what are prisons for?

[dolf]

and how should prison, or the threat of prison, be used in our society?

does fear of prison alter your behaviour?

how do you feel about the way prisons are run?

how should they be run?

 

[pete]

and how should prison, or the threat of prison, be used in our society?

does fear of prison alter your behaviour?

how do you feel about the way prisons are run?

how should they be run?

prisons are a deterrent, yeah? a free society can use a prison as a consequence for breaking the laws: you're free and you have all these rights, yet if you break the rules we'll set you down in a place where you're no longer free, and no longer have the rights enoyed by others.

fear of prison is a good behavior modifier, but it doesn't address the moral line that must first be crossed. in order to break laws one has to choose to do the 'wrong' thing. it's this moral line that i choose not to cross, not so much the threat of prison.

i can't speak intelligently about how they're run, but i'm sure it's not easy and i'm sure there's ways it could be run better. i'll leave it to someone with more knowledge on the matter to expand on that.

 

[O-dad's Medium]

In these matters I defer to Foucault.

http://books.google.com/books/about/Discipline_Punish.html?id=AVzuf-r22eoC

 

[NeverEndingMe]

and how should prison, or the threat of prison, be used in our society?

does fear of prison alter your behaviour?

how do you feel about the way prisons are run?

how should they be run?

prison is the place we like to put political leaders that come from the state of Ill

 

[IndieSnob]

Read Foucault.

Also, shaddup, Jen.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Just read a book about prisons. All of the convicts in the book are black. Most agree that prison is where they go when their resources are depleted. Prison allows them to get medical and dental treatments, eat decent food, and social network.

Socio-biologists call prison an ecological niche.

 

[killallhippies]

Erst kommt das Fressen, dann kommt die Moral.

 

[O-dad's Medium]

Is that Adolf?

 

[killallhippies]

it's brecht, you trog.

 

[O-dad's Medium]

it's brecht, you trog.

No need to get snippy.

But I do feel alienated, so well done.

 

[warrior queen]

Prison might have been designed as a deterrent, but not if you're in Oz.
Prisoners have RIGHTS, doncha know?
They should have heating and air conditioning, they should not work longer than 8 hours a day (and must be paid for that work), they should have access to entertainment and recreation, they should receive prompt health care, and they must get varied and nutritionally sound meals.
And lets not forget that they should be treated with respect by their jailors.

 

[killallhippies]

Prison might have been designed as a deterrent, but not if you're in Oz.
Prisoners have RIGHTS, doncha know?
They should have heating and air conditioning, they should not work longer than 8 hours a day (and must be paid for that work), they should have access to entertainment and recreation, they should receive prompt health care, and they must get varied and nutritionally sound meals.
And lets not forget that they should be treated with respect by their jailors.

of course prisoners have rights. they're still people. breaking the law doesn't change that.

 

[warrior queen]

of course prisoners have rights. they're still people. breaking the law doesn't change that.

It's probably just as well I'm not in charge of prisons here.
As far as I am concerned, killers, pedos and rapists have zero rights.
My version of prison for them would be fucking brutal.

 

[killallhippies]

It's probably just as well I'm not in charge of prisons here.
As far as I am concerned, killers, pedos and rapists have zero rights.
My version of prison for them would be fucking brutal.

that's great, but not everyone is in prison for murder, rape and child molestation.

 

[warrior queen]

that's great, but not everyone is in prison for murder, rape and child molestation.

I understand that.
White-collar crims should not be in hardcore prisons.
But there should definitely be a purpose-built hell for the very worst. And it should not have nice, cushy services.

Which is precisely why I am not in a position of authority to force it to happen

 

[Lancecastor]

1.what are prisons for? - anal rape

2. how should the threat of prison, be used in our society? - anal rape

3. does fear of prison alter your behaviour? - see above

4. how do you feel about the way prisons are run? - anal rape

5. how should they be run? - 6 Flags Darien Lake

 

[unregistered]

 

[killallhippies]

I understand that.
White-collar crims should not be in hardcore prisons.
But there should definitely be a purpose-built hell for the very worst. And it should not have nice, cushy services.

Which is precisely why I am not in a position of authority to force it to happen

this is a bunch of simplistic nonsense.

 

[Lancecastor]

They exist to deny one who has seriously broken the law that which he loves the most, but may not realize until it is taken from him.

You mean that bag full of cash from the armored car, right? Damn straight!

 

[KRCummings]

I understand that.
White-collar crims should not be in hardcore prisons.
But there should definitely be a purpose-built hell for the very worst. And it should not have nice, cushy services.

Which is precisely why I am not in a position of authority to force it to happen

You're not in a position to make it happen because you're white trash. It has nothing to do with what your choices would be. At no time have you ever been or will you ever be considered for such a position.

And there aren't very many "cushy" prisons. Maybe you should visit a few.

 

[Plutarch]

The word "penitentiary" comes from the word "penitence". The original purpose of the penitentiary was to reform the inmates. In most of the world, that idea is antiquated, but there are still some naïve hangers-on in Europe, most especially Scandinavia.

 

[Sean]

If prison works, the US should have the lowest crime rate in the world, shouldn't it?

 

[Plutarch]

And there aren't very many "cushy" prisons. Maybe you should visit a few.

Norway.

 

[semen4her]

Freemon lies within.

 

[killallhippies]

If prison works, the US should have the lowest crime rate in the world, shouldn't it?

they do work, but it has very little to do with crime. that is not their purpose.