Introduction The problem of prison overcrowding has an array of causes that range from not enough room in actual prisons to changing laws and fluctuating crime rates (Portland State University). In many cases, harsher punishments than necessary lead to overcrowding, which points to the necessity of improving the penal system in favor of those cases that can be resolved in other ways (e.g. probation time, therapy, community service, etc.). This paper will focus on exploring the adverse impact of prison overcrowding through analyzing research articles on the topic and describing how the findings could be presented to each component of the criminal justice system: Law Enforcement, Courts, Correctional Facilities, Juvenile Justice, and Homeland Security. Officials’ Perspective Davis et al. examined the views of local leaders on jail crowding. By interviewing leaders in local jurisdictions, researchers came to the conclusion that the prison overcrowding was a persistent problem that went beyond the boundaries of correctional facilities. However, the respondents showed great disagreements regarding the responsibilities of agencies to change the existing policies in order to reduce crowding in prisons (Davis et al.). It is also important to mention the study conducted by Minton from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The researcher found that the majority of increases in the jail inmate populations occurred in those areas where there were large jails, which means that those areas that we’re unable to deal with the increases in incarcerations opted for alternative options that prevent overcrowding. Prison Overcrowding and Mental Health A significant contribution to the topic of prison overcrowding was made by Lawrence and Andrews; they explored the influence of perceived prison crowding on inmates’ perception of aggressive events. The researchers found that crowding in prisons had a direct impact on the increase in prisoners’ stress and the reduction of their mental well-being. Moreover, it was found that those inmates who experienced crowding were much likely to interpret even friendly behavior as aggressive. Haney also explored harmful psychological consequences and dysfunctional reactions to crowded correctional facilities. It was found that overcrowding contributed to the reduction of the mental well-being of prisoners and the correctional staff; nevertheless, there was no relationship between the decrease in crime rates and the increase in the prison population. Bronson and Berzofsky from the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that many inmates experience mental health issues, and overcrowding only contributes to the exasperation of the issue. For instance, 29.2% of jail inmates charged with violent crime reported serious psychological stress while 41.1% of prisoners charged with the same type of crime reported a history of a mental health problem. Prison Overcrowding and Physical Health As to the influence of prison overcrowding on detainees’ physical health, Warmsley concluded that the official capacities of prisons do not allow sufficient spaces for each prisoner, which significantly impacts their well-being. The researcher suggested that with the rising prison pop