If you ran a prison how would handle prisoners?
By wlee9696
@wlee9696 (595)
United States
October 20, 2009 8:35pm CST
I responded to a post that got me thinking how would people run prison. I think prisoners have too much. They don't pay their debt to society and that is why we have so many repeat offenders. I think prisoners should have to work 12 hours and day 7 days a week. They can share their bunks - you get 12 hours in and while you are working someone else gets it for 12 hours. I don't think they should have their own bunk - they lost their right to have personal space. Very limited TV, no weights, no school, none of that stuff. They need to be paying their debt. I am not interested in rehabilitation - working 12 hours a day 7 days a week will rehabilitate them in no time. They are hardened criminals and need to be treated as such. So am I too harsh? What would you do?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@jb78000 (15139)
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21 Oct 09
what about those in prison for minor offences and those that committed crimes from desperation? i think there is a medium to be drawn between making prisons too nice and making them too harsh. i don't think we want soviet style prisons like you are outlining but i also don't think pointless open prisons are the answer either. interesting you allow them tv but no education though...
@jb78000 (15139)
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21 Oct 09
well i did say there was a medium between being too harsh and being too soft wlee. now with some major tweaks your idea is not too bad - one of the major problems is boredom in prison and that fact that people forget how to earn a living. sharing bunks - no, this is not the ussr. working - yes, with some modifications, you need to have a day off. you will destroy people if you don't and i assume your idea is simply to make things less pleasant (although i doubt very much that anybody actually enjoys being in prison). i don't think you can force people to work - slavery is not on even in prison - but your idea of small wages and not much else to do should ensure nearly all of them will anyway. with perhaps a choice of genuinely useful/profitable activities. workers could get education because their work would pay for it.
@jb78000 (15139)
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21 Oct 09
wlee i have already agreed that having too much time on their hands is one of the problems in prisons. however i really cannot agree that you can force people to work - i have already said that you could make it so most would. prison is not a pleasant experience anyway but i have nothing against toughening certain aspects up (thea brought up open prisons, which are a very good example). however treating people like robots will not in any way encourage them to become part of a community within or without prison. there are two major flaws with ideas that otherwise might work wlee - the first is withdrawing even the tinest bit of personal space - not a good idea - and the second is forced labour. i used a bit of hyperbole earlier but it is really not on. now before you think i am some kind of naive liberal i actually am not and i have absolutely no sympathy for those that commit violent or destructive offenses and certainly do not wish to cosset them. however i do think there are certain limits as to what can be done to people.
@wlee9696 (595)
• United States
21 Oct 09
Well jb a crime is a crime. Whether it be minor, white collar, violent, etc..... it is still a crime. Fortunately those who create crimes of desperation usually do not have a "rap sheet" so their first offense is dealt with in a softer manner. But if the crime were serious enough to land them in prison then what better way to assure they will not be back than to see that they do not enjoy their stay. To be perfectly honest I don't think they should have tv either, and definitely not attend college at my expense. I could go with the books like thea09 suggested. I just want them to actually do something to "pay" for their crimes. It's prison - not day care.
@dlr297 (5409)
• United States
21 Oct 09
Once a prisoner does his time they have paid their debt to society. and we have many repeat offenders because of the way they are treated when they are released. Most can not find a good job, because many companies will not hire them. They are not given a chance.
@wlee9696 (595)
• United States
21 Oct 09
They have their chance, there are millions of poor people that do not decide to become criminals They look toward legit ways to staying alive. Plus think about all the middle class and even rich prisoners who have never worked a "regular" job. Criminals choose to be criminals. Once they pay their debt - well I think a person has a right not to hire someone with a record, but there are businesses that will hire people with records. I just have a hard time offering up any sympathy when so many people manage to get through life without turning to crime.
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
15 Nov 09
Many prisoners do have work detail they do have to go and do work and produce things. All prisoners have to do some kind of job. They don't get to sit around and watch TV all the time, they get their recreation time and limited TV time. They are not animals and if we treat them like animals why would we expect them to act like anything more than animals when they are released. Aside from murderers and rapists I think a lot of effort should be spent on educating these people and giving them some good working skills that they can use out in the outside world so that they don't have to return to crime. A lot of prisoners get out and they want to live an honest life but they are not given the opportunity to so they return to the only thing they know and that is crime. I agree they do need to work in prison and should work the same hours that working people in the outside world do, but I still think they should get a little bit of down time.
@arime0328 (14)
• China
21 Oct 09
hey friend!you question is really hard.I think the prisoners are really human beings .all we need to do is to put them on the right path.but what you said is too cruel,i think.did you ever seen the PRISON BREAK?in fact, some people in the prison like Michael are really poor.so we should face them with a lenient heart!
