Social Issue Topic

My social issue topic will be on prison alternatives, which is a topic that I hadn’t even planned on doing originally. I actually clicked on one of the links that was provided on the class schedule and randomly came across "Prisons" as one of the listed issues (from the “Hearts and Minds” website). I didn't know much about this topic initially, but it was something new and interesting. I read about how we are so reliant on incarceration as opposed to more humane, effective, and efficient alternatives to crime prevention such as rehabilitation, counseling, and education and job training. States are spending more money on prisons than on education. The majority of prisoners come from disadvantaged backgrounds and poverty-stricken neighborhoods suffering from poor education, unemployment, social isolation, and other factors contributing to more criminal activity. Prisoners face terrible conditions once in jail and after receiving poor treatment or guidance, they are released with very little to provide for themselves. More than sixty percent of ex-convicts commit a crime after they are released. Most alternative programs to prison are being carried out on the community and local level, which is what I will attempt to focus more on.