Can Prisoners Be REFORMED? - Is the Solution Part of the PROBLEM?

Schools for Criminals

The prison system does not always quell criminal behavior.  "When money is poured into building another prison cell a the expense of rebuilding a prisoners' self-image, it is often just a prelude to more-and worse-crime," states Jill Smolowe in Time magazine..  Peter, who has spent 14 years behind bars, would agree with that statement.  Most of my fellow inmates started off with petty crime and finally graduated to serious offenses against other humans," he says.  "For them, prisons are like trade schools.  They're going to come out worse." 

While prisons may take criminals off the streets for awhile, it seems that they do little-if anything-to deter crime in the long term.  Inner-city boys and young men often view imprisonment as an initiation rite.  Very often, they come  out and do the same thing all over again."

This 'revolving door' may explain why, according to one study in the United States, 50 percent of all serious crimes  are committed by about 5 percent of the criminals.  "When prisoners have no constructive way to spend their time," remarks Time magazine," they often fill the hours building a reservoir of resentment, not to mention a grab bag of criminal tricks, that . .  . they will take back to the streets." 

The situation is not unique to the United States. John Vatis, a physician at a military prison in Greece, states:  "Our prisons have become very good at producing people who are menacing, violent, and mean. When released, most inmates want to 'square up' with society."

Note:  I have read that back a couple of hundreds of years ago, the prisons in England, maybe even all of Europe; were rat infested not to mention filthy and grimy -really bad.  The prisoners were fed maybe, if lucky two times a day and mostly consisted of bread and water or gruel. Could have been more. But not very many, if any came out at all, came out alive.  The prisons here are country clubs compared to two or three hundred years ago.  These people in these prisons have TV, some have games, some have jobs, and you get to go outside. Of course, that would depend on whether it was maximum, minimum or what have you.   They do not deserve any respect, because with whatever the crime the prisoner did against a human, did not respect the person the crime was done against.  I can also see why some do go back.  Some times, it is the attitude that you are owed something for being in prison. They are not owed anything.  Another reason, is because, if they are suppose to get a job to stay straight in order not to go back in. It is very, very difficult, because no employer will trust you or want to trust you to, not just show up, but to do the job and be able to take directions and follow authority. A lot of criminals just lie to do whatever it takes, then take advantage of that employer and end up going back. And sometimes, employers have attitudes that aren't so nice or great.   These prisoners need to be reminded of how bad the prisoners were those many years ago and see just how much they have to complain about.  They also need to think that it was their  attitude and greed etc. that got them sent to prison to begin with and that if they don't want to do the time, don't do the crime.   A lot of them just don't want to try to straighten out.  

Next time: Can Prisoners Be REFORMED? -Is the Solution Part of the PROBLEM?/The Social Cost

From the Awake! magazine