Budget cuts have spread like wild fire through out the prison systems across our nation. You may so so what, what have the inmates done for us- why should we stand for them.  However, the more programs that they have the more likely they will become better citizens when they get out of prison.  Also what will happen to the prisoners when all of the beds are gone? I believe that we all mistakes, some are not as bad as others, and some are just not caught-nether the less we are all human beings and all deserve humane treating regardless of our past mistakes. 

In Ohio, many cuts have been made to staffing in important areas such as medical,educational, and even security. They have also reduced the availability and distribution of supplies and legal services.  Utah has faced similar cuts. They have faced cuts in vocational training,sex offender and substance abuse treatment.  Their medical care has also faced big cuts.  Inmates who are pregnant have had their requirements to seek medical attention raised,dental and medical attention has also been reduced to all.  Kansas has had to say goodbye to a vocation training program that had been in place for forty years. The Kansas Correctional Facility has had $23 million dollars cut from their budget.  As an effect of the cuts, the system had to close five facilities. Treatment for sex offenders and substance abusers, along with a GED program have been eliminated from the system. Florida also had substance abuse programs eliminated as an affect of budget cuts. 

These vocational and educational programs offer these inmates a way to survive after they are released without having to turn back to their criminal ways of making money.  These sex offender and substance abuse programs allow those suffering from these things treatment to get past their addictions. People are saddened(as they should be) and complain about the offenses and murders that sex offenders have partaken in.  A sex offender is more likely to kill their victim to avoid returning to prison rather than letting them live. And so these programs are key in reducing these problems. Medical attention should be a basic human right.  It is a right that many who are not inmates can empathize with in being denied medical help when needed. Beds are eliminated all across the country in prisons.  This causes a huge problem considering the number of inmates who are expected to enter prison.  Texas is expected to receive 14000 prisoners in the upcoming year.  How are the correctional facilities expected to house these inmates when there is no where to put them? Meals across the country are also being limited as a result of budget cuts.  Inmates in Ohio are having their weekend meals completely cut!

Correctional facility workers eat for free and they eat food that is far better than what the inmates eat.  The inmate uniforms are made from thick materials.  Studies have shown that 80% of prison budgets goes to the guards salaries.  -Which leaves only 20% to the upkeep of prison facilities. Feeding an inmate a day costs prisons only $2. 12. 

So what to do? Everyone across the nation is suffering from budget cuts, however the things that they are cutting are only going to bring the inmates to them, if not only considered inhumane. There could also be an equalization in programs and necessities to inmates to fit within the budgets.  Also, I know that our tax dollars already go to a lot of frivolous ventures rather than productive ones that could be implemented into school systems as well as prisons and other venues.  (These frivolous ventures include repaving alleyways in rich neighborhoods. )Well first I would suggest to start making inmate clothing out of cheaper material.  After all, there is no air conditioning in the inmates cell blocks which can make a day that is 96 degrees to us well over 115 degrees for them.  Prisons also offer inmate trust funds-if they had interest rates on them a great deal of money could be made.  Guards would not be harmed with small pay cuts to make the work they are partaking in easier.  After all an unhappy inmate makes an unhappy guard. They could also charge the correctional facility workers for their meals and lower the quality of them or charge more for them rather than letting them eat for free which only adds to the budget problems.  No other occupational system in the nation allows their employees to eat for free. They should also maybe charge the guards fines for misconduct that will return to the system’s budget. (This will also discourage guard misconduct).  Whatever the solution, there needs to be one other than cutting helpful and necessary programs to the inmates. 

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