The topic that I would like to research for my paper is the the effects of long term prison sentences on a person’s ability to reintegrate into society. I would like to know if prison institutionalizes inmates and causes them to re-offend or hinders their ability to interact with others and live normal lives.
The reason i am interested in this topic is that I took a sociology class on crime and deviance where the professor mentioned that prisons do not always rehabilitate criminals. If they are in prison for a long period of time, they become accustomed to the life and to the rules and are unable to function without these rules when they are released. In my positive psychology class, the professor also talked about the prison system’s inability to reform inmates and the consequences it can have on their lives in the future. They are not only institutionalized, they also learn from more experienced criminals how to commit worse crimes and are more likely to use this knowledge when they are released. I hope to find research that examines the negative or positive effects of prison on inmates based on the length of their sentence. I would like to learn what percentage of the population become career criminals because they are accustomed to life in prison.
chrystalgarcia 
You have an interesting topic. There’s always been debates about moral issues when dealing with prison inmates and conditions of their mental health after they have in and out of prison. Its great how you explained how you got interested in the topic you’ve chosen. You seem to have a lot of things you want to look into and learn, but you should choose a direction/point and go with it.
I think it would be interesting if you went into depth with researching “if prison institutionalizes inmates and causes them to re-offend or hinders their ability to interact with others and live normal lives.”
This is a really good topic, and one that definitely deserves more attention in the US. The recidivism rates in prisons are extremely high considering their intended purpose.
Your preliminary proposal was really good. The objective was clear and concise and will probably work really well in your research proposal.
Wow, I am so intrigued by your topic. I was watching a TV program the other day that was interviewing long term inmates about their view on prison life. I couldn’t help but remember one inmate who would otherwise be homeless on the street that described how he had been in prison for so long that every time he was released, he didn’t know what to do with himself and so he would find someway to violate laws in order to get back in prison. This type of research should really be looked upon further because if the US government and tax-payers are paying thousands of dollars a year to keep the prison system going, they should really consider rehabilitation services. I think you are off to a great start.