it’s an endless debate, with good points on both sides. are we really rehabilitating criminals, or are we casting them into a lifetime of crime, where most continue to live criminal lives, even behind bars? prison life is, by its very nature, a violent culture.
prisoners have a decent life for the crimes they have committed. they receive hot meals, a temperature-controlled environment, a free education, laundry service, medical and dental care and visitation from their families during the week. they have limited internet access and are allowed to make phone calls. i don’t think i need to point out who pays for all of this.
with that said, i see the value in rehabilitating criminals who have the potential (and determination) to be rehabilitated. if a convicted criminal can rejoin society and be a productive member, let’s welcome them back. if not, let’s leave them to do what they will on the inside…with few rights and fewer privileges. perhaps no privileges at all.
you’ll find there are generally two kinds of people who break the law: those who are inherently evil and will bend rules and break laws wherever and whenever they can. then there are those who are in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with desperate circumstances and no way to get out.
the man who killed the officer is part of a recognized white supremacy group. he’s killed behind bars before and according to statistics, he’s likely to do it again. what does he have to lose now by killing again? how many rights will this man be allowed to infringe upon before someone takes all of his rights away permanently? besides killing members of rival gangs, gang members are more likely to be involved in other criminal activity, too, including drug trafficking, theft, and identity fraud.
it’s time to reevaluate prison sentencing and the privileges/rights prisoners enjoy behind bars. 15 visits a day to the u of u medical center? why aren’t doctors going INTO the prison? it must be expensive to transport prisoners to the university from draper and gunnison. we don’t need more laws…we just need to be smarter about our rehabilitation process. let’s leverage the system for society’s benefit.
this is just one of the many reasons i am opposed to mandatory minimum sentencing. the law is interpretive. judges, or a panel of judges, should evaluate cases one at a time, and impose the proper sentence on the criminal. two people may commit the same crime, but extenuating circumstances may warrant a different sentence for both.
i feel deeply for the slain officer’s family, friends and co-workers. they will mourn his loss every day for the rest of their lives.
~jess
YEAH! for jess’s first post.
Now to the health care question. If the government is not obligated to provide me, a private law abiding citizen with “free” (meaning someone else pays for it) health care, then criminals shouldn’t get it. If the prisoner wants to “earn” health coverage through a work program, fine. But short of a life threatening incident, prisoners shouldn’t get “free” care.
I have to pay for my health coverage and so should they.
Having many friends as correctional officers, I felt sick and scared when this happened. I have spent many hours talking about the criminal justice system with them and I agree with many points you covered here, Jess.
The health care that inmates receive is usually basic and no-frills. Most services are provided at the jail (Medical, dental, eyecare, mental health). I believe that they are only transported off site in cases where they cannot receive that care behind bars. Then they are sent to the University of Utah. A prison is not going to purchase a hideously expensive MRI machine, they are going to transport the inmate to the hospital. There are medical problems they just cannot handle. WAY too expensive. And let’s face it: If your loved one is in there? You want them to have medical care if they are sick or in a serious situation.
The correctional system isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination.
you make a good point, lor… if i had a loved one there, i would want them to have medical care…but i expect them to compensate for it in some manner. i agree with tom on this one. if i had to have an MRI, or other expensive test, i am the one who is going to bear the brunt of that cost…and i haven’t been convicted of any crimes.
I agree with everything posted, I just have one point to make. It is true we are saving money by shipping prisoners to the U, but at what cost to innocent people receiving treatment there? As seen this past week, no one in that hospital was safe. I hate spending money on criminals, but if it comes down to saving lifes or buying an MRI machine, my only question would be, “who do I make the check out to.”
-_- i really disagree with most of what you said. you make prison sound like a good think, but in truth 30,000 is how much they “spend” on each inmate. it’s sad really, it isn’t even close to how you put it. well thats just me though.
Jess, poverty and a lack of education causes a large majority of these criminals to commit crimes in the first place. You need to make sure EVERY inmate has a proper education behind bars. These inmates can not be around other inmates, they need to be influenced in a positve way by educated people. Also, the prison guards are assholes, take it from someone who has been behind bars. The only thing those guards do is make sure you stay behind bars as long as possible.
YOur post is full of lies. You need to research BOTH sides of the bars before you make those claims. WHy do they get health care? Because there is no possible way they can provide their own. And if you actually call it health care. The most common complaint of a prisoner is the food. Its nasty, fatty, greasey discusting discards of the food process, not only that just barely makes the minimum calorie intake of daily life, imagine years of constantly being hungry becuase you werent given enough food to actaully relieve your hunger pains, and dental care, is almost non existant, the tooth paste they give act better as a make shift arts and craft paste then to actually clean teeth.
Ask any prisoner, but before you do watch Quiet Rage or at least visit http://www.prisonexp.org that will at least show the effects of prison on the mentalitly of people in this very lavish prison setting as you think it is. And keep in mind that this was a controled short term experiment. Add in the factors of years not days, the ever pressence of violence, and the exposure to diseases such as hepititus, aids, staph infections, lice and scabies.
Jammed into a cell thats 8×8 with 2 other people, one toilet with no seat. We are just scratching the surface. But honestly the people that are the worst inside a prison are the guards.
If you done believe ne I challenge you to try it yourself. Put your money, or in this case your life were your mouth is. Theres always room for more in that oh so cosy enviroment you have stated it to be.
Go ahead call me a liar. But I would know better then you. I was actually behind the bars at one point.