Why so many prisoners?

[EWyatt]

Whilst reading the thread "Racially-motivated Prison Rapes" I was struck by the following, so rather than sending the thread off topic I'll start this one.

 

Why does society put so many people in prison?

 

Incarceration of the very violent is sensible, society as a whole deserves protection from such people, enabling the possibility of rehabilitation in a controlled environment.

 

Incarceration of non violent people starts to move into the realm of revenge, driven in a large part by rampant media instilling fear into societies mind. It seems to me that treating people, who for instance sell drugs or fail to pay taxes, like this, can only serve to create hardened criminals. Why do we need to rehabilitate these people behind bars?

 

There must be a better way...

 

 

 

Your entire question/commentary is pointless. You imply that you are against imprisoning the "less violent" criminals; however, you don't supply a solution. So what's YOUR answer? Just let them keep committing "small" crimes and ...forgive? They probably can't pay fines, it's too inhumane (only in America) to put them to work, and they could just NOT comply with any judicial sentence because that would only be a "small" crime which isn't punishable, according to your thinking. Well? Got any other wise ideas?

[dimreepr]

Your entire question/commentary is pointless. You imply that you are against imprisoning the "less violent" criminals; however, you don't supply a solution.

 

 

It’s not pointless, if you’re the one in prison (for stealing a loaf of bread to feed your starving family), and in what universe do you need to supply a solution in order to ask a question?

 

 

They probably can't pay fines, it's too inhumane (only in America) to put them to work, and they could just NOT comply with any judicial sentence because that would only be a "small" crime which isn't punishable, according to your thinking. Well?

 

 

Have you even read the rest of this thread? When do I advocate people shouldn’t be punished?

 

Part of a judge’s job is to decide the punishment, on an individual basis, so things like the ability to pay can be taken into account. Why is it inhumane to put people to work as a punishment? In England community service is a well established form of punishment.

 

 

Got any other wise ideas?

 

 

Yes I have lots of ideas, one of which would be to act on the point ‘phi for all’ made.