I definately think that we should jail all dangerous and violent criminals but for things like not paying car tax etc, surely they are not a risk to the public?
Do you think we jail too many people?
- Thread starter chanelbaby
- Start date
of course we do!! the populations in jails are increasing every day!
I remeber interning at a prison back in school, and I was told by the time the weekend was out, 40 new inmates were going to be transferred here. mind you, these are people that are arrested on the streets.
I believe one of the main reasons for such a high recruit is drugs!
I remeber interning at a prison back in school, and I was told by the time the weekend was out, 40 new inmates were going to be transferred here. mind you, these are people that are arrested on the streets.
I believe one of the main reasons for such a high recruit is drugs!
Of course those people need to go to jail too. Although, people like you mentioned that do not pax taxes, etc. usually go to federal prision, not state prison or county jail. AND you would have to owe A LOT of taxes or had to be involved in some major scandal or some kind of "white collar crime" which are the types of crimes you are referring to (non-violent). Federal Prison AKA "Club Fed" is where Martha Stewart went and it is not even close to being as hardcore as a state penitentiary.
IMO we can't put ENOUGH people in jail these days. Over poulation in jails is all too common and then they start letting people out who should not be out and BAM the cycle starts all over again. Most people that have adopted a criminal lifestyle will never change JMO tho.
IMO we can't put ENOUGH people in jail these days. Over poulation in jails is all too common and then they start letting people out who should not be out and BAM the cycle starts all over again. Most people that have adopted a criminal lifestyle will never change JMO tho.
I think that the biggest problem is that we put people so young in jails and prisions that - that lifestyle is all they end up knowing. They actually learn to be successful there as opposed to being successful as a productive citizen. There is NOT rehabilitaion in prison and if you think there is - I am sorry but you are wrong... Prison just keeps you a criminal. And when you get out - even if you wanted to be on the up and up you cannot be because it is virtually impossible to get a job that will provide for you (let alone if you have a family). Thus creating the need for $$ and inspiring once again criminal activity. I think that if you are under the age of 25 and convicted of a NONVIOLENT crime...ALL sentences should be to SERVE your country - NOT your time. Put them in the military and let them accquire life skills, a trade, and respect. JMO
I think we jail too many people for getting caught with a quarter-ounce of marijuana while I know rapists that are still free.
Yes. I definitely think it's a self-reinforcing culture. And once youth is labeled as a "criminal" or sent to juvie, they internalize that image of themselves and it's much harder to start a new life.
I don't think the problem lies in jailing too many people. It lies in how the laws are written in both the federal and state arena. The severity on how we classify certain offenses rests in this. My dad has worked in the federal prison system his entire career- most are in for white collar or DRUGS (the big one), associated w/ gangs. Most state and county seem to be drugs. Without getting political, this is where part of the root of the problem is, as well as the fact that there is non-rehabilitation for certain sects because you are returning individuals to that lifestyle. Sure there are violent people have who raped and murdered, but you also have the fact that there is so called "prison justice" in place- I am not saying it is right, but it is common knowledge that when a person convicted of a child sex crime is brought in, that he is not going to be around long unless heavily monitored and guarded by staff.
Actually, in California you are given a citation (notice to appear) for a quarter ounce of weed. This is an infraction.......like running a stop sign just FYI (You would NEVER be taken to jail for it).
Additionally, stupid programs on TV such as the aforemention "Prison Nation" simply glorify these idiots in the prison system and make it look like a great thing to do. These shows are interesting, but all it does is promote the glorification of criminal behavior.
The justice system in America is shameful and has failed miserably on countless occasions over the years.
We indeed jail far too many people, most for stupidity - pure and simple, than real, dangerous crimes. Law enforcement should stop making a big deal out of the irrelevant and go back to the field to catch the men and women who are a danger to our society!
We indeed jail far too many people, most for stupidity - pure and simple, than real, dangerous crimes. Law enforcement should stop making a big deal out of the irrelevant and go back to the field to catch the men and women who are a danger to our society!
Absolutely. Most of it is because of non-violent drug crimes. After the beginning of the Drug War the prison population skyrocketed. 88% of drug arrests over the last year were for marijuana as well... and kristie California is one of the few states where you are given a citation for pot, in most you are arrested and sentenced to either jail or probation.
People who are arrested for drug crimes need rehabilitation, not prison. Going to prison makes you even more of a criminal by building your connections with other criminals. It's like school for criminals. Prisoners learn how to commit other, worse crimes because they'll need money when they get out and they won't be able to get a good job.
I also agree that it's because of the way the laws are written. However, it is clear that it is the prohibition of drugs that breeds crime, not the drugs themselves. Alcohol is by far the most socially damaging drug and it is legal. Two-thirds of all violent crime incidents are related to alcohol.
In Hamburg, Germany heroin addicts are given heroin by the government. And guess what? Crime fell drastically. The amount of heroin needed to sustain an addict costs pennies, but on the street it would cost hundreds of dollars. Heroin itself is not expensive; prohibition raises the price astronomically.
Drug prohibition is a war on minorities and the lower-class. First you have the 100-1 sentencing law for cocaine and crack. Under federal law 5g of crack is an automatic minimum TEN YEARS but it would take 500g of powdered cocaine to get that same sentence. Crack and cocaine are the same thing; cocaine is the acidic form and crack is the basic form. This is a law that is racially motivated. It is well known that crack is used in the inner cities and cocaine is used by rich people.
America has the LARGEST PRISON POPULATION IN THE WORLD. This is a travesty. And we are supposed to be "Home of the Free"? The vast majority of people in prison should not be there. They are there for non-violent crimes. People should be in prison so that they cannot hurt others, not as punishment. It has been found by criminologists, sociologists and psychologists that punitive measures, such as jail time, do not reform people. It only makes them more of a criminal.
We need to spend the money that is currently being spent putting non-violent offenders in jail on fixing the root cause of most non-violent crime: POVERTY. America has some of the poorest inner cities in the world and yet we're the richest country? It doesn't add up. With all the aid we send overseas, 2 BILLION a year to Egypt alone, we should be aiding our poverty stricken inner cities.
I wrote a paper on this for my class. I had to read mountains of research and it became pretty obvious that America's "Justice" system is a joke, that racism is still institutionalized and that drug laws need to be reformed.
Just my .02
People who are arrested for drug crimes need rehabilitation, not prison. Going to prison makes you even more of a criminal by building your connections with other criminals. It's like school for criminals. Prisoners learn how to commit other, worse crimes because they'll need money when they get out and they won't be able to get a good job.
I also agree that it's because of the way the laws are written. However, it is clear that it is the prohibition of drugs that breeds crime, not the drugs themselves. Alcohol is by far the most socially damaging drug and it is legal. Two-thirds of all violent crime incidents are related to alcohol.
In Hamburg, Germany heroin addicts are given heroin by the government. And guess what? Crime fell drastically. The amount of heroin needed to sustain an addict costs pennies, but on the street it would cost hundreds of dollars. Heroin itself is not expensive; prohibition raises the price astronomically.
Drug prohibition is a war on minorities and the lower-class. First you have the 100-1 sentencing law for cocaine and crack. Under federal law 5g of crack is an automatic minimum TEN YEARS but it would take 500g of powdered cocaine to get that same sentence. Crack and cocaine are the same thing; cocaine is the acidic form and crack is the basic form. This is a law that is racially motivated. It is well known that crack is used in the inner cities and cocaine is used by rich people.
America has the LARGEST PRISON POPULATION IN THE WORLD. This is a travesty. And we are supposed to be "Home of the Free"? The vast majority of people in prison should not be there. They are there for non-violent crimes. People should be in prison so that they cannot hurt others, not as punishment. It has been found by criminologists, sociologists and psychologists that punitive measures, such as jail time, do not reform people. It only makes them more of a criminal.
We need to spend the money that is currently being spent putting non-violent offenders in jail on fixing the root cause of most non-violent crime: POVERTY. America has some of the poorest inner cities in the world and yet we're the richest country? It doesn't add up. With all the aid we send overseas, 2 BILLION a year to Egypt alone, we should be aiding our poverty stricken inner cities.
I wrote a paper on this for my class. I had to read mountains of research and it became pretty obvious that America's "Justice" system is a joke, that racism is still institutionalized and that drug laws need to be reformed.
Just my .02
How does Prison Nation glorify criminals? I didn't get that impression at all.
I'd also like to know why MORE people should be put in jail.
My little brother was sentenced at age 18 to 14 years (7 and 7-running wild I think is what they call it- or consecutive something like that for that same amount~And his life nor my family's will ever be the same. He was an all district basketball player and the son of two education administrators. He is now 27 and has the common sense of nothing more than a 16 year old - he is completely clueless on how the world works and has already had his parole revoked for speeding tickets. Sick to say but I honestly think he felt relief knowing he was been sent back up - I think he actually feels "successful" in prison. He is a tremendous athlete and just plays basketball while he is there. I can't even begin to understand the loyalty or psuedo brotherhood that can develop amongst the inmates... but I have also never - nor will be - exposed to what they have endured and seen. He did what he could to be the best person he could be, but when it came down to living on the outside - he was just not able to do it. I KNOW this is because of how he has spent his years since he was 18... You know when he was released the first time - I picked him up - the COs didn't even tell wish him well --- they said "See you soon"
I think that says it all.
