The Prisoner's Dilemma by Stephen Chapman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Prisoner's Dilemma by Stephen Chapman - Essay Example Inconsistency in the degree of the penalty, overcrowding in prisons, outbreaks of diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis, unsanitary conditions, poor and inadequate medical care and prison violence are aptly discussed as some of the indicators of these failures. Specific details and statistics are used and thereby differentiating Chapman’s work from a mere conjecture. This quality makes Chapman’s work and assertions compelling and authentic. One of the factors that make Chapman’s work an effective argument is the use of contrasts or comparisons. For instance, Chapman contrasts the penal system in the Islamic world and the US. While Chapman covertly admits that the use of punishment as prescribed in the Koran and Islamic traditions seems somewhat archaic, he shows that it works fully well in ensuring deterrence. For instance, one with an amputated limb is openly known to have stolen and will harbor very strong compunctions towards any wrongdoing. On the other hand is the American penal system which is totally ineffective in fostering the purposes of criminal justice system. An apt example of a prison in Tennessee with a capacity of 806 but houses 2,300 inmates makes Chapman’s argument totally effective. While a habitual offender in Kentucky can be given a life sentence, his counterpart in California can be granted only 12 years, as is seen in the case of George Jackson. The matter is not any better when the issue of parole is introduced in the discussion.