The Psychological Effects of Prisons Essay - 1142 Words

The Psychological Effects of Prisons I have visited some of the best and the worst prisons and have never seen signs of coddling, but I have seen the terrible results of the boredom and frustration of empty hours and pointless existence -former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger If recent incarceration rates remain unchanged, an estimated 1 out of every 20 persons (5.1%) will serve time in a prison during their lifetime. -U.S. Department of Justice One of the largest problems with the prison issue in America today is that it gets little attention. Unlike education, pollution or gun control people are usually not concerned enough to get involved with the problem until it happens to someone they love or†¦show more content†¦This study represents a parallel to the behavior found in incarcerated humans. Jails cause the same psychological side effects as prisons, to a smaller degree, in the effects of being en-caged, however, the overall standard of living in jails is much higher. There is a decent relationship between the guards and the jailers. The jailers are allowed to interact with the same people on their block between lockdown times. Lock-down is when the jailers are confined to their cells, usually at night and for a short while in the day, during a change of shift. This method allows inmates to play cards, watch TV together and at very least walk around something else besides their cell. The prison system, ho wever, usually remains in lockdown all the time, although they can speak to each other, they usually cant see each other without a mirror. Observing these two methods, and what little problems there are in jails as opposed to prisons leads me to believe that if you treat a human being like a human being they will act like a human being. If you lock them in a cage all day they may as well act like an animal. (Prison Activist Resource Center, 1-3) People sometimes argue this case stating that the offenses committed by jailers are less serious than by prisoners and that prisons are more hostile because they house the more serious offenders. These people forget that jails hold people before they areShow MoreRelatedThe Stanford Prison Experiment : Psychological Effect On Prisoners And Prison Guards1341 Words   |  6 PagesPurpose: The Stanford prison experiment was a study conducted by Professor Phillip Zimbardo about psychological effect on prisoners and prison guards. He conducted the experiment because he wanted to find out whether the brutality of guards in American prisons was due to sadistic personalities of the guards or the behaviors of the guards towards the prisoners had to with prison Environment. The study elicited pathological reactions from many of the participant. The purpose of the study was to understandRead MorePsychological Effects Of Becoming A Prisoner Or Prison Guard1189 Words   |  5 PagesZimbardo conducted an experiment to study the psychological effects of becoming a prisoner or prison guard. This experiment turned into something much more than just an experiment, it became a lesson. The experiment and its results became known as the Stanford Prison Experiment. A quote from Zimbardo himself said, How we went about testing these questions and what we found may astound you. Our planned two-week investigation into the psychology of prison life had to be ended after only six days becauseRead MoreThe Stanford Prison Experiment : Psychological Effects Of A Prisoner And Guard Scenario1271 Words   |  6 Pagesinto a strong piece of iron. The Stanford Prison Experiment was a study put together by Phillip Zambardo to test the psychological effects of a prisoner and guard scenario in a mock prison setting. 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The methodology behind this experiment was to get volunteers for the study by posting it in the local newspaperRead MoreI Chose The Topic Of Prison Psychology With A Focus On1198 Words   |  5 Pagestopic of prison psychology with a focus on the Stanford prison experiment and the psychological effects of systematic abuse. Zimbardo, Philip G. Revisiting the Stanford Prison Experiment: A Lesson in the Power of Situation. The Chronicle of Higher Education, no. 30, 2007. EBSCOhost, ezproxy.uhd.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=edsgbcAN=edsgcl.161992127site=eds-livescope=site. The Stanford Prison Experiment was a study on the psychological effects of authorityRead MoreEssay on Cost of Incarceration1308 Words   |  6 Pagesis the act of placing someone in prison. Incarceration serves as a punishment for criminals due to their actions against the law. It is a solution for keeping the public safe. 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PSYCHOLOGICAL BREAKDOWN IN THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT 3 The article on the Stanford Prison Experiment titled, A Study of Prisoners and Guards in a Simulated Prison and written by the Office of Naval Research, provides us with the overall information that deals with this controversial psychological study. The study was conducted by Doctors Craig Haney, Curtis Banks and headed by Doctor PhillipRead MorePrison And The Prison System Essay1472 Words   |  6 Pagesdiscouragement for humans is through the prison system. Because of this, these humans or inmates, are sentenced to spend a significant part of their life in a confined, small room. With that being said, the prison life can leave a remarkable toll on the inmates life in many different categories. The first and arguably most important comes in the form of mental health. Living in prison with have a great impact on the psychological part of your life. For example, The prison life is a very much different way