Our prison system is under a large amount of stress due to several different contributing factors. Many prisons face severe overcrowding due to the large number of people being sentenced to prison as well as the length of the sentences. Additionally, three-strikes laws and a "get tough on crime" mentality by politicians are adding to the problem. Another large problem is the implementation of private prisons. Many of these private prisons have a requirement that the government pays for even the beds that are not filled by prisoners, thus motivating the government to keep these prisons at capacity. Finally, both public and private prisons, especially private, are subject to a variety of corruption related problems and issues regarding personnel. This guide will seek to provide resources on understanding some of these issues.