In recent decades, cases of mass incarceration have become a widely known occurrence in the American penal system. In 2017, 59 percent of all state prisoners in the United States are incarcerated for nonviolent crimes, while our criminal justice policies have increased the length of prison sentences given to prisoners and reduced their willingness to be granted parole. In many jails, prisons, and juvenile detention facilities, inmates suffer from physical abuse, insufficient medical and mental health care, difficult tolerable physical conditions, and excessive disciplinary sanctions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The American criminal justice system holds more than 2.3 million people in 3,163 local jails, 901 juvenile correctional facilities, 102 federal prisons, and 1,719 state prisons. With this widely recognized understanding, agreement has been reached across the political scene on the need to reduce the United States prison population. In both Republican and Democratic states, efforts to end this situation have emerged across the country. What is missing is consideration of the impact that the dramatic expansion of the American prison system has had on the daily experiences of the more than 2.3 million people currently living behind bars in the United States. A plan focused only on how to reduce this number of despised incarcerated people who the American prison system fails to provide safe and humane conditions for the people who live within it on a daily basis. In the United States the vast majority of people who end up incarcerated and behind bars are eventually released back into society to assimilate into normal, everyday people like you, which means treating prisoners inhumanely and like animals while they are in custody is ultimately counterproductive. long term for our communities and societies. American prisoners are already among our most disadvantaged members, we know that they are most likely to suffer from learning disabilities, serious mental illnesses, drug addiction, and have been exposed to severe forms of abuse or neglect as children. Being incarcerated for long periods of time instills fear, stress, and mental health problems and almost certainly always leaves people in a state unfit for a law-abiding and productive life since they were first incarcerated. Even those who are able to remain relatively safe in such an unstable environment and mentally healthy while inside will likely have difficulty adjusting to freedom after years of constant tension in an environment that manifests apprehension, aggression, and distrust of others. With the absence of an effective social reintegration program for people newly released from prison to help inmates reintegrate into society, the harm done to individuals by the prison system will surely affect communities at large, one way or another. Due to these conditions, released prisoners have difficulty re-entering society and leading a normal life. An important reason why prisoners should be considered to be treated humanely is that the safety of staff can be seriously compromised and lives could be at stake. Every day in prison, thousands of inmates turn to other methods to ensure their safety, without trusting the authorities. to keep them safe. In this environment, gang affiliation is a rational choice and inmates display acts of aggression to deter potential attackers. Living this way for long periods of time”..