How does the prison industrial complex undermine the judicial system in the US? The prison industrial complex operates as a bureaucracy. The “ideal type” of bureaucracy, as Max Weber documented, include several attributes: (1) offices bounded by rules, (2) office specific functions, (3) a hierarchical system, (4) qualified staff, (5) material for job (not to be appropriated by staff), (6) position belonging to the organization, and (7) written rules and documentation (Ritzer 127). The organizational chart of the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Figure 1 shows how the federal prison system more or less fits the “ideal type” of bureaucracy. The prison system has a hierarchy. Each office has a particular function bounded by regulations. Individuals within the prison system are chosen based on their qualifications. All material and equipment used for the job belongs to the company.
The bureaucracy is legitimized through rational-legal authority. Hence, the rules established within the state perpetuate the power, as is the case in the prison industrial complex example. Citizens within the US recognize the status granted to the positions of authority. Therefore, authorities assert their domination over people. Citizens obey the commands of police officials. The power granted by their status. Officials strive to increase their status and authority, which has come to undermine their role in serving justice.
Michael Santos wrote in the Huffington Post on “The Bureaucracy of Prisons.” As an insider of the prison system, he critiques the prison systems’ constant struggle to expand. The means of increasing the size of the bureaucracy is through convictions. If efficiency is dictated by amount of prisoners kept from the streets, it could be said that in the U.S. prison system is working at its optimal level based on the peak in incarcerations. However if judicial system is defined by incarcerating only the guilty, then it no longer holds that the prison system is efficient. There is a great delay in case trials. This backlog keeps prisoners in jail for longer period of time waiting for trial. Therefore, one cannot be certain that all incarcerated are guilty.
But why is this trend occurring, the rise of incarceration? It benefits the staff within the prison system that more prisoners remain in prison for longer period. After the wait, the trial begins. So, prosecutors aim at getting the conviction. Prison system’s budget benefits from supporting the lucrative prison business. Another issue contributing to higher incarceration is the greater amount of activities that fall within what is considered crime. Santos points to the increase in federal legislation that criminalizes activities. New laws only help increase the power of the prison systems. Underlying the increase in incarceration, discrimination is occurring. More individuals from minority and ethnic groups are falling prey to the prison industrial complex bureaucracy. The problem lies at the rational-legal authority, granted by state to safeguard and ensure justice. However, the contrary is happening. Individuals may be incarcerated for the sake of increasing the bureaucracy’s size.
Reference:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-santos/the-bureaucracy-of-prison_b_1336106.html
The bureaucracy is legitimized through rational-legal authority. Hence, the rules established within the state perpetuate the power, as is the case in the prison industrial complex example. Citizens within the US recognize the status granted to the positions of authority. Therefore, authorities assert their domination over people. Citizens obey the commands of police officials. The power granted by their status. Officials strive to increase their status and authority, which has come to undermine their role in serving justice.
Michael Santos wrote in the Huffington Post on “The Bureaucracy of Prisons.” As an insider of the prison system, he critiques the prison systems’ constant struggle to expand. The means of increasing the size of the bureaucracy is through convictions. If efficiency is dictated by amount of prisoners kept from the streets, it could be said that in the U.S. prison system is working at its optimal level based on the peak in incarcerations. However if judicial system is defined by incarcerating only the guilty, then it no longer holds that the prison system is efficient. There is a great delay in case trials. This backlog keeps prisoners in jail for longer period of time waiting for trial. Therefore, one cannot be certain that all incarcerated are guilty.
But why is this trend occurring, the rise of incarceration? It benefits the staff within the prison system that more prisoners remain in prison for longer period. After the wait, the trial begins. So, prosecutors aim at getting the conviction. Prison system’s budget benefits from supporting the lucrative prison business. Another issue contributing to higher incarceration is the greater amount of activities that fall within what is considered crime. Santos points to the increase in federal legislation that criminalizes activities. New laws only help increase the power of the prison systems. Underlying the increase in incarceration, discrimination is occurring. More individuals from minority and ethnic groups are falling prey to the prison industrial complex bureaucracy. The problem lies at the rational-legal authority, granted by state to safeguard and ensure justice. However, the contrary is happening. Individuals may be incarcerated for the sake of increasing the bureaucracy’s size.
Reference:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-santos/the-bureaucracy-of-prison_b_1336106.html