But isn't the goal (or shouldn't the goal) of jail to make it so people don't commit more crimes?
If so shouldn't fixing people be the plan. Punishing them and making them harder and less likely to reintegrate is only going to push them to more crime..
I am all for it when it is used as a good reward. We NEED to focus on rehabilitation instead of incarceration.
I know I've said it a thousand times before and I'll say it again: across the border, so so many, if not most offenders have a sad history. No, not growing up poor or simply having it rough, these are men (and women) who fall through the cracks. People who stopped
to school in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. They don't have a future to support themselves and a lot of them don't have the mental capabilities to even comprehend. We need to give them tools to succeed in life, and even if it is something as stupid and silly as rewarding good behavior with a night with their wife then so be it. They need to be taught what it means to be a good citizen as nobody ever cared to show them before.
Those that I have known that have done time in prison usually reoffend. Actually I don't know any that didn't. I know ONE that has managed to stay out for a little while, but he is still quietly dealing pot and pills. I was just writing to say I don't know any violent offenders, but I looked up one of my old friends and he is in prison until 2017 for serious domestic charges. You look them up and it's multiple charges year after year.
Obviously I don't know what programs they went through (other than the FL prison system), but there's definitely an issue there.
Those that I know that reoffended..well, they have nothing to work for. They don't get gainfully employed because of their history. They don't have families. Usually 20 something men that live off warehouse jobs and get into trouble. Then they get back out when they are 30 and get into more trouble. It sucks. My ex (I was kind of stupid) had been in the system (juvie) since he was 13 and has spent MOST of his adult life in prison, house arrest, or on probation. I left him when he was on house arrest and found out he was going out to bars when he was not supposed to. I'm alright if you are working to better yourself but I wouldn't put up with putting yourself at that much risk to go back. He got arrested a month after I broke up with him and was in prison for like 3 years...smh.
And you know, maybe it IS the system keeping them down, but maybe the repeated offenders are just meant to be like that. There's just some people you have to shrug your shoulders at, what are you going to do if they won't help themselves...