Where should we put hardened criminals?

United States
April 26, 2013 9:45am CST
Here in the US, criminals are treated in relative luxury, which is NOT decreasing the prison population. So many states don't enact the death penalty, yet won't repeal it. So the death penalty isn't much of a deterrent. Sheriff Jod Arpaio started having prisoners live in tents in the desert. thats harsh, but apparently not enough. plus he runs a relatively small jail. So what would be? Talking to my boyfriend this morning, I came up with an idea. Lets come up with a deal: let's send some of the most hardened criminals to Siberia. It's one of the world's harshest climates, and the Russians aren't know for being nice to criminals. Criminals sent there no longer get books, cable, food or running water. It wouldn't cost the US anywhere to pay for and support them there, and perhaps that could be a real deterrent.
3 people like this
9 responses
@marguicha (214281)
• Chile
28 Apr 13
I like the idea of making them earn their keep. And I mean hard work. Cable TV would be out of the question and books should be limited in quantity and br quecked about their contents. A believe that everyone should have enough water, but just the minimum that other people at other parts of the world have.
• United States
28 Apr 13
They should receive nothing but the minimum to keep them alive. And they should do some basic chores that the town, county or state requires. And if they're scheduled to die, that's because they broke a law and deserve to. Legal appeals should be kept to a minimum, so that the courts aren't repeatedly tied up.
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
30 Apr 13
I love the idea. The criminals today are getting three meals a day, tv, books, exercise and visitation from loved ones. How many criminals get free and do another crime just to go back to jail because they can't make it in the real world. Its not fair that they are living in prisons with all these perks. It should be harden life, with no fun at all. I agree send them all to siberia. Then we will see how fast the crime rates will go down.
• United States
30 Apr 13
I think we might want to try letting one criminal go for X number of years, then see how they fare. It might result in becoming a deterrent. I doubt the ACLU would allow that on a regular basis though.
@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
28 Apr 13
I have a better idea. We should bring back the old-fashioned "chain-gangs". I don't know about where you live, but a lot of the roads here are in terrible shape. Buying 1,000 shovels and forcing criminals to do the work would be a lot cheaper than buying ONE road grading machine and paying someone to drive it. There are a lot of other jobs they could do cheaper as well. They could also pick up litter beside the roads. They could plant and grow crops (all by hand with no tractors or anything) to help feed prison inmates and the homeless. Make them work no matter how hot or cold it is, and always have something for them to do. There are lots of things in my area that convict labor could be used to accomplish. Unfortunately, the powers that be in our country won't let us make the criminals work...
• United States
30 Apr 13
I've seen chain gangs on the highways; they pick up garbage and leave the bags for the sanitation department to clean up. I don't think I e seen a true chain gang though. They should be doing something though.
@artemeis (4194)
• China
27 Apr 13
Having read and watched the movie on how the elite commandos were formed, I wonder if these criminals could be conscripted into these special units and be sent to the Middle East. The country can always give them a second chance to get back their life for services rendered to the country. They will have to go through the rigors of training and every education needed as rehabilitation. For those who fail to make the grade, then they will be used to provide labor in areas like construction, city clean up, maintenance in barracks, police stations or even national parks. Or something they can do to contribute back to the society instead of letting them use their spare time on cable television or computers. As for those whose crimes that cannot be pardoned then I believe it will only be justifiable that they be executed.
• United States
27 Apr 13
I wouldn't be comfortable with criminals in our elite fighting forces. The men that achieve those jobs have worked tremendously hard fit years, not to mention that they may resort to their former ways. Most of the clean up jobs are done by those prisoners who have worked hard and been model prisoners, but they're generally kept away from the main population. Parolees work within society.
@lampar (7584)
• United States
26 Apr 13
Sending them to Siberia is not going to work as long as ACLU and the white house exist. They will come after your a*s for violating harden criminals' constitutional rights and birth rights as Americans.
• United States
27 Apr 13
I agree with you about the ACLU-it's sickening how they come to defend anyone. As for the White House-I think you're referring to the current administration specifically, and not in general. You may be right, but I think our society as a whole is uncomfortable with corporal punishment in general-look at how many brats are running around being destructible and disrespectful'
@RAJASB (109)
• India
27 Apr 13
If criminals are not punished, there seems to be no value for truth and good. Every one acts as if they like. It's a way of spoiling the good too. It's the fear that makes man stop from doing crime and injustice. If the bad are left free, the sate, nation and world goes haywire.
• United States
27 Apr 13
There is no longer a fear of being sent to prison. They get free room and board, fed meals three times a day, and cable TV-that's an improvement for some. If prison became a horrible place without those things, I think that we'd see less crime.
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
26 Apr 13
I am sure the state department and all the human rights people would manage to block something like that. Maybe we should build something in a really remote and desolate place in our own country. We would be more likely to get it done.
• United States
26 Apr 13
They built a prison-Parchman, and tried to make it as inhumane as possible. There are too many people in the country that want to protect the rights of ALL living people, even the ones who took lives. And that is wrong, in my opinion.
• Valdosta, Georgia
26 Apr 13
Either send them there or take all of the luxuries away!! Get rid of the cable, fitness centers, books, etc...Leave them with absolutely nothing to do and barely any food to eat! WE do need to punish them more. One of my uncle's friends is in and out of prison. He said, well I am going back. My uncle said your happy about that? He said yeah, it's free rent and a roof over my head with food too! He said I don't have to pay a thing to live there! That is a big problem if most of them feel the same way. They get out, it's too hard on the outside so they do something to get back in...Sad, but true.
• Philippines
27 Apr 13
Hardened Criminals needs love and understanding, not restraining.