The prison in the present case is widely associated with a high number of prisoner litigation over a number of years. A study established that many prisoners sue the prison owing to the substandard living conditions it affords inmates, the abuses that guards subject prisoners to, and incoherent prisoner discipline practices. The conditions are typified by unhygienic spaces and overcrowding. The conditions will be improved through increased investment into their betterment. One the other hand, prisoner abuse by guards and the incoherent prisoner discipline practices will be addressed sufficiently by educating guards to respect, as well as uphold, prisoner rights.
Scheme for Addressing Guards’ Ignorance of Prisoner Rights
The most critical, or pressing, challenge in the prison is its guards’ ignorance of prisoner rights. The ignorance is clearly exemplified by the actuality that most of the prisoner litigations relating to the prison stem from the abuses that guards subject prisoners to and the guards’ incoherent prisoner discipline practices. The challenge ought to be addressed first since it makes the prison lose lots of resources in defending itself from the related litigations. As well, the prison can easily prioritize the addressing of the challenge since it can be done at a lesser cost to the institution compared to solving the enhancement of the living conditions. The prison will put each of the guards through a training aimed at imparting on them polished knowledge of prisoner rights.
Prior to the commencement of the training, the prisoners and guards will be informed about the various outcomes expected from the training. First, at the end of the training, each of the guards will be expected to understand that all prisoners have the right to remain free from unusual, as well as cruel, punishments; sex crimes and sexual harassment; and discrimination. Second, each of the guards will be expected to understand that all prisoners have the right to accessing competent courts and other avenues where their grievances can be addressed; adequate medical care; free speech; religion; and reasonable accommodation (HG, 2011).
After the training, its results will be evaluated regularly. The results will be evaluated by determining the number of suits filed by prisoners against the prison on account of the abuses and incoherent prisoner discipline practices executed on them by the guards over specified periods. A reduction in the number will be show that the training will have been effective in addressing the two challenges.
How to Address the Challenge of Overcrowding
The US Supreme Court has severally decreed that every state should make certain that that the prison facilities it runs are not overcrowded (LAO, 2011). Notably, overcrowding makes prisons unhygienic. If the challenge of overcrowding is resolved in the prison in the present case, the prison’s hygiene will improve automatically. To reduce the overcrowding, several measures will be put in place. First, the prison will request for adequate state funding to expand its facilities (LAO, 2011; MacDonald, 2013). Second, the prison will transfer some inmates to contracted correctional facilities (Jones & Mayer, 2009; LAO, 2011).
Prior to the expansion of the facilities and transfer of prisoners, the prisoners and guards will be informed about the expected outcomes. Especially they will be informed that the measures will lead to the reduction of overcrowding in the prison. As well, they will be informed that the measures will lead to improved sanitary conditions within the prison. The results stemming from the implementation of the measures will be evaluated regularly. The results will be evaluated by determining the number of suits filed by prisoners against the prison on account of overcrowding and unhygienic conditions. A reduction in the number will be show that the measures will have been effective in addressing the two challenges.
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