After hearing all these statistics, how can anyone think are prison system does not need to be reformed? I believe that most jails and prisons focus on punishment for the crime committed. The focus needs to be switched to rehabilitation. This could be accomplished by having tons of different programs available to inmates depending on their individual situations; intensive individual and group therapy sessions, Integration back into society programs, drug rehabilitation, parenting classes, career finding programs, anger management therapy, many different types of animal therapy, keeping in contact with loved ones programs (for inmates who need help reaching out to loved ones who they are no longer in contact with). Studies have shown that "inmates who maintain contact with family and friends in the outside world are less likely to be convicted of further crimes and usually have an easier reintegration period back into society.” Before we can do these things though, we need to better understand why re-incarceration keeps happening. We could do that by conducting research studies on the inmate population.

                There are multiple reasons why i believe the prison system is failing. One of these reasons is that major populations of inmates have mental health problems that are not being addressed or accounted for. Not only disorders like schizophrenia, manic depression, and PTSD but also issues with substance abuse. One argument to treating substance abusers in jail is that that are being detoxed already by their extended stay in the facility. But detox is not the only part of recovery from substance abuse. There are many steps including therapy and AA. Without all of these steps being met, the abuser will have a high risk of relapsing upon release from jail. This will heighten their chance of returning to prison. Even inmates with no diagnosable condition can greatly benefit from counseling. “Thirty-one percent of jail inmates had grown up with a parent or guardian who abused alcohol or drugs. About twelve percent had lived in a foster home or institution. Forty-six percent had a family member who had been incarcerated. More than 50% of the women in jail said they had been physically or sexually abused in the past, compared to more than 10% of the men." Inmates who fit into these statistics would also greatly benefit from counseling.