Prison is worse than a zoo.

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   SimeyCposted 13 years ago

   I was watching Lockup today and I was amazed that humans are confined to so little area for 23 hours in some cases - as humans we complain when animals are confined, an many zoos vastly increase the area an animal is given - but we then cage humanity  - some of these men commited horrible crimes but what does that say about society when they are confided to less than 50 square foot - we are simply making them even more animalistic!
   
   Sadly there soesn't seem to be any other way to treat them, but it seems so inhuman to me!

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      couturepopcafeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      You're right.  And with prison corruption on top of it, even if someone did want to change, they couldn't.  I think brain re-entrainment for all convicted felons is the way to go.  More costly up front but less in the long run and far more humane.

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         Hollie Thomasposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I don't know about the US, but in the UK (re; brain entrainment) there has always been some work around thinking skills (cognitive behavioral techniques mostly) Enhanced thinking skills is a course that I believe ran for about 12 weeks, covered consequential thinking etc, etc. Most offenders serving longer sentences, two years plus, had to complete these courses before they could be considered for parole. It was a pre-requisite.
         
         The courses were problematic to deliver (prisoners are often shipped from prison to prison) and they needed to be delivered consistently for desired effect. There were also very mixed results. They were in an artificial setting and there was a lot of role play, what ever new skills had been acquired could not, necessarily, be practiced in the environment they were in. Also, if serving a long stretch, they may well have forgotten what they'd learned on release.
         
         I worked with one man who completed ETS, only to re-offend within six weeks and return to prison. When I asked him why he was back, he told me that he'd been in a fight in the pub (after drinking) he did say though that ETS had made a difference in his life, because prior to the course he would have taken his car  with him( therefore driving whilst under the influence) but he remembered some of the course, and left his car keys at home.

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      recommend1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      There are a load of 'different' ways to treat them, and they all require some kind of effort on the behalf of the prison service and authorities so none will ever materialise during this generation.

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   SpanStarposted 13 years ago

   It is unfortunate that people have to be incarcerated and the conditions somewhat unbearable plus it is my understanding prisons should not be a place comfortable for people to want to go there.
   
   It seems to me once a person is caught and begins the legal process people are so concerned about their welfare where as the same people had no regard for the pain and suffering, torture that they inflict it upon innocent people.
   
   We all have choices in life and breaking into someone's place to do them harm over greed, mistaken identity, lust, treachery etc. brings about little sympathy from me.
   
   As I see it if one doesn't want to face the hardships of being in jail consider obeying the laws it just might be what keeps one out of those institutions.

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3. 87

   mistyhorizon2003posted 13 years ago

   Far better to simply 'put them down', then the square footage of space they are allowed would not be an issue, (at least in the case of criminals who have committed serious crimes like murder, rape or molesting children, cruelty to animals etc).

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      recommend1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Interesting that you list cruelty to animals as a capital offence

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         mistyhorizon2003posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         LOL, it should be

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            couturepopcafeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            If you actually had to put them down yourself, pull the switch, inject the needle yourself, could you do it?  Wouldn't there always be just some small shred of doubt as to their innocence?  I hate prisons insomuch as they are often ruled by gangs and bullies, allowed gold jewelry and other luxuries, but I still say retraining their brains is far more humane.  They can still be incarcerated but not in a cement box with a board for a bed, low nutrition food which only exacerbates their lack of mental function, and subject to gangs and more violence.

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               mistyhorizon2003posted 13 years agoin reply to this

               It depends, if there was any doubt as to their innocence that is a different matter, but of course there are thousands of these prisoners that there is no doubt as to their guilt, and they committed terrible crimes. In those cases I am reasonably confident I could 'pull the switch' if I knew it was legal to do so, (much like being the executioner for death row prisoners). Why should people like this be paid for with your taxes in order to be kept alive and comfortable. If you have a mad dog that bites you or other people you have it put down. In fact quite often you would be forced to even if you were against the idea as the owner. 
               From what I see on the television documentaries the prisons in both the US and the UK are actually very well equipped and the prisoners are well fed. These places are not like Thailand prisons, and are very humane in comparison. That said, I don't know which country the prison featured in 'Lockup' was located.

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   Paddington Greenposted 13 years ago

   The difference is that the animals kept in cages and treated horribly have done nothing wrong.  They have not murdered or raped or beaten a pensioner for their pension, unlike some of those in prison.  Of course in a civilised society, even prisoners should have a certain standard provided for them, but imprisonment should also be a punishment for the often terrible crimes they have committed.

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