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Assignment # 2

Problem Definition- Secondary Data Tables

LaShauna Crayton

Sowk 300

Tuskegee University

01/28/2010
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Problem Identification:

Adults on Probation or Parole, Incarcerated in Jail or Prison: 1980 to 2006

My problem is the adults on probation or parole, incarcerated I jail or prison from 1980-
2006. The table I use has good details on how many people in jail, prison or on probation ranging
from male to female. While studying the table I realize that each year the number increase in the
millions. In 1980 there were only 1,840,400 incarcerated adults and in 2007 the number
increases7 times to 7,328,200. Another important fact in this table is that the females has such a
large number, I wouldn’t never expect that the female incarceration population would even be in
the millions.

We are having many free days going on the society from 1980 to 2007. There are absolutely too
many adults either incarcerated or on probation. So, during this time we are their children that
belong to these adults. There are other activities that people can get involve in, instead of going
out committing crime. The population of incarcerated adults varies from drug user, drug sellers,
murders, and also robbers. So, I really can’t state that these population rates come from murder
the table wasn’t specific on which this includes.

Problem Description:

(a) Adults being incarcerated have a big affect on the survival and propagation of African
Americans. Why, because of the fact people who are out roaming the street has a better chance
of reproducing than someone incarcerated. An incarcerated person is not able to have any sexual
activities with others, not even at their visits so, how can they reproduce. Most people that are
incarcerated also have a hard time getting married. On the other hand people that are on
probation do not affect the propagation of Africans Americans because they are still able to
reproduce.

(b) I feel that we can alleviate the problem by having more jobs available, emphasize the
importance of education, trained juveniles that are incarcerated to come out and society and
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change their ways. Most of the inmates in prison have been incarcerated as a child. The other
half of incarcerated adults come from gangs, drugs, and murder. That’s why I say we should
emphasize the importance of an education because most people to turn drugs when they are
unable to get a job because of their education level. Alleviating the problem will starts at the
micro level and moves to the global level. We have to take one step at a time to alleviate the rate
of incarcerated adults and that start at the childhood.

Findings

A. Magnitude:

The problem is very severe because each year the number of inmates increases more than
100,000. My opinion is that the problem affects the whole society as a whole, including the
family members of the inmates. Why does it affect the family, the family is the backbone of the
inmates, they are the supporters. The family would have to send money, clothing, and personal
hygiene items. They would also have to take time out their busy schedules to write and visit
them. So, I feel that the family is affected the most from this problem. The cost to incarcerate an
adult is very expensive; it’s about 23,000 a year. Table 2 shows the morbidity of incarcerated
showing the Post Traumatic Stress disorder in incarcerated adults.

The tax payers are also being affected by this problem. Tax payers pay for the living of all
inmates and also provide them with the food they also eat.

B. Scope:

This particular topic is very widespread. This problem is so far out there, widespread
assumptions are circling the nation. The topic that I discuss is widespread because the source was
received by the U.S. Department of Justice, so that the population rate was taken from census
from around the country. The problems stretches over the country, because in each state there are
huge number of incarceration adults and table 3 explains how the incarceration rate increase
through the years in different states.
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Throughout the years there have been discussion on how incarcerated adults affect their children
future and one of the assumptions is that children with either or both parents incarcerated that the
child would be incarcerated as an adult. Most incarcerated felons have been victims of physical
abuse, neglect as children or sexually abuse as a child.

Changes:

Yes the rate of incarcerated adults has increased over the years tremendously. A total of
4,073,987 adult men and women were on probation at yearend 2003, representing a growth of
1.2% during the year. The adult parole population grew 3.1%, rising to a total of 774,588 by
December 31, 2003. Since 1995 the parole population has been the slowest growing correctional
population, increasing 1.7% annually, compared to jails (4.0% annually), prisons (3.4%), and
probation (2.9%). This little piece information was just to give you an understanding of how the
population of incarcerated adults changes over the years, will it actually changes over the
months. Table 3 shows how the rate of inmates increased over the years.

Like I stated before the prison population grew tremendously. The government should create
more jobs for the citizens in the country so that the population rates would decrease instead of
increasing. I feel that the only reason why the incarceration rates are so high is because of
boredom. When people get bored they tend to go another thing to keep them busy. It should also
be a requirement that all individuals must get their high school diploma or go to job corp for a
trade.

C. Disparities:
When it comes to being arrested or even convicted of a crime, it is no difference in it. This is one
problem that I can say don’t have a title on it, if you committed the crime you will do the time. It
don’t matter what the crime is or you as a person. One thing I can say is that they do show a little
feeling toward the people that committed the crimes for the first time. No there are not
differences in the problem. Being incarcerated does not discriminate on the gender, race, age, or
sexual orientation. Even people with disabilities are incarcerated as will. Table 1 shows the total
number of adults incarcerated by sex.
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Table 1

Table 2