Overcrowding of the California State Prison System

Problem Narrative

            The number of incarcerated persons in the California State Prison System has soared to astoundingly high numbers of the past four decades; thus, resulting to an immensely overcrowded prison system.  The California 

State Prison System is not only the largest prison system in the United States but also the most overcrowded one, even despite the fact that California has invested 5.2 billion dollars into building new prison facilities and expanding previously built facilities since the late 1970s (Dungan).  The number of inmates in California in 1977, which was approximately 19,600 inmates, increased by nearly eight times this number to approximately 161,000 inmates in 2000 (Dungan).  All of California’s thirty-three prison facilities are overcrowded by at least 150 percent (Dungan).

            The astronomical increase in inmates in California is widely attributed to harsher punishments for parole violators, severe mandatory sentences, and California’s infamous three strikes law which has placed a little over 40,000 Californians in prison since it was implemented in 1994 (ACLU).  In addition more than half of the persons incarcerated under the three strikes law were non violent offenders and are now serving hefty sentences for crimes such as drug possession and petty theft.  These hefty sentences that are received under the three strikes law keep inmates in the prison system for a longer period of time than they would be serving if it was the first non violent offense as opposed to their third non violent offense, which ultimately further contributes to the overcrowding problem.

            The impact that overcrowding has had on the prisoners and employees in the prison system are entirely apparent and have resulted in a dangerous environment for all.  The pressure of so many prisoners in such confined spaces has induced prisoners to riot and employees to commit shameful acts.  If something is not done to stop this cycle the California prison system may not be able to expand enough to accommodate all offenders.

 

Problem Statement

            The number of incarcerated Californians has increased eightfold over the past four decades and has put an immense strain on the housing capacities of the state prison system and ultimately led to atrocious overcrowding in all facilities statewide.

 

Key Variables

            “Hard Variables”

·      Number of persons incarcerated yearly

·      Number of prison facilities built over time

·      Percentage of overcrowding in each specific facility and region of the state

“Soft Variables”

·      Number of persons incarcerated by certain laws such as the three strikes law

·      Specific crimes committed by that lead to incarceration

BOTG

Sources: 

 Dungan, Fred.  "California's Overcrowded Prisons." http://www.fdungan.com/prison.htm

ACLU.  "California's Three Strikes Law Fact Sheet."  http://www.libertyhill.org/common/to_print/3xFACTSHEET2.pdf

HIV/AIDS in Sub Saharan Africa

HIV/AIDS has ravaged Sub Saharan Africa and has effected more than just the health of the people inflicted with the disease.  HIV/AIDS spread so rapidly in this region mainly due to  the people's ignorance of ways to prevent the spread of the disease and also the incapability of these underdeveloped countries to provide treatment for the disease.  These factors continue to increase the damage that the epidemic is dealing on this region.  HIV/AIDS has orphaned millions of children, decreased the work force in the region, and had other affects that put strains on the already struggling Sub Saharan economies.  These direct effects that HIV/AIDS has had on the people of the region have put further strains on trying to control the spread of the disease because the countries have difficulty in spending money on projects and research to control the epidemic.