US prison system a costly, harmful failure

[nhboy]

"The report on Monday cites examples ranging from former vice-presidential aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby to a Florida woman's two-year sentence for throwing a cup of coffee to make its case for reducing the US prison population of 2.2 million -- nearly one-fourth of the world's total.

It recommends shorter sentences and parole terms, alternative punishments, more help for released inmates and decriminalising recreational drugs as steps to cut the prison population in half, save $US20 ($NZ26.74) billion year and ease social inequality without endangering the public.

But the recommendations run counter to decades of broad US public and political support for getting tough on criminals through longer, harsher prison terms and to the Bush administration's anti-drug and strict-sentencing policies."

US prison system a costly, harmful failure - New Zealand's source for World News on Stuff.co.nz

 

[rack'm]

a .25 round in the back of each of their heads would fix the issue of re-offending and be a LOT cheaper.

 

[godsbutterfly]

"The report on Monday cites examples ranging from former vice-presidential aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby to a Florida woman's two-year sentence for throwing a cup of coffee to make its case for reducing the US prison population of 2.2 million -- nearly one-fourth of the world's total.

It recommends shorter sentences and parole terms, alternative punishments, more help for released inmates and decriminalising recreational drugs as steps to cut the prison population in half, save $US20 ($NZ26.74) billion year and ease social inequality without endangering the public.

But the recommendations run counter to decades of broad US public and political support for getting tough on criminals through longer, harsher prison terms and to the Bush administration's anti-drug and strict-sentencing policies."

US prison system a costly, harmful failure - New Zealand's source for World News on Stuff.co.nz

I don't know what the answer is going to be for the Prison system but I know that when I was doing Prison & Jail Ministry it was so horribly overcrowded it wasn't funny. By the same token I saw the same people being given breaks with Drug Court and Probation over and over and the majority of them simply did not learn. Some did and that gives cause to not judge everybody. It's a tough question that needs a tough solution.