctional managers.
Illegal Drugs and other Contraband in Correctional Settings
The smuggling of illegal drugs and other contraband in correctional settings pose a great challenge for correctional managers. Contrabands are continually smuggled to correctional settings and greatly affect correctional managers’ safety and work. The need...