After reading in my textbook, I decided to write about Prisons, and if the use of them is really necessary: for very violent crimes (for example, first degree murder), the answer would be yes. To me, they are classified as monsters. An example would be the Colorado shootings at the movie theatre, just a few months ago. But when it comes to drug dealers, petty crimes, theft, I believe it costs way to much to house an inmate, and for the smaller crimes, such as theft and drug dealing, I can honestly say prison would not change a person, in my opinion.
If a criminal wants to do these things, what is sitting in a cell for 30 or 60 days going to do to a person? Especially when some (not all, I know for many it is probably very rough) have it better in prison than they do on the street! Think about it: 3 meals a day, an area to exercise, read, even take college courses (as I saw in "A Class Divided"), and a warm place to sleep (even if it is a concrete pad). I can see why some homeless end up in prisons repeatedly. It's a better life IN prison, than out in the street!
I think if we are going to spend money on the non-murderous criminals, it should be in the form of a rehab of some sort. Forced counseling should be used first, and exhaust that opportunity before just throwing them in jail.
Maybe the guy who robbed a bank, was trying to feed his wife and children, because he got laid off and they lost their home, and are now living in a car. No, it is not right to commit this crime. But is throwing him in prison for X amount of years, away from his children the answer? I really don't think so. I think some extreme community service, and mandatory counseling is the answer.
Some people do belong in prison: the ones who are a physical threat to others. On the Eastern Shore alone, I see reports of people getting their 9th (NINTH!) DWI, and they get a slap on the wrist; they get their license taken away, but they continue to drive. That person would be considered, by me, as a threat to others: what will happen when he gets that 10th DWI? Will it take killing someone? Have they tried treatment programs?
But on the other side of that, I hear of people going to prison on ACCUSATIONS of rape, or writing a bad check. America seriously needs to rethink its priorities.
Hi Valerie,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post. 1st degree murder is one thing and petty crimes are another. Ultimately, I think the most important aspect in terms of preventing further crime is rehab and education to help people get to the root of their problems, get to know themselves, develop a sense of self-worth and accountability, and develop useful tools to contribute to society. I also think crimes of self-defense can be different. For example, some of the women in "What I Want My Words to do to You" committed their crime because they were raped. While I don't know their whole story and I'm not saying what they did is right, it does seem that defending one's body deserves consideration in conviction and sentencing.