Assignment-2
Outline and
Preliminary List of References
James Sullivan
Dr. Bridgette
Hester
Strayer
University: SOC100 (Sociology)
10 February,
2015
I. Specific
Hypothesis
The
Alabama penal system is lacking in educational and employment
opportunities compared to Georgia, Florida, and Arizona due to funding.
II. Structural-Functional Approach
a. Definition of Approach, and how it applies to
this theory/hypothesis
b. Manifest
i. Allow prisoners to stop committing crimes in order to
provide honest living for themselves and their loved ones
ii. Provide safe environment for prior convicted felons to
learn and grow
c. Latent
i. Thrill of committing a crime and what that does to
individuals
ii. Fear/anxiety of educational and employment opportunities,
have individual run back to prior life out of comfort and ease?
iii. Social stigma of prior convicts?
III. Practical Implications
a. Implications for funding reform in Alabama
State Funded Prisons
i.
Where does money come from? Taxes – Will non-crime committing citizens be
“okay” with using their tax dollars
for this type of reform?
ii.
Educators and Mentors – how will they be paid?
b. Implications for future or past employers –
current felony conviction laws, etc.
c. Implications
for society to welcome prior convicts into their communities, places of work,
etc.
IV. Evidence
a. Line of evidence 1
i.
Dollar amount currently poured into state funded prison systems
ii. Possible
reasons this is not a good investment in the community
iii. Alternative ways the same
amount of money can be spent to help grow
productive citizens
and community (amount of money that goes into a two year state college degree)
b. Line of evidence 2
i. Discuss possible ways to
fund prisoner reform (i.e. raising state taxes)
ii. Possible reasons
that raising taxes would not bode well with Alabama Residents
iii. Alternative ways the funds could be
raised outside of State system (possible tax breaks? All speculative based on the
way other fundraisers are run (ex. politicians))
V. Conclusion: If
the state of Alabama used its funding to promote educational and employment
opportunities, it is easy to see how convicts would be less likely to be repeat
offenders, and would be less likely to end up back to jail. As a result, not
only would this lead to the decrease of overcrowding in Alabama state prison
systems, but it would also produce industrious, fruitful, active members in the
state of Alabama. By focusing on prisoner reform through the allowance of more
funding to promote educational and employment opportunities, this could ultimately
limit the cycle of criminal activity.
References:
(preliminary)
Ward, Cam. “Opening Statement Regarding Prison
Reform in the States.” Retrieved February 5, 2015, from http://judiciary.house.gov/_cache/files/a57d078c-35c0-411e-b362-b6675616429a/ward-testimony.pdf
Tuition and
Fees by Sector and State over Time. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from
http://trends.collegeboard.org/college-pricing/figures-tables/tuition-fees-sector-state-time
Prison
Overcrowding: Alabama – ALEC – American Legislative Exchange Council. (n.d.).
Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.alec.org/initiatives/prison-overcrowding/prison-overcrowding-alabama/
Center on
Budget and Policy Priorities. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=4220
