Prison isn't rehabilitative. No duh, Pat. However, I just had a new perspective or paradigm occur to me after watching an arbitrary movie.

In the same vein of "the Allegory of the Cave", I was watching a Jet Li movie called Unleashed where the character was nearly catatonic while he had some sort of collar on, but when the collar was removed, he was 'unleashed'.

The contrast isn't between collar on and collar off. The story line uses the banal theme of how the beast is tamed when love is introduced. In the early part of the movie, he's a complete caged animal, then after gaining a family for a short period he is (of course) completely domesticated and well-socialized. Unfortunately, because of how evil his old master is, he's forced back into his old life of living in a cage, etc, etc....

Anyhow, the thought struck me as to how his imprisonment prior to his 'seeing the light' or learning the power of love that a family provides, was obviously not a tribulation upon his psyche...because he didn't have one. However, when he is reintroduced to imprisonment; after he developed the love for his new family, it's glaring how his imprisonment would now be acutely painful.

My [developing] thesis is that I believe the majority of inmates in our prisons are not sacrificing enough; their penalty, while seemingly harsh to socialized folk like you and I, doesn't hurt them. Their backgrounds aren't too dissimilar to imprisonment, so I'd imagine in many cases a sentence is many times a comeupance. At least now they are promised 3 hots and a cot. There are many there just like them to socialize with, where they may not have had that prior to sentencing.

I've been in jail overnight once, so I can't comment on prolongued incarceration, however, as a soldier I've experienced extreme deprivation. More than once, the thought has crossed my mind how the Army, at times, can be similar to being in jail. Maybe you're on an extended deployment or field problem, and you'd rather not be; but you have no say as to when you can go home. You know what I'm talking about. This feeling was never more focused as when I was 18, had no frame of reference for what Basic Training, or my first year or so with my unit would be like, and didn't particularly care for what I was doing or the Army for that matter. (Times, of course, have changed. )

Last thing I'll say is that the criminal justice system here in the USA will continue to not rehabilitate until it's universally refined to where not only does the punishment fit the crime (yeah, right) but that the punishment fits the criminal. Or at least until punishments at least become a little bit more strenuous....ala Joe Arpaio.

 

I agree. How do you suggest we accomplish this? A psychoanalysis of every inmate to insure the worse possible punishment? Although I believe the ends would eventually justify the means, a lot of people will never be willing to dish out the costs or be patient enough. Something like this would require a lot of funding I'd imagine. We're talking money for the psychoanalysis all the way to the cost in providing a unique environment for each prisoner, or at least one that closely matches their psyche.

I'd suggest an environment much like Pelican Bay for every facility except you'd get zero contact with other inmates. Don't allow them any social contact and you'll completely eliminate the superiority spotlight they crave. They wouldn't even know other prisoners existed in the same prison. I could keep going on with this for hours.

I think the key to crime prevention should lie in trying to rekindle the backbone of our prisons (as mentioned above) and judicial system. Although it wouldn't prevent crime from the truly desperate and mentally unstable, it would make a lot of people think twice. Think about the mockery our system has become for a second. When you think about our judicial & prison system compared to that of Singapore there's major differences that expose how ineffective our system has become.

I'm not saying we lock-up people because they dropped a gum wrapper on the floor. But what I am suggesting is more serious managerial-type stance. For example, when you work for pay in a particular establishment and deliver sub-par work, your boss may threaten employment or fire you on the spot. But if you continue to slack-off and your boss continuously does nothing, then you'll continue to take advantage of the system. I can relate this particular scenario to our ridiculous appeals and probation/correctional system.

 

Well, to start, it's similar to me to how I hear about some corporations willingly instituting nap time and free health care and no smoking policies. Arguably, these revolutionary concepts could cost them big time initially, but fortunately someone on their board of directors is far-sighted and has convinced his associates how the initial cost will be far outweighed by long term savings.

I'm not talking about torture. I'm just saying that extreme deprivation and maybe even humiliation, without violating human rights, is worth investigating.

For whatever reason, I've been pondering this about my own self lately. Personally, there are a lot of laws and social mores that I don't really understand or embrace. The speed limit is an obvious one. I've been known to break vehicle registration laws a time or two. (I won't get much more in-depth than that. Ha.) However, most laws, whether I agree or disagree with them, carry too high of a penalty for me to even consider breaking them; even when the potential for getting caught is negligible. I'd consider myself to be one who isn't in prison, for large part because I'd rather follow laws I don't agree with than suffer through detention and possible rape. I'm not a little guy and I'm pretty confident with my hands, but strength and being a badass alone won't save ones butthole if 10-12 dudes think you're pretty.

 

Absolutely.

That's part of my point with the work/management analogy.

Not to get too off topic here but I've always wondered if criminals that go out of their way to break the law have homosexual tendencies? I can see me going to jail for murder if someone raped/killed my wife or daughter, but I would never cross the line on laws that carry high penalties for less significant reason(s).

There are a lot of people out there that are continuously warned by peers, friends, and family on how their actions will eventually lead to the slammer. When exactly does the possibility of getting *** raped fall into the equation, if at all? And if you're confident that you'll rise to the top of the social ladder in prison, then are you the pitcher by nature? How can you be so sure that you won't the be catcher should you not rise to the top? Is this a chance you're willing to take?

Sleep deprivation and humiliation aside, the though of being bebe's b!tch is the FIRST thought that keeps me from acting out with my potentially hot temper. Maybe this is proof that ignorance will always cancel out a judicial system that’s taken seriously?

 

Wow!!! That's a really inciteful opinion Pat. I've definetly thought of the Army as a sort of "imprisonment" before. That being said however, one could infer because soldiers seem to be more apt to experience sacrifice which is obviously internally mitigated by personal motive. I know that if I am to die for my country others will benefit indirectly from it. Having said that you would have to instill a set of morals within the prisoners as dictated by the norms of society which obviously hasn't been done. Doing that would be considered "rehabilitation". I guess we should start an ethics forum now.

 

You know, something Salty said brings a thought to mind.

Proof that I'm not a sociopath (or a homo) lies in the fact that I'm not breaking laws, at least not grievously. However, I've always wondered about the thoughts I have. No different than many of y'all probably, but like sometimes wishing I had a James Bond-esque license so that I could be the judge/jury/executioner. Most of the folks who are in these fantasies really deserve to be beaten and terrorized, but though I judge I do realize I can't sentence.

 

All I will say about that is it's now very clear to me that enlistment in the Infantry and I were not compatible. I think I've told y'all about my brushes with the UCMJ.

Let's just say I've got a truly unique perspective when I have to punish my soldiers.