Yesterday, I was watching Adam Ruins Everything. It was all about how the prison system has gradually jailed more people for marijuana use, sales. The show pointed out that all of the anti drug programs have been failures, Just Say No, DARE etc. The government has known since the 50's that marijuana is not harmful to adults (25) and is not a gateway drug to Opioids.
There are currently two million Americans in jail for low risk crimes. Prisons have become big business. The government contracts with contractors who build, staff, feed, fine and try very hard to keep their prisoners longer. The contractors pay fees back to the government and everyone is all happy slappy. The prisoners have only seven colleges available to them with a 10,000 long waiting list for a spot to open up. There is near zero rehabilitation. The prisoners are excessively fined for minor infractions and these fines result in extended sentences. The parole boards do not grant parole very often for the simple reason that the prisoners contribute to the corporations bottom line.
Not all jails and prisons are operated like this. Federal prisons are funded by the government. Personally, I think the Feds are missing a terrific opportunity to house dangerous criminals on Adak Island which is located way out on the end of the Aleutian chain. The island is remote, it has a decommissioned Naval base there which includes housing, infrastructure and an old McDonalds. The only risk would be boats but home made boats would not get very far.
One thing the program did not mention is that a lot of Juvenile detention centers are for profit centers, so that is certainly something to think about.
Solitary confinement was discussed. The opinion is that Solidary Confinement is cruel and unusual punishment. They cited an actual case of a young man sent to Ryker's Island in New York, he was kept in Solitary Confinement for two years, never charged and was finally let go. He committed suicide within three months of release.
The entire system is getting a general roasting due to the Epstein suicide in the building just next door. Lots of long hours, poor staffing. Hmm, I bet if it were on a pay per prisoner basis, folks would be paying a lot closer attention.
So, we need to have prison reform in coordination with revision of sentencing for low value crimes.
And of course none of this has anything to do with assault rifles and mass shootings in 'Merica. . . or global warming.
There are currently two million Americans in jail for low risk crimes. Prisons have become big business. The government contracts with contractors who build, staff, feed, fine and try very hard to keep their prisoners longer. The contractors pay fees back to the government and everyone is all happy slappy. The prisoners have only seven colleges available to them with a 10,000 long waiting list for a spot to open up. There is near zero rehabilitation. The prisoners are excessively fined for minor infractions and these fines result in extended sentences. The parole boards do not grant parole very often for the simple reason that the prisoners contribute to the corporations bottom line.
Not all jails and prisons are operated like this. Federal prisons are funded by the government. Personally, I think the Feds are missing a terrific opportunity to house dangerous criminals on Adak Island which is located way out on the end of the Aleutian chain. The island is remote, it has a decommissioned Naval base there which includes housing, infrastructure and an old McDonalds. The only risk would be boats but home made boats would not get very far.
One thing the program did not mention is that a lot of Juvenile detention centers are for profit centers, so that is certainly something to think about.
Solitary confinement was discussed. The opinion is that Solidary Confinement is cruel and unusual punishment. They cited an actual case of a young man sent to Ryker's Island in New York, he was kept in Solitary Confinement for two years, never charged and was finally let go. He committed suicide within three months of release.
The entire system is getting a general roasting due to the Epstein suicide in the building just next door. Lots of long hours, poor staffing. Hmm, I bet if it were on a pay per prisoner basis, folks would be paying a lot closer attention.
So, we need to have prison reform in coordination with revision of sentencing for low value crimes.
And of course none of this has anything to do with assault rifles and mass shootings in 'Merica. . . or global warming.
No comments:
Post a Comment