Increasing numbers of inmate in prisons Research Paper

Increasing numbers of inmate in prisons - Research Paper Example These factors include the increase of older population, the increase of crime and productivity of inmates in the United States. Increase of older population and its impacts Over the years, the population in the United States continues to increase due to high fertility rate, increase of live birth and some other factors such as geographical movement of the people. In 1995 the national population in the United States has grown by 13 million from 1990 (US Census Bureau, 2010). From 2000 to 2006, the US population increased by 6.39% but the overall population growth rate slowed down by 17% (Geo Midpoint, 2011). However, the entire national population in the United States does not shrink in number, rather it continues to grow. Its condition at present time is moving into an upward spiral while it becomes older in general. However, this trend started in 1980s. The population growth rate in 1980 was 10% and 13% in 1990 (US Census Bureau, 2010). In 2000, the US population was growing older w ith majority of them from fifteen down to fifty-four year old (US Census Bureau, 2010). This implies that the population in the US is getting older. However, a certain study shows that age structure is related to the prison population (Marvell and Moody, 1997). The age groups with high imprisonment rate are eighteen to twenty four, twenty five to thirty four, and thirty five to forty four. In 1980 to 1987, it was the groups with age twenty four to forty four that grew most rapidly (Walker, 1996). This probably explains the dramatic increase of prison system in the United States starting in 1980s. Considering that the population in the United States is getting older and the age of individuals with high imprisonment ranges from eighteen to forty four, the number of crimes is expected to move in an upward spiral. In general, the number of violence and crimes in the United States has a positive association with the increasing number of its older population. For instance, those people wh o committed crimes or violent behavior at the age of 18 may eventually repeat the same act in the following years of their life. For instance, it is found that re-victimization pattern is associated with imprisonment (Finkelhor et al., 2007). In fact, this study further shows that within family older siblings are most likely to stand as factor for both risk and decrease of re-victimization process. This further implies that age is associated with the increase of crime in the United States. In fact, it is not only in the United States, but in other countries that most of inmates have long criminal records (Tonry, 2004). This means that they have various records of imprisonment or being in prison due to crimes or violent behaviors they committed against the law. These people have committed the same or related crimes all over again due to alcohol and drug abuse (Tonry, 2004). In the United States, substance abuse and alcohol addiction are pervasive issues that the national government h as long been given with its wider focus and attention. The fact that these social problems have contributed to the increase of crimes, violent behavior of a person and other related accidents, the government is very eager to alleviate or eventually impede their negative impacts. However, there is another important issue that needs to be closely determined aside from finding for the right solution of these social problems. In the United States, adults and young adults are strongly linked to alcohol