Prisons in America

Crime is one of the foremost problems in contemporary American society. Widespread concerns about it inevitably shape political, economic, and social decisions. Only certain costs of crime are definitely measurable: the value of stolen property, the expense of maintaining police forces, courts, prisons, parole officers and private security forces. These amounts to many billions of dollars spent each year. Other costs cannot be measured: loss of life, serious injury, deterioration of neighborhoods, public fear and reduction of freedom of movement. Many jurisdictions have taken to dealing with this issue with tremendous gusto, building escape proof prisons and adopting protocol that brings the most hardened criminal to his knees. What government agencies may be overlooking are the psychological and biological factors that create a person, who in the right environmental setting becomes a monster. In my quest to find answers to many such complex issues, I came across studies that offered to shed some light upon the situation. In a study conducted in the late 1970’s, it was found that 78% of the male felons were found to be sociopaths upon performing a psychiatric evaluation. 12% were found to be suffering from Anxiety Neurosis, 5% from Drug dependence and smaller percentages exhibiting symptoms associated with Schizophrenia and brain syndromes. This alone suggests that criminals have a mental or physiological setup that leaves them at a proclivity to commit crimes again and again.

To say that the conditions in prison is hard is and understatement. It forces any person to think hard about their actions and hopefully instill within them feelings of recourse and remorse. But the way in which prison deals with its criminals can be broken down into different levels. At the top of this ladder is the "maximum security detention center" which usually houses solitary confinement unit(s). A solitary confinement unit is designated for a select few criminals who pose the greatest threat to society and will not benefit from rehabilitation treatment. The Federal Bureau of Prisons released some interesting statistics in its latest report dated December 27, 1997. Disturbingly, 93% of the inmates are males, more than 13 times the number of females. The average age of the inmate was 37 and was convicted to 5-10 years in jail. Another study found that out of a sample of 217 convicts, 68% were re-arrested for a crime and out of those 41% went back to jail. Another study found that the number of alcoholics rose from 48% to 71% during their parole period, indicating that some released inmates were not able to deal with with societal pressures and may have wound up committing another crime. Out of a total of a 113,191 inmates that reside within the 92 federally operated institutions in the US, 34% are assigned to low security level prisons, 28% are in minimum level security prisons and 23% reside in medium level security prisons. This still leaves a still large 14 percent in high security level prisons. Out of these high security prison inmates, those who misbehave or disobey are sent to solitary confinement. This technique makes use of sensory deprivation, a psychological syndrome that has grave physiological manifestations.

Over a period of days, sensory deprivation can cause a person to develop hallucinations and lose mental concentration, but over a period of weeks and months, sensory deprivation can cause a person to go mad. The cells are usually whitewashed with no windows and only artificial lighting. The inmate is not allowed to posses personal belongings and all contact with the outside world is cut off. In the most extreme cases, as in the sentencing of the conspirator of the World Trade Center bombing, the man was assigned life in prison where he would not see another person for the rest of his life. He would never see the light of day. Confined to a small cell, he would be allowed only one hour a day to relax in a larger room. But it must be understood that this technique is used on inmates whose sentencing prevents them from ever returning to normal life. It leaves the rest of us to ponder over the cost of committing a crime. Nevertheless, most inmates are dealt with in less severe ways.

The mission of the Bureau of Prisons is "to protect society by confining offenders in the controlled environments of prison and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, and appropriately secure, and that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law-abiding citizens". This clearly suggests that the government is committed to providing real solutions for a problem that has afflicted American society with great ferocity. And with a growth of 400% in prison inmates in the US over the last 25 years, one realizes why correctional facilities must keep long term goals in mind when dealing with the problem of crime, and why merely building more prisons will not correct a society.

Techno vs. Stone Age

The Stone Age represents man’s first use of tools, a major advancement over the use of bare hands. The technological revolution is presently at a zenith that has no parallel in history in terms of speed and impact. In society’s progress towards a better life, strides in communication have reduced direct human contact. The Information Age has dramatically changed the form and manner of communication. In my 17 years of life, I have experienced the impact of the Internet technology that has revolutionized the learning process based on classroom teaching, textbooks/library references, television and absorption through family and social contact. Until five years ago, the Internet was still on the horizon, designed to network scientists in the event of a nuclear apocalypse. The technologies of telecommunication and computing have converged to commercialize Internet connectivity for information dissemination and communication. All one needs today to explore the world are a good computer, a modem and a telephone line. The Internet opens up a limitless world of information where people can meet and share their interests with people in the rest of the world. Recognizing its potential, the US school system is bringing these tools to every school child since many can not afford to have access to them in their own homes. I believe that Internet communication is the most dramatic example in my life to illustrate the techno vs. Stone Age progression of technology.

Similarly, I can think of several Techno vs. Stone Age examples that have changed human life. These include, Electronic pocket organizers vs. memo books, CD-ROM racks vs. bookshelves, Satellite guided navigation systems vs. AAA roadmaps, DVD vs. videocassettes, Credit cards vs. cash, E Mail vs. letters, Internet shopping vs. the mall and Wireless communication through Satellites vs. wired telephones. All of these are the symbols of how technology is revolutionizing the way we live, communicate and conduct business. Human life has always been changing and since the industrial revolution it has moved mass manufacture to now making it possible to offer choices to the consumer.

There is a growing concern about the importance and role of human contact in all business and personal transactions. It is feared that communication is becoming more impersonal, denying the refinements in the transactions that are possible through human contact. In this context, it is interesting to note how ATM machines have made redundant the need for going to a bank branch for deposits and withdrawals. For the banking service these machines have reduced the cost and increased the efficiency and service. But unwittingly they have also denied the opportunity of gossip and social contact that was offered by the visit to the bank branch. It is interesting to note how the ATM machine intimidated people since they feared that the wrong press of a button would result in costly mistakes and they lacked trust in the machine. Today, it is impossible to think of life without ATM machines. One can also see such automation at the gas station, Metro stations, vending machines and tollbooths.

How computers are touching aspects of life in America is interesting to observe. Today’s computers come loaded with multimedia, which facilitate performing a myriad of tasks by the pressing of a button. Computers have thus come a long way from the time when they needed punch cards and switches to perform the simplest of tasks. The PC revolution has made technology user friendly by taking away considerably a fear of the machine and making them useable with minimal training. Currently, software technology is working towards giving computers qualities that are unique to person-to-person interaction. The incoming generation of computers will recognize voice, track the motion of the eye and react to certain feelings and emotions. The Internet and global networking is heading towards a greater human contact on the screen. It would be possible to see and talk to friends and relations in far corners of world and also exchanged a lot of personal and business information. Computers will always remain machines. They may act "intelligent" at times but they will never have a soul.

My Personal Goals for attending the University of Illinois

The Webster dictionary defines engineering as the application of science and mathematics by which the properties of matter and the sources of energy in nature are made useful to people. In today’s world, life is made easy by the computer technology around us. From the grocery store, to the ATM, to hospitals, computers are almost ubiquitous. People of all professions have become completely reliant on this miraculous technology. In 1980, the year I was born, computers were bulky and not user friendly. The technology was well out of the reach of the common man. In contrast, being ignorant about computers today is an impairment. This prolific growth in the use and sales of computers has occurred before my very eyes.

I am very excited by the prospects in this field and see my future in it. Being talented in Mathematics and Science, having worked with computers and having played video games all my life, I am convinced that the computer field answers to my calling. Another confirmation came in the summer of 1997, when I was an intern at Attronica Computers in Gaithersburg, Maryland. I got the opportunity to work on state of the art computers and networks. I performed well, and impressed the lab technicians with how much knowledge I had aggrandized, both about hardware and software. I can boast of being able to assemble a standard desktop computer from scratch, thanks to the skills I acquired during the internship. I am able to write in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), which I use to maintain my web page. Also, over the last two years I have been a subscriber and reader of PC Magazine and PC Computing. I am always talking about what processor Intel is putting out next or which Microsoft software is about to hit the shelf. With the prospect of faster and cheaper computers and the connectivity the World Wide Web offers, it is almost too hard to resist jumping into this field. I am very excited about the future, and hope that with the quality of the education and the impeccable reputation of the University of Illinois I will be able to achieve my goals in life.

The University of Illinois stands out due to its student body being exceptionally well qualified. I would like to conduct my college education around a peer group that is highly ambitious and motivated. The University of Illinois, especially the School of Engineering has an internationally reputed faculty and staff, which is an opportunity to take advantage of. The college can boast of a supercomputer facility that rivals the best. It is the birthplace of Mosaic, the predecessor to Netscape. And I value the opportunity I will have to do an internship for some of the top technology corporations in the United States today. My mind was made up due to a combination of things, I saw how highly the University of Illinois was rated by U.S News and World Report, I attended the seminars hosted by the Alumni Club and I was guided by two of my cousins and a family friend who went there. I will be visiting the campus for a convention on April 4-6. In conclusion, I will be honored to carry the name of the University of Illinois through my life and career and envision the next four years of my life there.

 

 

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Disucss how a peice of art or science has inspired you and captured your imagination

The Hubble Space Telescope is one of the works of science that has influenced me the most. By reading books and watching programs on PBS, I am fascinated by the advances science has made in the study of sky and space. The telescope is a quantum leap in cosmology since it has opened the gates to the farthest reaches of the universe. Over the last five years the telescope has put on a cosmic firecracker show for us earthlings to watch. In the process, it has shed light onthe metaphysical question of how man was created, and what relationship he shares with the universe. I am enthralled by the fact that science is starting to find answers to philosophical questions. I have observed form it that great discoveries in science can be made only by taking unconventional paths of investigation. It also raises ethical question in my mind. I question if we should invest time and money in space exploration when the needs of so many people on earth go unmet. But, on the other hand it is man’s destiny to explore the world around him; and with space as the next frontier, machines like the Hubble telescope are helping us in our advancement. To me, the Hubble Space telescope is a symbol of what man can achieve. It is the joint effort of many branches of science. It is a showcase of how people can work co-operatively for a common goal. My aspirations are to someday be able to apply the skills I have learned through my education and be able to make a contribution to a noble effort of this sort.

Discuss a valuable work experience you benefited from

My work experience during the summer of 1997 was by far the most worthwhile way in which I ever occupied myself. I did an internship at Attronica Computers Inc. in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Attronica is a value-added reseller of computers and networks with $ 50 million dollars sales. I was given the job in recognition of my competence and interest in computers. In the process, I got the to see firsthand, how a business operates. The internship involved building and networking state of the art computers, managing goods in the warehouse, assisting in inventory management and compiling paperwork for the company’s ISO9002 certification. I learned that trust, integrity and ethics are vital to the success of a business. Working at Attronica enhanced my interest in pursuing a college education in computer science. It also reinforced my feelings that I have made an excellent education/career choice. I got a taste of what my working life would be even before I start college, a valuable experience by any means.

 

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*Please note that the opinions expressed on this page are mine only and should not be interpreted as offensive or as an attack on any individual group*

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