After Being Denied A Visit To A Prisoner, Journalist Reveals How Unfair And Cruel US Prison Rules Are
Many prisons around the world get a bad rep for having (and fostering) a brutal environment inside and further crime outside its confines. I get it, prison shouldn’t be a nice or fun place. However, it doesn’t mean that it should also actively fail in its main goal of correcting criminal behavior by making inmate life—and the lives of their loved ones—a living hell.
A twitter user has recently shared a string of tweets about her experience accompanying a woman to see her loved one in prison. The two ladies made extensive efforts to see this person, only to be rejected and shown how harshly inmates are treated.
The twitter user & her companion travelled for hours to visit an inmate, only to be denied entry by the guards
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Image credits: twitter.com
Over 2.3 million inmates are currently sentenced across nearly 7,000 institutions
Image credits: Frank Kinch
The tweets highlight a common problem in many US prisons—cruelty. Sure, there is a system in place that doesn’t look out of the ordinary on paper, but in practice, it is all arbitrary. There was no reason for any of the people in this story to be denied visitation, yet there was and it seems shady.
Besides this incident, there were also reports of prisoners being denied phone calls and letters being returned to the senders with the inmates never knowing that they were delivered in the first place.
Image credits: Prison Policy Initiative
Apart from prisons being a horrible place for inmates to be in, it is also a huge struggle for loved ones. If this continues, families lose touch with their imprisoned kin in the long run.
The tweets stress that this isn’t a one-off situation: it is just one day in a single prison in one of fifty states. The prison system is nothing but a large machine of cruelty disguised as justice.
The US is notorious for its prison system, which currently houses over 2.3 million inmates across 6,843 institutions. It is reported that over 40% of criminals commit another crime within their first year of release. The US is currently number 1 in the whole world in lock-ups per capita—698 per 100,000 residents.
I never comment on the posts here. I love almost everything that is posted. This post infuriates me. I work at a prison in Texas. I work visitation every three months. This is NOT the norm. We encourage families to call the day before they travel to make sure the status of their inmate hasn't changed. Our "allowable items" list is posted very clearly right at the front gate. If you accidentally bring an item that is not allowed, you are absolutely allowed to return it to your car. Returning to your car will result in another pat search, but you can definitely come back in. There is no way I can speak for ALL prisons worldwide, and neither should this person. There are rules in place that free world visitors have trouble understanding, but they are in place for their and their inmate's safety
I get the impression that it all depends on the prison itself, rather than the general laws, rules and sentence of the prisoner. Which leads me to thinking that, just like many (not all, but many) police officers on the street are prone to abusing their authority, same happens with the whole facility of prisons. I might be wrong, but I believe one of the biggest causes is the lack of general transparency regarding the prison system and institutions combined with a lack of knowledge and lack of interest in general. So there is nobody to report a prison when something sketchy is detected, and even so, it's not easy to win against an authoritarian facility. Both your comment and this article are giving us important information and an insight into an important matter. And I wanna say thank you for that.
Load More Replies...I understand the strict rules, but I don't get why these people are not allowed to fix their mistakes or even have a box you can put the things in for safe keeping until you're done talking. This story reminds me of a military guard I had in mandatory service. During visiting days they would look for any reason to decline access to people in addition to threatening recruits with a ban for even the most minor "offenses." Think it all boils down to them just wanting to show their "power. "
Most prisoners will, at some point, get out. Solitary confinement has been found to be dehumanising and can long-term health problems. Punishments for trivial reasons, like the lady withe the keys, won't help anyone. Dostoyevsky once said ""The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons." I get prisons are for punishment but officials shouldn't lose sight of what their long term goals are: To release offenders who have sat their sentence SAFELY back into the community.
I don't feel sympathy for the inmate of the prison. I feel sympathy for his loved one who has traveled lots of miles just to see him and is turned away because they didn't let her know that he couldn't have visits. Also, to me, it seemed like that guard got some sick pleasure out of turning people away.
But also for an inmate to not be able to see family for a YEAR (!) is absolutly cruel and I'm pretty sure doesn't help him be a better person
Load More Replies...Our punishment system is entirely irrational. It is created to encourage recidivism and is so easy to fall into and never escape. It shouldn't be for profit, and those who've been through it should not be viewed as permanently broken by society.
Please change the title of this post to reveal WHERE this happened. Depending on what country you're living in, the prison system can be way better or even far worse.
The journalist lives in Nashville, NYC, so presumably it was in America. Given how many people are incarcerated in that country for minor drug offences, it's a worrying situation.
Load More Replies...I get very, very, very angry when I hear another person talk about how good people in prison have it. Usually, this person mentions free room and board, free healthcare. This person conveniently forgets/fails to mention that prisoners have no freedom and about the abuses that take place in many prisons. And honestly, how could a person think that prison food is anything that anyone other than a prisoner would eat? As far as those who posted mean-spirited comments in reply to this post (such as "...no sympathy" etc.), I wish they would remember that America has the highest incarceration rate of all industrial nations and that a large number of folks are in prison for non-violent drug offenses.
As a victim of a violent crime where the two offenders are now serving 29 years in federal prisons, how about cry me a river. What those men did to me and the ripple effects it had on my family, they should rightly have no freedom. Not only that, I couldn't care less how bad the food is they eat.
Load More Replies...I understand that these people have done something bad to get in jail, but I just feel bad for the families who try to get in to speak with their loved one.
Nuts who uses rules to take advantage over people have usually a very miserable life nobody is envious of, as well many times serious mental issues.
That is what this article is about. It's not about the prison system, or even the people working at that prison. It is about the person in charge who seems to be unable to do the job effectively. Guards send visitors away for having too many keys? Who is overseeing them? Why is this one shot rule in place? Visits banned for a year without informing the inmate? With no reasons given? And this is acceptable? Some petty, small person is dealing justice without mercy.
Load More Replies...I must be broken , I've dealt with this environment my whole life thanks to my big brother who's been in and out of prison his whole adult life. I feel no sympathy here at all. Society deemed this person needed to be in prison so therefore they forfeited their rights to interact with the outside world.
Ever hear of basic human rights that EVERY PERSON has?
Load More Replies...I work in a jail and unfortunately families or visitors do not get access to those reasons as to why someone is being denied visits. I have seen inmates do horrendous things to have those visits suspended and call their family that evening and say they didnt do anything, its a conspiracy etc. Meanwhile, they likely did something, and with privacy and confidentiality we cannot just tell someone information about an inmate because they are inconvenienced. check the morning of before you leave by calling, and be prepared for lockdown or something the inmate may have done/been involved with.
Individuals who have never worked in corrections don't realize what can constitute loss of an offenders "privileges". Phone calls, visits, store day are privileges. I work in a maximum security prison. Stabbings, fights, assaults and contraband all result in lockdowns. The majority of contraband COMES FROM VISITORS!! They all believe that the "routine" calls to family are just that, routine. Uh, no. They are planning, coordinating and requesting contraband often. Yes, most calls are routine but I'd estimate 95% of calls are attempting to get contraband or money on their JPay. Our counselors encourage family to call, but are brutally honest. Your son IS in the confinement dorm. Not for "nothing" but for exposing himself to staff. Is that something you, Mom/Auntie feel is an appropriate behavior? We tell visitors to call ahead and place offenders no more than a few hours from their home to encourage visits. We end up arresting many visitors for breaking the written rules.
Load More Replies...I appreciate the other side but you don't know why people were not allowed to visit- no one will tell you the s**t that happens in prison and if someone broke some rules or got in the fight etc etc.
Our prison system, and pretty much our entire "justice" system is a bottomless pit of suck.
I feel bad for the family but....it's prison. Maybe his visits were suspended due to something he had done to get put in the hole. It's too bad they didn't let his relatives know though.
"Maybe his visits were suspended due to something he had done to get put in the hole" I would imagine if that were the case the prisoner would have known, and not been sitting waiting for his visitor.
Load More Replies...Anyone ever see the VICE story on lybaria the cannibal war Lord's, and the make shift prison, cops .... I've done three years in prison in Massachusetts MCI Framingham from 2006-2009 ... Besides the guards conning sex from detoxing confused women, it's not Lybaria... Also there's no second chances in life. If you have a record your fkd in USA .I'm still struggling been out ten years in September...I had drug crimes not selling just had it to use, but I got more time than a pedophile for drugs and it gets worse but ya . It's not that bad in prison in USA
Lots of missing details here remember these people are in prison. Also did the lady with all keys get ignorant when he told her she had to many keys? And why does the inmate get put in seg all the time? And we don't know why he is in jail murder? Rape? Depends on what he has done.
I have worked at three prisons in Virginia over the last few years ranging from a level 2, level 4, and a level 5 ( 2 is a low-level threat and is usually the last stop before going home for those who are deemed minimal risk while 5 houses some of the worst including death row inmates ). Visitation is a highly risky time for staff, offenders, and all visitors because this is the time when emotions run high and when contraband is brought in by visitors. As an example, during my time at the level 4 facility one female visitor attempted to smuggle in a cellphone, several hundred dollars in cash, and drugs inside a body cavity. Another woman hid items in the diaper of her child and it's common to discover items hidden under breasts and similar parts of the body. Contraband is smuggled inside of shoes, the folds of jackets, book bindings, pens, and new ways happen all the time.
Recently someone began selling fake coins that are hollow, the two halves twist together but are hollow and can hold enough fentanyl to kill 100 people. Keys are also another concern because there are pen knives made to look exactly like a house key with a hidden blade while other companies make screwdriver keys. It may not seem like a big deal but a half-inch pen knife can kill, be used to remove screws, pry things open to conceal shanks and other things. Not long ago a handgun was smuggled into another level 4 facility, thankfully no one was killed. I've found prison-made weapons and other contraband and shut down a facility after finding 8 inches of missing chain link from a fence, that's enough material to make 16 ice picks but it pails when it came to the 6-foot section missing from the level 5 facility.
Load More Replies...This is beyond sad. I believe it's a power issue. I can't imagine someone using what little authority they have to use it in a way that leaves family members heartbroken. I don't care why the inmate is there. The fact that they feel empowered to do this is both detrimental to the family and the inmate themselves. A family visit may be the only thing keeping these people sane in the environment that they are in. This is wrong on a human level. Some people are out there to see just how much damage and pain they can inflict on a fellow human. Humans are my hell
We can thank every politician who has a "R" after it's name for our extraordinary cruel prison system. Do you know who much $$$ for profit prisons make in a year? I wonder how much of that goes back to the RNC? bastards, every last one.
None of it and prisons do not make a profit except for the privately run prisons. If government-run prisons actually made profits the pay for staff would be a great deal better.
Load More Replies...I also hate this post. I work at a prison in Canada, so I'm sure there are differences however, that type of behaviour is not used when visitors come. Yes, they are scanned, they are ion drug tested and sometimes the drug dog will search them. But I'd assume searching anyone coming into a prison would be searched. As a staff member, I get searched. Point being, this is ONE prison in ONE town in ONE state. And only ONE occurrence. It could also be blown out of proportion just for readership. " the officer smirks" please. That sounds like embellishment. Don't let this post make you believe that all prisons are bad.
I would be interested to find out if this is a standard state prison or a private contractor prison. If it's private, I'd have an investigation launched to see if they are denying visits because of some need to keep prisoners from complaining about unsanitary or unsafe conditions. Also, solitary confinement, as it's administered right now, needs to be banned for everyone except lifers and the extremely violent. A friend of mine was thrown in solitary confinement for a year. He is now schizophrenic and homeless.
Take german prisons as an example of how it should be. There is no violence. None at all. Not from the inmates and certainly not from the guards! Our first law is this: "Human dignity shall be inviolable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all state authority."
Fortunately, this will not happened in prisons of wkwkland. All you need is money. Money, will solve every problem in prison. denied visitation? just slip some red money, the guards will let you in. need some time out of prison? sure, but there will be lots of hands to be greased.
I know someone who just shrugged off violating his probation, saying it'll give him three hots and a cot for two years. Then got so irritated with his parole officer when he kept jerking him around about some of the details. He was so cavalier about the whole thing like it was nothing. Prison is supposed to be a deterrent for criminals, not a lesser of two evils over their own home life. Some people with authority change the rules to suit themselves, especially when they don't like a certain person they have power over and no one is looking over their shoulder.
I have been to prison, only as a visitor, and even though the prisons in my country are much better than the US for treatment for both prisoners and visitors I am certainly aware that prison officers will ensure that conditions vary widely from prison to prison. They, after all, are the only thing that differs from prison to prison. The rules are the same and the buildings are similar. Prisoners and their loved ones are entirely at their mercy. In most cases that isn't a problem, but in a significant number of cases it IS..
Most prisoners are in there because of the hurt they've caused others. What goes around comes around.
The number one goal of prison is NOT to correct criminal behavior. The first goal of incarceration is punishment. When someone commits a criminal action, they are depriving others of their rights. The intention of incarceration is to deprive the criminal of his rights. Yes, this is nasty. So if you don't want to suffer the cruelty and indignity of such a situation, don't commit crimes.
That's the problem. Why can't the number one goal be rehabilitation? If all we do is punish people, we're not helping them become functional members of society. If all we"re doing is punishing them, are we not just as bad?
Load More Replies...Seriously? Prison is not rehab, nor a spa. It's about punishment for a crime. 'Dehumanizing '? What about their victims? Where was their humanity then? Prisoners in the US have it good compared to other countries.
Much of what you have said is based on what television glamorizes and distorts, the fact is that the treatment of prisoners in some states is worse than what you would find in Mexico or Russia. Virginia has become the leader in the treatment of offenders and has the lowest recidivism rate in the country by using evidence-based practices to treat and educate incarcerated people to change the pattern of thinking that lead them to make the mistakes they did that put them in the prison system. There is no denying that the victims of violent crimes deserve better but the best that can be done to provide them with resolution or for their loved ones is to incarcerate the criminal and if the crime is heinous enough execute them.
Load More Replies...Not everyone in prison is a killer, thief or rapist. Not everyone in prison is evil or even bad. A lot of the people in prison are just ordinary people who made a bad choice or a mistake. No matter what they did to end up in prison, every prisoner is a human being and deserves to be treated with fairness and dignity. The first step to rehabilitating someone is to give them some self respect and dignity. If you don't treat them with respect, how are they going to respect themselves or anyone else? People tend to treat people in the way that they themselves have been treated.
Load More Replies...I never comment on the posts here. I love almost everything that is posted. This post infuriates me. I work at a prison in Texas. I work visitation every three months. This is NOT the norm. We encourage families to call the day before they travel to make sure the status of their inmate hasn't changed. Our "allowable items" list is posted very clearly right at the front gate. If you accidentally bring an item that is not allowed, you are absolutely allowed to return it to your car. Returning to your car will result in another pat search, but you can definitely come back in. There is no way I can speak for ALL prisons worldwide, and neither should this person. There are rules in place that free world visitors have trouble understanding, but they are in place for their and their inmate's safety
I get the impression that it all depends on the prison itself, rather than the general laws, rules and sentence of the prisoner. Which leads me to thinking that, just like many (not all, but many) police officers on the street are prone to abusing their authority, same happens with the whole facility of prisons. I might be wrong, but I believe one of the biggest causes is the lack of general transparency regarding the prison system and institutions combined with a lack of knowledge and lack of interest in general. So there is nobody to report a prison when something sketchy is detected, and even so, it's not easy to win against an authoritarian facility. Both your comment and this article are giving us important information and an insight into an important matter. And I wanna say thank you for that.
Load More Replies...I understand the strict rules, but I don't get why these people are not allowed to fix their mistakes or even have a box you can put the things in for safe keeping until you're done talking. This story reminds me of a military guard I had in mandatory service. During visiting days they would look for any reason to decline access to people in addition to threatening recruits with a ban for even the most minor "offenses." Think it all boils down to them just wanting to show their "power. "
Most prisoners will, at some point, get out. Solitary confinement has been found to be dehumanising and can long-term health problems. Punishments for trivial reasons, like the lady withe the keys, won't help anyone. Dostoyevsky once said ""The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons." I get prisons are for punishment but officials shouldn't lose sight of what their long term goals are: To release offenders who have sat their sentence SAFELY back into the community.
I don't feel sympathy for the inmate of the prison. I feel sympathy for his loved one who has traveled lots of miles just to see him and is turned away because they didn't let her know that he couldn't have visits. Also, to me, it seemed like that guard got some sick pleasure out of turning people away.
But also for an inmate to not be able to see family for a YEAR (!) is absolutly cruel and I'm pretty sure doesn't help him be a better person
Load More Replies...Our punishment system is entirely irrational. It is created to encourage recidivism and is so easy to fall into and never escape. It shouldn't be for profit, and those who've been through it should not be viewed as permanently broken by society.
Please change the title of this post to reveal WHERE this happened. Depending on what country you're living in, the prison system can be way better or even far worse.
The journalist lives in Nashville, NYC, so presumably it was in America. Given how many people are incarcerated in that country for minor drug offences, it's a worrying situation.
Load More Replies...I get very, very, very angry when I hear another person talk about how good people in prison have it. Usually, this person mentions free room and board, free healthcare. This person conveniently forgets/fails to mention that prisoners have no freedom and about the abuses that take place in many prisons. And honestly, how could a person think that prison food is anything that anyone other than a prisoner would eat? As far as those who posted mean-spirited comments in reply to this post (such as "...no sympathy" etc.), I wish they would remember that America has the highest incarceration rate of all industrial nations and that a large number of folks are in prison for non-violent drug offenses.
As a victim of a violent crime where the two offenders are now serving 29 years in federal prisons, how about cry me a river. What those men did to me and the ripple effects it had on my family, they should rightly have no freedom. Not only that, I couldn't care less how bad the food is they eat.
Load More Replies...I understand that these people have done something bad to get in jail, but I just feel bad for the families who try to get in to speak with their loved one.
Nuts who uses rules to take advantage over people have usually a very miserable life nobody is envious of, as well many times serious mental issues.
That is what this article is about. It's not about the prison system, or even the people working at that prison. It is about the person in charge who seems to be unable to do the job effectively. Guards send visitors away for having too many keys? Who is overseeing them? Why is this one shot rule in place? Visits banned for a year without informing the inmate? With no reasons given? And this is acceptable? Some petty, small person is dealing justice without mercy.
Load More Replies...I must be broken , I've dealt with this environment my whole life thanks to my big brother who's been in and out of prison his whole adult life. I feel no sympathy here at all. Society deemed this person needed to be in prison so therefore they forfeited their rights to interact with the outside world.
Ever hear of basic human rights that EVERY PERSON has?
Load More Replies...I work in a jail and unfortunately families or visitors do not get access to those reasons as to why someone is being denied visits. I have seen inmates do horrendous things to have those visits suspended and call their family that evening and say they didnt do anything, its a conspiracy etc. Meanwhile, they likely did something, and with privacy and confidentiality we cannot just tell someone information about an inmate because they are inconvenienced. check the morning of before you leave by calling, and be prepared for lockdown or something the inmate may have done/been involved with.
Individuals who have never worked in corrections don't realize what can constitute loss of an offenders "privileges". Phone calls, visits, store day are privileges. I work in a maximum security prison. Stabbings, fights, assaults and contraband all result in lockdowns. The majority of contraband COMES FROM VISITORS!! They all believe that the "routine" calls to family are just that, routine. Uh, no. They are planning, coordinating and requesting contraband often. Yes, most calls are routine but I'd estimate 95% of calls are attempting to get contraband or money on their JPay. Our counselors encourage family to call, but are brutally honest. Your son IS in the confinement dorm. Not for "nothing" but for exposing himself to staff. Is that something you, Mom/Auntie feel is an appropriate behavior? We tell visitors to call ahead and place offenders no more than a few hours from their home to encourage visits. We end up arresting many visitors for breaking the written rules.
Load More Replies...I appreciate the other side but you don't know why people were not allowed to visit- no one will tell you the s**t that happens in prison and if someone broke some rules or got in the fight etc etc.
Our prison system, and pretty much our entire "justice" system is a bottomless pit of suck.
I feel bad for the family but....it's prison. Maybe his visits were suspended due to something he had done to get put in the hole. It's too bad they didn't let his relatives know though.
"Maybe his visits were suspended due to something he had done to get put in the hole" I would imagine if that were the case the prisoner would have known, and not been sitting waiting for his visitor.
Load More Replies...Anyone ever see the VICE story on lybaria the cannibal war Lord's, and the make shift prison, cops .... I've done three years in prison in Massachusetts MCI Framingham from 2006-2009 ... Besides the guards conning sex from detoxing confused women, it's not Lybaria... Also there's no second chances in life. If you have a record your fkd in USA .I'm still struggling been out ten years in September...I had drug crimes not selling just had it to use, but I got more time than a pedophile for drugs and it gets worse but ya . It's not that bad in prison in USA
Lots of missing details here remember these people are in prison. Also did the lady with all keys get ignorant when he told her she had to many keys? And why does the inmate get put in seg all the time? And we don't know why he is in jail murder? Rape? Depends on what he has done.
I have worked at three prisons in Virginia over the last few years ranging from a level 2, level 4, and a level 5 ( 2 is a low-level threat and is usually the last stop before going home for those who are deemed minimal risk while 5 houses some of the worst including death row inmates ). Visitation is a highly risky time for staff, offenders, and all visitors because this is the time when emotions run high and when contraband is brought in by visitors. As an example, during my time at the level 4 facility one female visitor attempted to smuggle in a cellphone, several hundred dollars in cash, and drugs inside a body cavity. Another woman hid items in the diaper of her child and it's common to discover items hidden under breasts and similar parts of the body. Contraband is smuggled inside of shoes, the folds of jackets, book bindings, pens, and new ways happen all the time.
Recently someone began selling fake coins that are hollow, the two halves twist together but are hollow and can hold enough fentanyl to kill 100 people. Keys are also another concern because there are pen knives made to look exactly like a house key with a hidden blade while other companies make screwdriver keys. It may not seem like a big deal but a half-inch pen knife can kill, be used to remove screws, pry things open to conceal shanks and other things. Not long ago a handgun was smuggled into another level 4 facility, thankfully no one was killed. I've found prison-made weapons and other contraband and shut down a facility after finding 8 inches of missing chain link from a fence, that's enough material to make 16 ice picks but it pails when it came to the 6-foot section missing from the level 5 facility.
Load More Replies...This is beyond sad. I believe it's a power issue. I can't imagine someone using what little authority they have to use it in a way that leaves family members heartbroken. I don't care why the inmate is there. The fact that they feel empowered to do this is both detrimental to the family and the inmate themselves. A family visit may be the only thing keeping these people sane in the environment that they are in. This is wrong on a human level. Some people are out there to see just how much damage and pain they can inflict on a fellow human. Humans are my hell
We can thank every politician who has a "R" after it's name for our extraordinary cruel prison system. Do you know who much $$$ for profit prisons make in a year? I wonder how much of that goes back to the RNC? bastards, every last one.
None of it and prisons do not make a profit except for the privately run prisons. If government-run prisons actually made profits the pay for staff would be a great deal better.
Load More Replies...I also hate this post. I work at a prison in Canada, so I'm sure there are differences however, that type of behaviour is not used when visitors come. Yes, they are scanned, they are ion drug tested and sometimes the drug dog will search them. But I'd assume searching anyone coming into a prison would be searched. As a staff member, I get searched. Point being, this is ONE prison in ONE town in ONE state. And only ONE occurrence. It could also be blown out of proportion just for readership. " the officer smirks" please. That sounds like embellishment. Don't let this post make you believe that all prisons are bad.
I would be interested to find out if this is a standard state prison or a private contractor prison. If it's private, I'd have an investigation launched to see if they are denying visits because of some need to keep prisoners from complaining about unsanitary or unsafe conditions. Also, solitary confinement, as it's administered right now, needs to be banned for everyone except lifers and the extremely violent. A friend of mine was thrown in solitary confinement for a year. He is now schizophrenic and homeless.
Take german prisons as an example of how it should be. There is no violence. None at all. Not from the inmates and certainly not from the guards! Our first law is this: "Human dignity shall be inviolable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all state authority."
Fortunately, this will not happened in prisons of wkwkland. All you need is money. Money, will solve every problem in prison. denied visitation? just slip some red money, the guards will let you in. need some time out of prison? sure, but there will be lots of hands to be greased.
I know someone who just shrugged off violating his probation, saying it'll give him three hots and a cot for two years. Then got so irritated with his parole officer when he kept jerking him around about some of the details. He was so cavalier about the whole thing like it was nothing. Prison is supposed to be a deterrent for criminals, not a lesser of two evils over their own home life. Some people with authority change the rules to suit themselves, especially when they don't like a certain person they have power over and no one is looking over their shoulder.
I have been to prison, only as a visitor, and even though the prisons in my country are much better than the US for treatment for both prisoners and visitors I am certainly aware that prison officers will ensure that conditions vary widely from prison to prison. They, after all, are the only thing that differs from prison to prison. The rules are the same and the buildings are similar. Prisoners and their loved ones are entirely at their mercy. In most cases that isn't a problem, but in a significant number of cases it IS..
Most prisoners are in there because of the hurt they've caused others. What goes around comes around.
The number one goal of prison is NOT to correct criminal behavior. The first goal of incarceration is punishment. When someone commits a criminal action, they are depriving others of their rights. The intention of incarceration is to deprive the criminal of his rights. Yes, this is nasty. So if you don't want to suffer the cruelty and indignity of such a situation, don't commit crimes.
That's the problem. Why can't the number one goal be rehabilitation? If all we do is punish people, we're not helping them become functional members of society. If all we"re doing is punishing them, are we not just as bad?
Load More Replies...Seriously? Prison is not rehab, nor a spa. It's about punishment for a crime. 'Dehumanizing '? What about their victims? Where was their humanity then? Prisoners in the US have it good compared to other countries.
Much of what you have said is based on what television glamorizes and distorts, the fact is that the treatment of prisoners in some states is worse than what you would find in Mexico or Russia. Virginia has become the leader in the treatment of offenders and has the lowest recidivism rate in the country by using evidence-based practices to treat and educate incarcerated people to change the pattern of thinking that lead them to make the mistakes they did that put them in the prison system. There is no denying that the victims of violent crimes deserve better but the best that can be done to provide them with resolution or for their loved ones is to incarcerate the criminal and if the crime is heinous enough execute them.
Load More Replies...Not everyone in prison is a killer, thief or rapist. Not everyone in prison is evil or even bad. A lot of the people in prison are just ordinary people who made a bad choice or a mistake. No matter what they did to end up in prison, every prisoner is a human being and deserves to be treated with fairness and dignity. The first step to rehabilitating someone is to give them some self respect and dignity. If you don't treat them with respect, how are they going to respect themselves or anyone else? People tend to treat people in the way that they themselves have been treated.
Load More Replies...
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