Prison Prevents Violence Essay, Research Paper

Prison Prevents Violence

Violence is a major concern amongst the youths of this generation. It is an important issue that is being neglected. Several causes that may lead to this behavior would be the surroundings the youths are brought up in, or the image they wish to present themselves as – macho, tough, and untouchable. However, the causes are not important. What is important is the solution we can provide in order to help these youths stop violence. One solution to prevent youth violence would be to take them on a field trip to the local prison to spend a day as a prisoner.

According to West Midlands Police Museum, spending a day in jail would mean eating repetitive, unappealing food such as oatmeal, bread, and potatoes. Daily chores include laundry, yard work, and general maintenance.

However, the worst experience of going to jail would mean having freedom taken away. If the youths spent a day living behind bars, they would hopefully learn to cherish freedom more. By going to jail, the students would realize this and change their violent behaviors.

Another reason that going to jail may prevent youth violence is that the prisoners in there doing time already can tell them nonfiction, breath-taking stories. This would be a memorable experience that would linger within the youths. Stories might include how the trial impacted their families, the regrets that they have (if any), or how guards treats them. It is not the ?outside world? where orders from parents could be disregarded. The prisoners have to listen to every order that is given to them, or a severe punishment would be the outcome. One story that might be of interest belongs to J.J Maloney, an ex-prisoner of Missouri State Penitentiary. He stated that ?[s]tabbings and killings, robberies and rapes were common? (1). Every time youths choose violence as the answer to their problems, they could think of how the prisoners are treated in jail and how much pain they are living with.

Furthermore, spending a day in prison can be a solution for youths to stop violence because delightful activities are limited – no more video games, no more long conversations with friends on the phone, no more parties to attend. The guilty have nothing to show for themselves; they are shameful and prideless individuals who have lost their souls.

However, a negative factor of this field trip would be the exposure and easy access of drugs. Maloney adds that even ?captains on the guard force?owed their souls to certain convicts? that sold them the drugs (1). He further elaborates:

?in a one-week period, one inmate smuggled in 14 ounces of amphetamine, another inmate 2 ounces, and another four ounces. So much dope was available, in so many hands, it was almost impossible to sell all of it. Then, in one 24-day period, four inmates were murdered (Maloney 2)

It is evident that only one day is enough for youths to spend at the prison for violent behaviors to stop. Longer visits would likely cause another major concern in youths ? the use of drugs.

The opportunity to take a prison fieldtrip would be very unusual, but it would give the youth a chance to have a taste of the consequence without actually committing the crime. This may not help all of the students, but if one would change their violent behavior because of this field trip, then the time spent in organizing it would already be worth it.