Sunday, June 19, 2005
Prisons
Did you know the USofA has one of the highest prison population per capita in the world? And it keeps getting bigger. I was talking with the neighbors today about jobs - here in Saginaw unemployment is around 8.5% (one of the highest and state that has the highest in the nation). One of their grandkids finally found a job as a prison guard. About the only the growing employment market here. And that really sucks. For so many reasons.
Prisons suck for so many reasons. First, many of those in there shouldn't be. Mandatory drug sentences for the lost war on drugs puts many kids in there. And what do they get out of prison? Most of the time nothing that helps. Often it's just a better lesson in crime. Meanwhile, idiots that do dangerous crimes like robbery and assault seem to be getting out early. I guess they have to make room in the prison for the 25 year old kid smoking pot.
I wish I had an answer for what to do but I don't. I see there being two kinds of criminals. Those that hurt others and those that don't. Prisons need to address that. They shouldn't be mixed. There's no reason for some dope smoking shoplifter to be exposes to rapists and murderers. There needs to be some rehabilitation done. They need to be taught - back to high school subjects. How to read and do math and where in the world is Lake Victoria. Not how to boost a car or make a shiv from a toothbrush.
I'm also a great fan of the three strikes and you're out. If you can't figure out society's rules after three chances, you don't deserve any more chances. I don't care if the third strike is stealing a pizza - stealing pizzas is wrong. Hit some smartass in a bar for the third strike - you're out of here and into the clink. Hopefully to stay. We don't need people who can't play nice.
I know this rambled and verged on incoherent, but so be it. That's pretty much the way I see the prison program in the USofA these days.
