Introduction
Over the years, crimes have been a significant challenge in the US forcing the government both the federal and state to invest heavily in prevention measures. Following the soaring cases of people minor and major offences, the authorities in respective states resorted to establishing several prison facilities where offenders can be incarcerated. The practice led to an increase in imprisonment and most criminals including rapists, drug dealers, killers and many more serve their sentences. However, despite the move by the authorities to focus solely on detention, the country is still experiencing severe cases of offenses. This aspect implies that there is a complex correlation between incarceration and crime in the country.
Relationship of Incarceration and Crime
In the US, the number of offenders in prison has increased significantly. In the past three decades, the nation had approximately 330,000 individuals imprisoned; however, the current data indicate that over 2 million people are serving their jail terms in different prions across the country (Durose, 2019). The statistics show a massive increase in the rate of incarceration in the US. According to the report by King et al. (2005), the Department of Justice in the US supported the approach. The authorities claimed that when the country applies tough sentencing encompassing abolition of paroles, and harsh sentencing guidelines, the US will experience less crime. The individuals justified the case by stating that incarceration will take violent criminals off the street thus lowering the likelihood of more offences in the country.
Reports indicate that there is no consistent relationship between incarceration and crimes. For instance, during the period between 1991 and 1998, states that increased their imprisonment experienced an insignificant decline in criminal activities compared to those that made less effort. King et al. (2005) posit that there is a divergent correlation since increasing incarceration resulted in a meagre drop in offence. For example, Texas which had about a 144% increase in imprisonment experienced a 35% decline in crime while New York having roughly a 24% increment in confinement realized about a 43% drop in cases of offences (King et al., 2005). The findings indicate that across the US states, there is no dependable connection between incarceration and crime.
Factors that Have Contributed to Decline in Crime in the Past Decade
In the past decade, the US experienced a significant drop in cases of crime across the country. Several factors played an essential role in lowering the engagement of people in criminal acts. First, effective policing strategies such as police-community partnerships facilitated the decline in offenses. For instance, the police units opted to work with the public in their operations to help them identify critical areas and factors that might influence individuals to commit the crime (King et al., 2005). This aspect made it easier for the police to curb potential crimes. The cooperation encompassed issues such as monitoring firearm distribution which reduced cases of homicide in the country.
Second, community response to offenses further escalated the decline of crime. Most youths in the country especially in cities and other areas where drug trafficking was common witnessed the impact of such offenses and how it negatively impacted society. For example, the drug market facilitated cases of substance addiction, increased violence and incarceration which affected the lives of most youths and acted as a warning to the remaining individuals (King et al., 2005). The experience made the majority of individuals withdraw from such activities to seek transformed lives leading to a significant reduction in offenses.
Lastly, stable economic performance in the country significantly influenced the decline in crime. Normally, most people commit the offense to enable them access to basic needs such as food and money. In other words, some individuals are compelled to engage in the criminal act as a way of livelihood. According to King et al. (2005), the American economy was experiencing high growth which resulted in job opportunities in the past decade. This aspect facilitated the availability of income for many people hence lowering their involvement in criminal acts.
Problems Impacting Policies
Even though the US government has invested in increasing incarceration, there are debates that the approach is not effective in facilitating a decline in crime rates. Based on scholars’ perspectives, public debate on crime and punishment is more focused on reprimand rather than prevention. Most people view sentencing as the most reliable remedy to curb growing cases of criminal conduct and overlook the impact of venturing into preventive measures (Durose, 2019). The approach facilitates the establishment of tough sentencing guidelines leading to more cases of incarceration instead of approaching the issue from its root course (Harding, Morenoff, Nguyen, Bushway & Binswanger, 2019). Lastly, limited public opinion especially from the people who have been involved in crimes makes the authorities formulate policies that do not effectively address the concerns of the victims. This facet makes the individuals feel neglected which might influence their engagement in criminal acts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, based on the evidence provided in the report and analyses from various scholars, increasing incarceration has less impact on crime rates. Even though the justice department believes and supports the harsh sentencing practice, the result does not reciprocate what is expected in society. Over the past decade, the US experienced a significant decline in crime following its strong economy and the participation of the community in policing practices.
References
Durose, O. (2019). The growth of incarceration in the United States: Leaving proportionality behind. Undergraduate Journal of Politics and International Relations, 2(1). 1-17. Web.
Harding, D. J., Morenoff, J. D., Nguyen, A. P., Bushway, S. D., & Binswanger, I. A. (2019). A natural experiment study of the effects of imprisonment on violence in the community. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(7), 671-677. Web.
King, S. R., Mauer, M., & Young, C. M. (2005). Incarceration and crime: A complex relationship. The Sentencing Project.