Valerie Jenness on Transgender Prisoners and Sufferings

In today’s modern society, it is undeniable that discrimination is still existent. From workplaces to public spaces, a lot are still discriminated, especially transgender. This extends all the way to prisons. There is a growing debate as to whether they should be placed in male or female cells. Reports were also abundant emphasizing how many transgender suffer from rape and hate crimes inside the prisons. 

Professor Valerie Jenness is one of the experts who have explored more on this issue. Highlights of her study will be further discussed below. An expert in criminology, law, and sociology, Valerie Jennesshad some interesting findings in her studies. 

Gender Segregation in Prisons 

One of the issues that have been explored by Valerie Jenness deals with how inmates are segregated. Up until now, prisons are segregated based on binary genders — male and female prison cells. There is no dedicated cell for transgender prisons, which is exactly one of the reasons why they are referred to as the “forgotten group”. In one study that involved more than 300 transgender women in prisons, the conclusion was that most of them would prefer to be with men, in spite of being at high risk of assault. According to those that have been interviewed, they put little emphasis in physical protection and for them, affirming their sexual identity is more important. 

The Prevalence of Rape

It has also been pointed out by Professor Valerie Jenness that almost half of the population of transgender prisoners was raped. In some instances as part of the prison culture, some would just simply submit themselves into being raped rather than suffering from physical assault. 

In a study entitled Violence in California Correctional Facilities: An Empirical Examination of Sexual Assault, it has been concluded that 59% of transgender women in men’s prisons were raped. More so, only 4% of men in women prisons suffer from the same fate.

Who Are At Risk

The study of Valerie Jenness with other authors has also explored the characteristics of the victims. More than just being transgender, there are other demographics that will increase the likelihood of suffering from sexual assault in prison. For instance, most of those who have been raped from the sample have mental health conditions and were sentenced for violent crimes. Among non-heterosexual inmates, African Americans are also the ones who are most likely to be victims of rape and other crimes while in prison.

Policy Recommendations

While Valerie Jenness recommends further research on the issue, she also emphasized the need for changes in policy. More than just housing assignments, or the segregation of transgender prisons, she also highlighted the need to address overcrowding in prisons, specifically in California. New policies will prove to be highly significant in improving the life of transgender prisoners.  

Valerie Jenness | Making Hate A Crime

Crime Control & Criminalization In The United States: Does It Work?

Crime control in the U.S. is a complex labyrinth of politics, controversy, and intrigue. It has been addressed on political platforms, by religious institutions, and has been incorporated in multiple sociological studies. Though it is an ever-changing field of development, the main form of criminal punishment for nonviolent and violent offenders alike in the United States is incarceration, though recently, alternative methods have been suggested.

Incarceration

Many studies have been conducted concerning the overall effectiveness of incarceration in the United States. The fact that U.S. prisons lead the world in incarceration rates reflects an underlying, countrywide philosophy that it is effective in preventing crime — despite its potential problems.

Pros

Deterrence. This is the main argument by incarceration advocates. It is based on the idea that when crime rates go down significantly, this fact is always correlated with increased incarcerations (which is what occurred in the 1990s). Prisons have the ability put offenders in a position where they cannot harm anyone (except other inmates). In short, if offenders are behind bars, they cannot victimize innocent people. This also triggers a widespread deterrent effect on the would-be offenders. However, this argument is built on the assumption that offenders exercise rational judgment and are aware of the cost associated with particular criminal acts — which is not always the case.

Cons

Ineffective. One of the key criticisms of incarceration in crime control is that it leads to over-swelled institutions and inflicts heavy burden on courts and communities. There is also the concern that it triggers an endless cycle: prisoners will be locked up one day, released the next, locked up again, and so on. The whole system becomes a vortex of wasted money and time used by people in power to further agendas, rather than being an effective method of crime control.

Counterproductive. There is the additional point that incarceration does not address those offenders who are not “career criminals,” and that incarcerating such people will actually be counterproductive. After all, prisons are often seen as graduate schools for crime, a fact easily perceived by the states where recidivism rates go beyond 60 percent. Additionally, incarceration of nonviolent offenders destroys families; it places a label on the offender for the rest of their life and prevents them from finding jobs and supporting their loved ones in the future.

Alternative Solutions

While no one suggests that there is a single, easy solution for criminalization and crime control in the U.S., other theories have been put alongside incarceration as alternative methods of avoidance. Some of these ideas include effective gun control, decriminalization of illicit drugs, prevention of child abuse and neglect, amelioration of poverty, and intervention with at-risk youngsters.

Crime control and criminalization in the U.S. is a topic continually revisited by politicians and law enforcement. New studies arise every day that strive to place the country on the path towards a system that is effective, financially practical, and, most importantly, safe.

For more information about U.S. prison systems visit Valerie Jennesstoday!