English Composition: From Issue to Persuasion

1-7 Assignment: From Issue to Persuasion I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, but my hope is to continue my education by going to law school. I feel there is a deficit of justice within the system, and it desperately needs to be repaired, and the best way I can be part of the change is to fight on the front lines in the legal system. The population of people incarcerated who have a substance use disorder or mental illness is shocking. Unfortunately, most of those incarcerated will not get the treatment they need to be rehabilitated or to prevent reoffending. Currently many jails and prisons do not have programs in place to rehabilitate offenders incarcerated, even less are equipped to handle substance withdrawals. The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics released Statistical Tables related to the Mortality rates in local jails between 2000 and 2019 which showed “the number of inmates who died from all causes increased to 33 percent; the number of local jail inmates who died from drug/alcohol intoxication during the same period increased 397 percent.” (E. Ann Carson, 2021) One might argue if there were protocols implemented that required jails to properly treat inmates with substance use disorders, the percentage of inmate deaths from drug/alcohol intoxication would decrease. Another might argue jails do not have an obligation to provide such care to inmates. Supporters of this side also discuss the cost of implementing such changes. Both arguments are subjective based on their audience and perspectives, along with personal experiences. Another key issue in the justice system is the use of solitary confinement. Solitary confinement, also known as restrictive housing, is generally used as a form of punishment within jails and prisons, with some exceptions based on an inmate’s ability to live among general population. Solitary confinement restricts an inmate’s opportunity to interact with the general population, privileges such as phone calls or visits, and usually entails them being isolated in their cells for much of the day. Some argue solitary confinement is warranted to correct behavior and increase positive outcomes. Noting solitary confinement can be a means to control unruly inmates and to protect the general population and staff alike. Others argue it is cruel and excessive punishment. The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Mandela Rules, (2016) state that ‘Imprisonment and other measures which result in cutting off an offender from the outside world are afflictive by the very fact of taking from the person the right of self-determination by depriving him of his liberty. Therefore, the prison system shall not, except as incidental to justifiable segregation or the maintenance of discipline, aggravate the suffering inherent in such a situation.’ Often the term “justifiable” is subjective to the beliefs and protocols of each prison or jail, which maintain autonomy. For my final persuasive essay, I will be exploring solitary confinement and the use thereof, in relation to successful outcomes and rates of recidivism. The side that I might argue is that solitary confinement used in excess is cruel and goes against the standards for the treatment of prisoners. This topic would be meaningful to my audience because it will encourage them to consider both sides of this issue, while providing evidence as to why solitary confinement should only be used in moderation, among inmates who are justifiably segregated. Many who impose solitary confinement do so because of a lack of knowledge or direction from superiors who are just following protocol. There is a plethora of misinformation about the best way to combat reoffenders, but I believe in order to create better results we must consider each perspective carefully. The argument I will make will be based on several sources that support the restriction of solitary confinement.