Question

What does the term 'superficially persuasive' mean?

Why has there been such a dramatic growth in the U.S. prison system?

criminal Justice topic

updated!!

this is the correct question I meant to ask. Thanks.

Answer 1

Persuasion can be termed as a form of cajolery to change a person's faith, demeanor, aim or ambition. Superficial means something shallow or which can be seen externally and does not have enough depth. Thus, superficially persuasive means that a speaker who is using this form of persuasion does not have to take lot of efforts to convince another person about something because that person is not interested in the content of the message and does not deeply analyze it. Rather he/she is influenced by the other factors.

American Prison System has indeed seen a dramatic growth from the 1970.  Compared to other countries, the number of prisoners is very high in America. The expenses incurred to maintain these prisons and the inmates is mind-boggling. The 'tough on crime' ideology adopted by America is the main cause of the 'prison-burst.'

Apart from the violent and non-violent criminals, people with mental illnesses are also incarcerated in these prisons. There is no separate detention center for the convicted people with mental disorders. The termination of the functioning of mental institutions might be the reason for many people with mental illnesses ending up in these prisons.

The schools impose harsh punishments like ousting a child from the school, who commit crimes without taking into consideration the child's age and situation. Once a child is out of the school, he/she invariably gets into bad company and eventually, lands up in the prison.

The drug-addicts also form a considerable portion of the American jail-houses. The American government's 'war on drugs' and the subsequent militarization of the American Police ensured the prosecution of a large number of people involved in the drug trade.

The increase in the crime rate is not the sole reason for the growth of inmates in the American prisons. The practical solution for tackling crime is believed to be incarceration only, this thought process is also one of the reasons for the large number of inmates in prisons. The stringent laws and no-nonsense attitude towards crime ensure that an offender gets a lengthy sentence.

The huge expenses are not only borne by the government but also, by the citizens of America. The American public has to bear the brunt of the colossal expenditure incurred on the prison system by paying taxes.