Main medical effects of overcrowded prisons

 Unintended outcome of prisons that historically became a punishment in and of themselves

Unrealized but stated purpose for prisons that became a punishment in and of themselves

Benefits of minimum security (or open) institutions

Three prison crowding solutions

The dominate trend in reducing prison overcrowding

Policy implications in choosing to build our way out of overcrowding

Reasons for unprecedented level of prison growth since 1980

Glaring truth that renders these policies for building unsupportable

The average cost to build a new prison (per-prison-bed) for maximum security and minimum security

Four local institutions in the US that house more offenders than many state's entire prison systems.