final speech

Victoria Giacobbe 

Public Speaking 

Final Paper 

When it comes to arresting someone it should not matter the color of their skin or where they are from. There are many disputes about police convection versus blacks, hispanics and whites. There is a big problem in America with the incarceration rate. Out of all the countries in the world America is known as one with one of the highest incarceration rates. This is not only a problem to those who are serving time that should not be there, those who should be allowed to have some type of freedom,  and to those who are paying for all of the inmates to serve their sentences. There are many contributors to this problem, and how it could be fixe would certainly not be an easy task.

Over 11 million people go to jail every year, this number seems very high. But, not everyone who goes to jail serves time. Most people in jail have not yet been convicted, they are awaiting trial, or do not have the money to be bonded out. In 2014 there were 2,191,000 people incarcerated; 1,330,000 people were serving in state prison, 630,000 people serving in local jails, 197,000 people serving in federal prison, 34,000 youth serving in juvenile.  Currently in 2017 there are 2,220,300 people in jail.

Federal prison is watched over by the government and there for is the highest prison to serve in. State prison is watched over by authorities of the state in which time is being served. In 2014 there were 97,000 people serving in federal prison for possession or selling of drugs (not specific as to what kind). As I said before there were 197,000 people serving in federal prison, almost 50 percent of people incarcerated in federal prison are for drug offenses. 

This then becomes a problem for those who pay taxes. On average it costs $31,286.00 a year to house an inmate in any level prison. A survey was conducted in 40 states. On average 39 billion dollars of tax payers money is spent annually to keep people incarcerated. 

Not only being interested in this specific topic due to my love for criminal justice, this is a serious problem that needs to be faced in America, and how this can be done is by putting an end to criminalizing so many drugs. This should not be misconstrued as saying that everyones should start doing drugs and not have consequences.

Marijuana for example is a drug that is decriminalized in 29 states in the United States; yet there are people serving time in jail for having possession of it. Instead of just throwing a person in jail because of drug offenses, there should be programs and help offered to those who are caught with possession of drugs. Such as checking in weekly with a probation officer, having drug tests often, and going to group meetings. If this does not help and they are still caught after the consequences become more severe, then it would be their probation officers desecration to decide what further actions would need to be taken. For example; serving a short sentence in order to learn his or her lesson (depending on type of drugs and amounts it is in), or  being put on house arrest with daily check ins. Personally I feel as if people who are being a accused and convicted of drug possession and selling should not have his or her freedom taken away and put behind bars. There should be help accessible to them and help them through why they are doing drugs and their reason for selling them. With the hopes that having meetings, follow up drug testing and counseling will teach them a more valuable lesson than going back to the streets and living the life they were before. 

Having grown up in Bridgeport CT, it is not the best area. Here we are known for crimes and drugs. I have seen first hand that some kids that get involved in drug activity do not know any better. Kids become used to seeing their parents or guardians in and out of jail for selling or having possession of drugs. They learn by what they are taught by their parents, and that is the norm. Having my aunt be a principal at Blackham, a public school, and a cousin that is an investigator here in Bridgeport I am exposed to much more. I was at my Blackham one day talking to a little boy who’s dad was in jail and when speaking to him about it he said, “it’s ok this isn't the first time… he knows he will get out”. This is why I am in favor of not just putting someone in jail, because knowing you can get out, and can go back to the same activity is not as valuable than having a person their to guide you and check in with. There are other alternatives to punish a person for disobeying the law.

This is certainly not an easy task to tackle. With the proper, approach, actions, and authorities this is a problem that can cause less people to be incarcerated and learn from their lesson with help from authorities .  Not just being locked and deprived of all freedom. 

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