Do you think that prison should be used for punishment or reabilitation?

1. 63

   Scarface1300posted 12 years ago

   Do you think that prison should be used for punishment or reabilitation?

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2. 84

   justateacherposted 12 years ago

   I think prison should do both - punish people for their crimes and give them a chance to rehabilitate. If we don't give them a chance, they will return to the streets and commit the same - or worse - crimes. If they are rehabilitated there is a chance they can become working members of society.

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3. 91

   Pcunixposted 12 years ago

   Neither.  I think it should only be used for those who cannot learn from punishment and cannot be rehabilitated and only then if they actually represent a threat to society.
   
   We have the technology to monitor people closely at far less expense than locking them up costs.  It's not just the direct cost, either: many prisoners have families who end up on welfare because of the prison or jail sentence.  That dependency sometimes continues after the sentence is served as it is very difficult to find a good paying job after serving a prison sentence.
   
   Put GPS bracelets on them, require regular parole visits, send people out to spot check on them.  Provide education and training where possible - prison should be the absolute last resort.

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4. 78

   Credence2posted 12 years ago

   I concur with the 'teacher', prisons should be there to do both punish and rehabilitate. There is room for a great deal of improvement as to how the penal system operates today, however.

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5. 59

   Peanutritiousposted 12 years ago

   Prison should be a last resort.  People should have a chance to rehabilitate. I was sent to prison and was the last person in the world that I thought would end up in such a situation. I defended myself against a drunken man by grabbing the nearest thing to hand as he was headbutting me and ripping my hair out. I stabbed him in his bicep.  Not something I would ever do under normal circumstances.  Because I was a Teacher, I was made an example of.  His history of assaulting women and the GBH on his record was not even considered. I lost my job, my career, my home and was sent to prison.  Two years later I can not get a job for love nor money.

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6. 61

   Apostle Jackposted 12 years ago

   It should be used for both. A chance to look at ones self a little closer and do better should be the focus. The HARDER the head........the LONGER THE ROAD.

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7. 79

   ii3rittlesposted 12 years ago

   Prison should be a place where people are placed that CAN NOT live a life without putting harm towards other people.
   
   There are so many innocent people getting hurt, killed, rapped, robbed, every day and the ones who do this still flood the streets. As bad as this sounds, they should have an island or something where these people are sent until they prove they can be civil and not harm others in any way.
   
   But the "system" would collapse if this were to happen. The governments need these people to do evil towards others. Its sick.

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8. 60

   rlahaposted 12 years ago

   I completely agree with Pcunix on this one.  The justice system in the US is really not a fair one.  Murderers and rapists don't get nearly enough of the sentence they deserve and some petty criminals get to stay in prison for much longer than they probably should.  It doesn't seem fair.  So yes, what Pcunix says should be the way to go.  Good question!

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9. 0

   Old Empresarioposted 12 years ago

   Both, but I think there should be less laws and that drugs should be legalized.

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10. 88

    Doc Snowposted 12 years ago

    Rehabilitation.  Society gains that way--assuming that there is some success in the 're-habbing.'

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11. 61

    kkuma01posted 12 years ago

    The current way that we have our justice system it is only used to house and punish. There is no way to rehabilitate. We have to think differently and re write the laws and essentially overhaul the "justice system"
    I didn't answer the question though. It should be used for both...with the realization that some people will not be rehabilitated.

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12. 62

    Nefarious_Miseryposted 12 years ago

    Rehabilitation is a myth. It only exists in the minds of those attempting to "help". The reality of the fact is that most of those that have a pre-disposition to crime are that way for a reason. They've already learned that it's much easier to make money on the streets than it is in a 9-5 job. You can rehabilitate all you want, but once they've had a taste for that easy money, it's damn near impossible to walk away from it.
    
    And punishment is all a matter of perspective. To someone who has lived in poverty most of their life, a prison would seem like a pretty good deal wouldn't it?

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13. 61

    sen.sush23posted 12 years ago

    The question is whether the prison should be used for punishment or rehabilitation - the answer is rehabilitation.
    I do not understand how the question of not having prisons arises. Sometimes there is dearth of circumstantial evidence and the criminal escapes law. At other times there may be none to justify to the innocence of an accused. The second is unfortunate and is a failing of the judicial system (just as no system is fail -proof). To avoid that we must consider to strengthen the investigative processes of the judiciary and police. But the prison assures through confinement away from society that the person who has violated the rights of another, will not have the scope to do that again, till proven not to have intentions to willfully do the same.

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14. 67

    ptosisposted 12 years ago

    Quakers design the first modern prison - the penitentiary. read more

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15. 61

    NiaLeeposted 12 years ago

    both, I don't agree with having people put together where they can become worst, I believe in making them useful and having a system and people who can help them change.
    What is the use to use your tax dollars to make somebody worst and have them come back in the society???NONE
    The problem is in our system everything is business and where the system makes big bucks, they go.

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16. 69

    Cat Rposted 12 years ago

    I think prison should be both for minor to medium crimes. I am a firm believer that drug dealers, murderers, child molesters and such forfeit their right to live and that if they are without a doubt proven guilty, should be executed!
    
    I am also a big fan of the way how the Sheriff in Arizona run his jail! If we had more jails like it, we would have less crime!

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