Incarceration, or prisons and jails, have long been used as a form of punishment. Whether or not it is an effective way to do things has long been an argument. Most agree that it just doesn't work, but we aren't sure what the humane alternative is.

The prison or "correction facility" is designed to accomplish four main goals. Some of them are obvious, while others are a little harder to understand.

1. Separation. The first thing that incarceration is supposed to accomplish is the separation of a criminal from the rest of society.
   
2. Punishment. The second goal is to punish the criminal for the wrong things that he or she has done.
   
3. Rehabilitate. While we want that separation and we want punishment, we also want the criminal to learn to become a functioning member of society. To do this the system is supposed to rehabilitate the person so they can live a good life outside of prison (or jail).
   
4. Deter. In addition to treating criminals that have already been found the idea is that the punishment should also deter future criminals from their crimes.
   

It is true that getting in trouble and being placed in jail or prison separates the criminal from society. However, this protection only lasts as long as the incarceration lasts. The moment a person is released we are dependent on the idea that they have been rehabilitated in order to know that we as society are safe. So, separation is one of the more functional parts of incarceration, it only works if the other parts work as well.

If you have ever been inside a jail or a prison then you probably have some idea that it is a punishment. It sure isn't a fun place to be. However, most prisons have a lot of conveniences that should be kept in mind. Some prisoners are released and will admit that they miss certain aspects about the place such as:

• Well cooked and tasty meals.
• The free gym.
• Easy employment.
• Scheduled free time.

Life on the outside is hard and often people in prison find many aspects of prison life a break from that hard life. After all, you will get three well balanced meals a day and in most prisons (at least in the US) the meals will be fairly tasty. You will find yourself with things to do, places to go, and even luxuries many on the outside do not have (such as health care and education).

While prison is a punishment, it is a rather cushiony punishment and for many who struggle with every day life of the lower class it is a lot easier then living on the outside.

Of all the different aspects of prison and incarceration, the one that works the least is rehabilitation. Many people have a hard time returning to a "normal" life after being incarcerated. Many will return to criminal activities and many will be sent back to prison for one reason or another. Often it is a matter of time before they go back. There are a few who change their lives, but it is often in spite of the system rather then because of the system.

If the system was a good one to deter other possible criminals from committing crimes then we would see a reduction in criminal activity. However, for many reasons this system doesn't work at stopping crimes. In fact, in most states criminal activity is on the rise and correction facilities are over loaded, filled to the brim, and being forced to release prisoners early.

Part of the reason it doesn't work is the false belief that one won't get caught. However, there are many out there who believe it is possible that they could one day be caught and continue to do behavior which is unacceptable according to the law of the land. The prison system definitely doesn't deter others from committing crimes.

While each situation is different and each prison is different, it all comes down to the fact that the system doesn't work. We are not helping people who have committed crimes by sending them to prison. We are also not protecting society or eliminating future crime. But we are doing the only thing that we know to do. After all, we know it isn't a good idea to hang them in the streets and we know that other methods of punishment are also inhumane (removing limbs and such). So, where do we go from here?