Why Not Make Prison Useful?

Our prison system in America has become a privatized money maker with a revolving door attitude. People are dehumanized on a daily basis for the length of their sentence, then released into society broken and more vicious. Then ex-cons are slapped with high fines coupled with the inability to find suitable work. Many are left with no option but to commit more crimes. No, I don't agree with crime, nor do I believe that people should not have to answer for them. There is a better way to do things.

I've watched shows that depict the racial segregation in prisons and the violence it ensues. This toxic situation can easily be controlled with assigned seatings, not allowing large groups of races to combine. And hey, how about lessons in learning how to communicate efficiently with all types of people and therapy? Mandatory classes on things like literature and economics. So that when they are released they can become useful members of society instead of hardened criminals. This ongoing dynamic apparently suits TPTB or it would have been stopped.

Prison should be the place where a person learns the qualities needed to prevent them from committing more crimes. Period. Otherwise, what use is it to us? Why are our tax dollars paying for this sham? My 2 cents on the table. Interested in hearing yours.

yes sit down with a danergous criminal and talk them over to the light side, wake up the state knows the reoffend rate is huge and they might as well milk them for some good for socity, dont like that? dont commit crimes.

reply to post by sunqueen30


So you want to turn prison into a mental institution/college? I thought people went to prison for punishment of crimes, your stay their isn't supposed to be a pleasant one, that's just my opinion..........

I can vouch that it works better in many European countries were the rehabilitation percent is much higher and incarceration percent is much lower. Here is an excerpt from another website, from some one on death row (link)

Clearly society needs to be protected from them yet we don’t help them, we don’t treat or rehabilitate, instead we lock them up forever, in the extreme we execute them. Our system has failed its people miserably. There is a perfect example of change on going in Finland today. We all should take along hard look at Finland’s success in lowering its prisoner rates per capita. Three decades ago, Finland had one of the, if not the highest imprisonment rates in Europe. Then they decided to re-think penal policy in a more structured and humane way, and applied just that HUMANITY. Their prisons became lenient by American standards, they now live in dorms (instead of cells) get home leave, everyone communicates on a first name basis. Today Finland imprisons the smallest fraction of its population (due to its REHABILITATION STYLE PRISONS), the smallest percent of its population (52 per 100,000 people) compared to Americas 702 per 100,000. Finland’s crime rate remains low to this day. Very impressive, morally progressive and something America need to try and learn from. Our current system has failed miserably – if not now? Then when? It is time for change – you the people have to make it reality. Or chose to keep turning a blind eye as we have for decades. The democracy – the choice is ours. Respectfully in Struggle From Texas Death Row
Charles Thompson.

But... that wouldn't be as profitable

reply to post by sunqueen30


Although I agree with almost everything you said, how do you motivate largely illiterate, abused, hostile people to learn stuff that is "hard" for them? The prison keeps those dangerous people away from our children, but as you said only for a limited amount of time. All prisoners should be forced to repay society by generating electricity on stationary bike like contraptions or sorting recyclables out of trash, 12 or more hours every day.

Originally posted by budaruskie
reply to post by sunqueen30

 

All prisoners should be forced to repay society by generating electricity on stationary bike like contraptions or sorting recyclables out of trash, 12 or more hours every day.

lol!

The group of prisoners you described are like that largely because of their socioeconomic situation. So make prison the great equalizer. Teach the illiterates to read. Show them what else is out there and a better way to live.

reply to post by Biigs


Why wake up? Waking up would be banning together and taking back the majority vote on what is done with our money. I think what you are referring to is staying asleep.

reply to post by TeroK


Hey thank you for that. I will look that up on my own. Very awesome to read that has been implemented in other countries.

reply to post by jheated5


That is the mindset that has created the state we are in. When has someone using force on any of us managed to change the way we feel. To instill any knowledge?

People have many reason why they commit crimes. To say just don't commit any is simplistic.

Ex-con here, doing something with my life. I didn't spend a long time in prison, but I went none the less. I have been tagged a felon for my entire life for a stupid mistake I made, and nobody lost anything or got hurt from it...that is, except me, and oh yeah, the state made a # ton of money off of it so far.

I agree with the OP, there should be programs to help prisoners learn to be better people. I've had to change on my own, I've changed many of my negative ways, I don't even lie, steal, drink, or smoke anymore. Completely sober, and I'm a student now. Still unemployed. It's rough out there, esp. without a driver's license...oh yeah...can't get that back without at least $200.

I made a mistake, and for my entire life I will suffer for it as a felon. There is just something uniquely wrong about that. It's not like I killed someone, I didn't even make anyone bleed.

I dont think anyone is against making the help programs more effective, but you must admit some will do whatever they need to, to get back out there doing what they love to do.

I think the idea of controlling the drugs better will take out a MASSIVE wedge of prisoners out of prison and into good care thats focused on that.

Once you weed out the users from the real bad guys (sorry bad pun), can you effectivly help the actual nutcases the way they need.

atm its more of a "throw them in the same pot" scenario, once again bad pun. teheheh

You can't offer these types of things to all the criminals is what I'm trying to say, do I think a serial killer a rapist pedo are going to be good guys once they get out? ummm noooo...... If they weeded out the lesser criminals for minor drug infractions or in store thefts than I could agree with such programs...

I like your post but I have a twist on it. Offering programs like you mentioned would be beneficial to those that want to make something of themselves when they get out; I wouldn't be against that at all. But, if I had the "magic wand", I would provide two types of programs. One would be optional and the other mandatory if you decide not to chose the first.

First option would be to chose from various rehab programs. The 3 R's for starters, readin', ritin', and rithmetic. Then progress towards programs that give you life skills, how to work a budget, interview skills and such. If you chose not to participate or if you cannot show consistent progress, you get option 2.

The second would be labor. If you don't want to better yourself; welcome to the chain gang. You're going to be farming to provide food for the prison system, cleaning up the side of the highway or sorting garbage at a recycling area. Just some kind of labor to keep you out of a cell for 20+ hours a day and doing something productive.

If you can't manage to do either of those, then yeah, enjoy your cell.

Send murderers and rapists to Australia.

1 way tickets.

Worked for England.

Originally posted by sunqueen30

Originally posted by budaruskie
reply to post by sunqueen30

 

All prisoners should be forced to repay society by generating electricity on stationary bike like contraptions or sorting recyclables out of trash, 12 or more hours every day.

lol!

The group of prisoners you described are like that largely because of their socioeconomic situation. So make prison the great equalizer. Teach the illiterates to read. Show them what else is out there and a better way to live.

edit on 1-9-2011 by sunqueen30 because: (no reason given)

I agree with you about the socio-economic root of most criminal behavior. However, no matter what "programs" are available to inmates they will fail to compensate for what are fundamental social and economic flaws, hence the whole "socio-economic" description. My intention was only to make prisons "useful".

This is why revenge fails. Generally, people are not sadistic, but when it comes to crime, most people are fanatically vengeful. A lot of it is probably propaganda, I'm sure most people would feel a bit different about shoplifting being punished by YEARS in prison if their son was convicted. The reality though, is if you make punishment too harsh, the criminals just end up even more damaged and even worse for society.

You might say, "Why not just kill em", but that makes society at large more hostile and brutal. Having a justice system that is too harsh is just as bad as not having a justice system at all. Canada and northern Europe don't put people in prison for decades on end unless they're the very worst criminals in the whole country, and it works much better than our system.

Originally posted by m1991
This is why revenge fails. Generally, people are not sadistic, but when it comes to crime, most people are fanatically vengeful. A lot of it is probably propaganda, I'm sure most people would feel a bit different about shoplifting being punished by YEARS in prison if their son was convicted. The reality though, is if you make punishment too harsh, the criminals just end up even more damaged and even worse for society.

You might say, "Why not just kill em", but that makes society at large more hostile and brutal. Having a justice system that is too harsh is just as bad as not having a justice system at all. Canada and northern Europe don't put people in prison for decades on end unless they're the very worst criminals in the whole country, and it works much better than our system.

edit on 2-9-2011 by m1991 because: (no reason given)

Prison is no longer such a horrible place, some are actually nicer than some hotels ive stayed in.

Its not a threat like it was.

Death penelty is a major deterrent for murderers, however getting under a year for any random low level crime, criminals take in their stride. Some might even say "id do time for that" before they do it, because they know they can survive prison.

If creative and fanatically vengeful deterrents arnt created, there just seems to be that single generic punishment for every crime, sit in a cell for a while. Its because as widly accepted as the go-to adult "time out" punishment.

Some countrys cut your hand off for stealing, you might say "ahh yes but their crime rate is not lower" and you are right, but they also might have more poor people needing to steal, imagine if they GOT RID of that law, im sure theifs would in paradise.

Originally posted by Biigs

Prison is no longer such a horrible place, some are actually nicer than some hotels ive stayed in.

Its not a threat like it was.

Death penelty is a major deterrent for murderers, however getting under a year for any random low level crime, criminals take in their stride. Some might even say "id do time for that" before they do it, because they know they can survive prison.

If creative and fanatically vengeful deterrents arnt created, there just seems to be that single generic punishment for every crime, sit in a cell for a while. Its because as widly accepted as the go-to adult "time out" punishment.

Some countrys cut your hand off for stealing, you might say "ahh yes but their crime rate is not lower" and you are right, but they also might have more poor people needing to steal, imagine if they GOT RID of that law, im sure theifs would in paradise.

Prison isn't supposed to 'scare' people, it's meant to detain them so they can't commit crime. Also you're from the UK, you haven't experienced American prison.

DP is not a deterrent. Comparing Hong Kong and Singapore shows that. If it were really true, Singapore would be much safer than Hong Kong. It's not.

Cutting off people's hands for stealing, yes, I agree, that's probably a deterrent since thieves aren't as mentally deficient as murderers and to some extent are motivated by such economic weights. However I just find it so barbaric I would consider a higher rate of stealing preferable to cutting off people's hands for doing so.

Use prison labor to bring back manufacturing in the gov sector.
Plenty of roads need fixing,what happened to the 'roadgang', better find cool hand luke and ask him.

Good thinking op, but serious?

You actually think this system wants jails to be filled with educational resources to better man-kind.

Lol, next you will want atleast a step forward on jerry Lewis telethons on cancer-Muscular Dystrophy?

The corporate machine only works by disease and laws that do not benefit the pheasants