Correctional Systems in Utah and Iran (Essay Sample)

The corrections system in Utah and Iran
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Professor
Course
Institution
Date
The correctional system in Utah and Iran
Introduction
This paper explores the correctional system in Utah. It offers full accounts of correctional populations, correctional facilities, initiatives relating to inmate addictions, as well as some of the approaches that are applied to deal with special populations of inmates. In addition, the paper explores the correctional facilities in Iran, thereby detailing the differences between the approaches of the two.
Besides, the paper provides a detailed description of the approaches that have been applied by Utah. The two that have been looked at include intermediate sanctions approach as well as the restorative justice approach. It also offers a discussion of the advantages, as well as the disadvantages of the approaches.
Body
Correctional populations
The prison population of Utah has significantly grown. The population is growing at a high rate and it is not expected to go down any time soon. The net population of the prisons in Utah is expected increase by about 125-150 every year. It is expected that in the coming years, the correctional facilities in Utah may reach their maximum capacities since about 12 new inmates are projected to join the prisons every month (Adams, 2013).
Correctional facilities in Utah
There are numerous prisons which are spread all over the 28 counties in Utah which play a major role in housing the prisoners. Presently, there are approximately 4,200 inmates who are housed at a prison in Draper. Besides, there are approximately 1,500 inmates at Gunnison, whereas another bunch of about 1,500 are spread out in the other county jails (Bell, 2013).
Initiatives relating to inmate addictions
Numerous initiatives have been adopted by Utah in order to tackle inmate addictions. Utah correctional facilities have been successful and this has been brought about by enhancing treatment for inmates who are mentally, as well as those who are drug addicts. Educational, training, as well as substance abuse programs are also put into place by Utah correctional facilities in order to tackle addiction. Besides, various treatment options, counselling, as well as housing options have been put into place by the correctional facilities in Utah.
Approaches used to deal with special populations of inmates
There are a number of approaches that have been applied by Utah correctional facilities to deal with the inmate having special cases. The population of inmates in Utah is ever growing. There are a number of aging inmates. In addition, there are a number of inmates within Utah who have special cases.
Utah has devoted huge amounts of tax to make sure that health care services are offered to inmates with medical conditions. It is worth noting that Utah falls among the states — others being New Hampshire, Arkansas, as well as California — where expenditure on inmate health care rose by about 100% from the year 2001 to the year 2008. In other eight states, expenditure shot up by about 90%.
In addition, Utah spends a lot of money in handling aging inmates, and the inmates suffering from infectious, as well as chronic diseases, like AIDS and hepatitis C. in addition, a huge chunk of money is spent by the firm in order to handle inmates who are suffering from mental illnesses, as well as substance abuse. Utah correctional facilities have put measures into place to make sure that health care is provided to inmates who are in need. Besides, they have put measures into place to make sure that other treatment facilities are available to inmates who are in need (Winkel, 2011).
A special geriatric unit was established by Utah at Utah State Prison in order to ensure that aging inmates are housed. Approximately 9% of the total population of the state is older than 55. It is estimated that health care costs of the aging inmates are twelve times more costly in comparison to those of relatively younger inmates (Winkel, 2011).
In addition, Utah has ensured Medicaid enrolment of the inmates receiving treatment out of prison for not less than 24 hours. Besides, it compassionately releases terminally ill, as well as geriatric offenders. These are aimed at reducing costs of handling the inmates with special needs (Winkel, 2011).
Correctional system in Iran
Not only does Iran execute a large number of convicted criminals, but it also incarcerates them at a record rate. About 80 new inmates enter Iran’s prison system daily. Under the penal code of Iran, in excess of 1600 different offenses can be punished through imprisonment. In addition, a number of inmates in Iran languish in prison cells as a result of “political crimes.”
The correctional facilities in Iran are very rife with torture, as well as other kinds of horrific abuses.
The high population in the correctional facilities in Iran has decreased hygiene levels in the correctional facilities. The prisoners in these correctional facilities are seriously affected by inadequate doctors.
Approaches to correction in Utah
Utah has made use of intermediate sanctions which gives justice, as well as corrections professionals fresh ways of dealing with crime. Conventionally, crime increases have been met with incarceration increase. This has resulted into a counterproductive model that always results into overcrowding of jails and prisons, early discharge of possibly dangerous criminals, as well as corrections budgets, which eat away funds. In a bid to have Utah being “tough on crime,” it is worsening the incarceration model (Russell and Fowles, 1999).
Blurring the link between punishment and crime weakens rehabilitation. In addition, it undermines the defensive power of criminal justice system besides endangering the public. Therefore, through intermediate sanctions, lawmakers are enabled to make the link clear. They provide a highly effective means of being “tough on crime.”(Russell and Fowles, 1999).
Intermediate sanctions are highly effective since they offer a way of engineering individual sentences for every offender, as well as class of offenders. They may be effectively applied as prison alternatives, as well as probation alternatives. Being alternatives to prison, they allow for enhanced rehabilitation via community contact. Besides, they are less costly, and always have minimal destructive side effects for the offenders.
It is however, extremely hard for judges to root out defendants who needs to change, as well as those just plotting to "get out of jail freely" (Russell and Fowles, 1999).
Restorative justice is another approach that is applied. It is a justice approach focusing on the various needs of victims, as well as offenders together with the community that is involved rather than punishing offenders. Victims take very active roles during the process, whereas offenders are cheered to be responsible for their actions. Through it, they repair harm done through apologies, returning stolen cash or through community service (Zvi, 2005).
The criminal justice system, which is the society’s way of dealing with crime is not perfect at all. Crime victims always feel ignored and neglected by judges and prosecutors, and besides, the system is not perceived by the public to be just, as well as fair. Therefore, the effectiveness of the system in dealing with cr...