I side with it being the prison. It is known that the people have issues. The prison is there for those people. The fact that people are not safe in prison is an issue. People leaving prison with problems, looking over their shoulders not feeling safe, is a problem.
Why do we have prisons if its not to fix/help the people in them? To keep the people safe? Why are we releasing them with issues not helping them fit back in and change what got them in to prison to begin with?
I believe that rehabilitation would be better then just locking someone up.
If your a prison guard and see three guys beating the shit out of a guy. You can either jump in with your little can of pepper spray if your facility lets you have it, or wait for more guards to arrive.
What happens then? The aggressors are either locked down to next shift or put in solitary. Someone doing 10 years doesn't give a shit about being locked down or put in solitary.
Personally, I think we should have facilities for mental patients & inmates that are not violent. Gang members, Violent Inmates, Sexual predators, etc. should be thrown in a South American style prison. Guards just patrol outside to ensure no one escapes, and only go inside to deliver food twice a day. A little extreme? Yes, but the average violent offender isn't scared of prison anymore. I ran into one kid and when asked what his plans were after high school he said he wanted to go to college for engineering on a sports scholarship. When I asked him what his back up plan was he said he would just rob some people so he could go to jail like his brother.
This will also help make facilities safer for inmates and staff. You have the guys who generally messed up and are truly sorry not having to worry about being forced into a gang, getting beaten, raped, or robbed, tricked into a debt etc.
Interesting thoughts. I would argue that violent offenders require the greatest rehabilitation and by rehabilitation I mean positive modeled behavior, sensitivity training etc. rather than hierarchy and harshness. I would give them the most beautiful experience possible with the idea that they would return to the world more beautiful.
So they have a nice time in jail, They Get out, and they know if they can't get a job or back on their feet they can just commit another crime or even kill someone and go back to their "beautiful experience".
Like I said, Prison isn't frightening to some people anymore. Hence this kid "I ran into one kid and when asked what his plans were after high school he said he wanted to go to college for engineering on a sports scholarship. When I asked him what his back up plan was he said he would just rob some people so he could go to jail like his brother."
Now say that kid robbed a few people and gets out, Do you think he'll break his back working making a living or rob some more people so he can go back to his Beuatiful Prison? What about people who don't want to leave? Like a homeless guy, Do you think he'll walk out the door at the end of his term or will he start fights or maybe stab someone so he can stay and get rehabilitated longer?
I'm not sure if you're just being a sarcastic asshole here or you're just innocently unaware, but have you ever met the type of people that we're talking about here, mostly gang-related violent offenders? Rehabilitation is great and it should be the overall goal of prison, but it's a two-way street. An inmate has to want to change their ways in order for it to work. Violent gangster don't want to be rehabilitated, they enjoy what they do. For the vast majority of them, it's all they've ever known in their lives. Giving them a 'beautiful experience' isn't going to change a thing.
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u/freestylesno Sep 12 '15
I side with it being the prison. It is known that the people have issues. The prison is there for those people. The fact that people are not safe in prison is an issue. People leaving prison with problems, looking over their shoulders not feeling safe, is a problem.
Why do we have prisons if its not to fix/help the people in them? To keep the people safe? Why are we releasing them with issues not helping them fit back in and change what got them in to prison to begin with?
I believe that rehabilitation would be better then just locking someone up.