Corrections Module 6 Online - Essay Example

8th April Legal Issues in U.S. Prisons: HIV Transmission and Prevention in Prisons This article covers the right of prisoners to health care that is enjoyed by other US citizens. According to the article, the extensive campaign that was undertaken by attorneys and civil rights organisations to enhance prisoner’s right resulted to the improvement of prison health services. To ensure that the health issues affecting the prisoners are effectively addressed, US government has implemented effective legislations that have compelled prison administrations, local and state government to take adequate measures to ensure quality heath care of the prisoners.

Before the adoption of the health policies, this article indicates that US court system was reluctant to challenge jail conditions that touched on the health of the prisoners. However, after the case of Estelle v Gamble, courts have taken the initiative to support institutional policies that were challenged by prisoners. Some of the policies that US courts advocated for included segregation of HIV-seropositive individuals in addition to no segregation policies (Harrison and Beck 39). According to the state of Nevada, prisoners were supposed to undergo a mandatory HIV testing.

However, in 1990 the Ninth Circuit Court overturned the mandatory policy put in place by the Nevada authority. This article indicates Blucker v Washington, 95c50110, U.S. District Court [ND Ill]) as one of the major case that depicts the way prisoners rights were affected in 1990s. According to this case, an inmate it Illinois prison sued the staff on the ground that as a result of the sexual abuse by the prison gangs he was infected with HIV. However, after 2 trials his case was rejected. Major strategies emulated by the government to punish prisoners involved in infecting other with HIV include incarceration and creation of criminal sanctions.

This article is related with the text book in that it depicts the extent to which prisoners and victims were denied their rights. However, the reforms in the US judicial system have significantly addressed their plights.ACLU Urges States to Reject CCA Offer to Privatize Prisons According to this article, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other religious organisations stipulate that governors of the various US states should reject the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) proposal to buy and manage all the prisons that are under states authority (Abramsky 18).

ACLU argues that by privatizing the US prisons, CCA would only increase it profits while the criminal justice reforms would be compromised. In addition, the article indicates the views of Office of Public Witness that depicts evidence based alternatives and effective policies should be adopted by the government to help prisoners acquire positive behaviors thus enhancing their re-entry to the society.According to Presbyterian Criminal Justice Network, privatization of the prisons would only worsen the prison situation that is characterized by lack of the principles of redemption, reconciliation, forgiveness and mercy.

Other organisations that supported ACLU included Episcol Church, United Methodist Church among others. This article is related to the text book in that depicts the high rate of imprisonment in US that has seen non-violent offenders and low-level criminals in prisons instead on being taken through parole and probation.Works CitedAbramsky, S. Hard Time Blues: How Politics Built a Prison Nation. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2002, Print.Harrison, P., Beck J. Prisoners in 2004. Washington: U.S. Department of Justice.

Bureau of Justice Statistics; 2005, Print.