What should prisons be for?

The four major justifications for prisons are punishment, rehabilitation, deterrence, and protection of society.

As I understand it, punishment existed for a very long time before the inception of prisons as punishment in themselves rather than a holding place until punishment could be carried out.The Apostle Paul was only held in prison until he got his head chopped off, for example.

Now along with this went some level of deterrence, I imagine. If you think you're going to get your head chopped off for breaking the law, you're going to be deterred from doing it. But it wasn't until late 18th/early 19th Century (I think) that deterrence became the primary reason for punishment, as in teaching a moral lesson. You did it out in the open so everyone could see thieves get their hands burned. But I guess hanging people on crosses and lining them along roads is a pretty clear deterrent as well so forget the 18th/19th Century thing.

It wasn't until prisons came into being as the point rather than a transitional part of the justice system that they took on the quality of rehabilitation. Allegedly. Calling something a "penitentiary" doesn't make it so, after all. But that was the early thought, that criminals and sinners sent there would be able to reform themselves into better people and soon no prisons would ever need be built again.

Of course this didn't happen. I don't have figures in front of me, but recidivism had to be as bad then as they are now. And thus we arrive at the final justification: confinement. It may not be doing them any good, it may not be punishing them exactly for what they did, but at least the thieves can't steal any of our stuff and the rapists and murderers can only rape and kill one another. Like a police force transmuted into stone and barbed wire, prisons protect us from criminals, in other words.

But all the same they do punish people, they do deter at least some people from pursuing crime, and a large amount of people do rehabilitate and repent while in prison.

So first of all, what are prisons for, and secondly, what should they be for (if they should exist at all)?

Me, I'd rather chop a thief's hand off than pay tax dollars to support him in prison.

Source: http://forum.gorillamask.net/showthread.php?p=2181722

 

I don't really think the USA's prison system is working at all. For murderers, rapists, and all the other high crimes, it should be for protection from society. But no, some rapists only get 2 fucking years. For drug users, who have their sentences set on overkill, it should be short terms for rehabilitation. There should be a separate prison for them, and focus on killing their addiction.
The prison system should be focused more on change than punishment than it is. Sure a murderer should be punished, but after it is thoroughly done and he really wants to genuinely get his act together, he should be released with strict surveillance.
The prison system should be more focuses on the individual's needs than it is. If a habitual drug user is sentenced to 20 years, if he is completely off of drugs by year 3 he should be released, but with parole for the remainder of his sentence. If he slips back into drugs, he should have to serve until he is off again. If he really screws up, he should serve the entire term that is left.

 

I think you have to separate violent offenders from the nonviolent offenders rather than putting people normally not prone to violence into violent situations. Or you can just legalize marijuana and make room for the violent offenders

 

Dear criminals,

If you're going to commit crimes, you forfeit your right to whine like little bitches about the punishment you receive for those crimes.

Sincerely,

People smart enough not to get caught

 

To confine a bunch of villains into a small city.

 

Ship um to the moon

 

Well i have uncle in prison for the rest of life..and i think...
Prisons should be there but they need to make where they dont have much contact with other inmates because thats just makes it worse and doesnt help them at all

 

wow u took the words outta my mouth...

 

Personally I think convicts should be put in the military. They do crimes in the US make them pay for the US. Simple as that in my eyes.
~ POPGUN ~

 

So when someone kills a child, or sells crack, the first idea that comes to mind is giving them guns, military experience and putting them into warfare?

 

No... you put them into training camps until they are straightened out a little bit then once you know they wont be shooting other innocent civilians then you put them in a squad to fight with other convicted people. that way if they do decide to go on a rampage they are brining other criminals down with them... the government doesn't have to worry about death penalty, or providing them food and shelter... a tent and some water and bread would be a lot cheaper than the prisons they have now. Think about it...
thanks.
~ POPGUN ~

 

That wouldn't work one bit you would just be givin the guns to kill more people..

 

Read the post a head of this one... explains a little bit.
Thanks
~ POPGUN ~

 

Konvict, you're getting to smart for me lol. But yea, prisons idk, im more into the punishment side of things, then again if i did something wrong i wouldnt wanna be punished -.-. Although, i do think for people who rape women/kids etc, they should get fucked. (not literally, well, maybe)

 

That is probably the worst idea I've ever heard. I don't think the idea of prisions is to give convicted felons firearms, however to remove weapons and access to weapons from them.

 

lol, well i think there should be somethin between jail prison and death row, and i think the sentences are messed up too, like on cops a guy stole a car and opened fire on a cop and got 4 years, another guy jsut stole a car and got 18 years....

 

My friend, the sentencing is already screwed up enough. Lets not touch that topic. Maybe in another thread another time

 

Have Anyone you watched Americas Hardest Prisons
Its an example Of how little the Prison Systems are helping There should be Some other way to deal with criminals. Counseling ect Most people in there Comited Armed Robery (65%)( 20%) Murder , Why the Armed Robery Because they are trying to fight for survival and food to eat.

Australias system of the So called Dull should be Brought into America

Dull , If you dont have a job you get Money From the Goverment to live off
That Explains the low Crime rate..

asfor the Prison Systems I think there is Much Needed Improvement

 

First off, lets get of the topic of sentencing for the criminals. Like I said previously, the sentencing issue in America deserves another topic itself. My personal opinion is the NON violent criminals should be released from jail, and put into rehabilitation and strict parole. I think more than half the inmate population is non violent, and personaly housing them is a waste of tax dollars. We should have dormitories for felons doing hard labour, reformatories for juvenile delinquents who aren't irredeemable, and repositories for the bodies of all other criminals.

 

You could have atleast wrote the source or given proper credit to the person who had actually wrote this.

http://forum.gorillamask.net/showthread.php?p=2181722

Prisons exist to physically and mentally discipline humans who go astray form modern society.

I agree with you on that point, but their is no sense in complaining about tax dollars because you have no idea where they will end up in the first place.