America's Prison Habit

Washington Post ^ | 24 January 2004 | By Alan Elsner

[shrinkermd]

After 25 years of explosive growth in the U.S. prison system, is this country finally ending its love affair with incarceration? Perhaps, but as in any abusive relationship, breaking up will be hard to do.

Since 1980 the U.S. prison and jail population has quadrupled in size to more than 2 million. In the process, prisons have embedded themselves into the nation's economic and social fabric. A powerful lobby has grown up around the prison system that will fight hard to protect the status quo. There are some positive signs, as set forth in Vincent Schiraldi's Nov. 30 article in the Outlook section. Fiscal pressures may indeed slow the growth of the vast U.S. prison system. But reversing the trend of the past quarter-century is another matter

[shrinkermd]

"Even efforts by some states to speed up the release of nonviolent offenders are unlikely to reduce the total prison population by much. The Bureau of Justice Statistics has found that two-thirds of those released from prison on parole are re-arrested within three years. Released prisoners face institutional barriers that make it difficult for them to find a place in society. Welfare reform legislation in 1996 banned anyone convicted of buying or selling drugs from receiving cash assistance or food stamps for life. Legislation in 1996 and 1998 also excluded ex-felons and their families from federal housing.

Among the defects in the prison system is the lack of Christian forgiveness. After doing their time, prisoners should have every opportunity and assistance to rejoin mainstream society in a participatory and productive way. Seemingly, the current system is designed to punish for all time what was a one time crime.

[toomuchcoffee]

Have you lost your mind?? In prison you can get a college education, job training and buff up to your hearts content. You can even get more deeply established in you hate group of choice and/or gang. The only thing that keeps ex-cons from making a go of it is attitude. Period!

[Salman]

The whole notion of a "penitentiary" has been lost. That is to say a place to become penitent. We have rape camps which are finishing schools for violent criminals.

[AntiGuv]

I don't have much to add except that I completely agree with you.

[Cubs Fan]

Ridiculous

We don't punish criminals enough in this country. Examples--

Dru Sjodin's murderer had two prior violent rapes, one involved kidnapping at knife point, why is he out? So he could kill his next rape victim?

A guy in Wilmette Illinois recently shot an intruder (and was charged for it, because "guns are bad, ummkay") The intruder had over 30 arrests in his lifetime. Why is he out?

A guy in Hammond, David Maust, was found with three dead juveniles in his basement. He had killed two juveniles and stabbed another prior to that. Why was he out?

The real truth is in spite of the "large" (sob sob) prison population we don't punish criminals enough in this country. Constantly stories arise of evil predators out among us killing and destroying more lives instead of in jail where they belong.

Crimninals need to be put away, and habitual criminals need to be put away forever. If that means building more prisons, then hell yeah, by all friggin means, go for it.

I can only hope that this AP moron is wrong, because if we are going the other way and becoming more lax on criminals, we will all reap the misery that will surely follow with higher violent crime rates in ever category.

[Cubs Fan]

Welfare reform legislation in 1996 banned anyone convicted of buying or selling drugs from receiving cash assistance or food stamps for life. Legislation in 1996 and 1998 also excluded ex-felons and their families from federal housing.

Wow, criminals can't live forever having a free ride at taxpayer expense? I think I will wring my hands and cry the rest of the day, that's just so friggen sad (boo hoo).

[DustyMoment]

---

Liberal bed-wetting, hand-wringing, whining alert

---

People who employ no personal responsibility in their life and career choices, choosing, instead, to live off of the efforts of others, belong in prison. Prison, today, is an icon of liberals who hold prisoners and ex-cons up as "victims of a heartless society" and as "people who are worthy of idolatry".

What the author conveniently ignores, in his liberal rant against the prison system, is that prior to Clinton's decision to initiate a recession in 1999 and 2000 by raising interest rates simply because he could manipulate Greenspan into doing it (which Greenspan has admitted), employment was so hot and the pool of unemployed workers was growing so small, that ex-cons were being hired for very lucrative and well-paying jobs.

There are other instances of ex-cons getting out and returning to lawful employment that the author refuses to acknowledge. The biggest problem with the recidivism rate is that too many cons LIKE their illegal career activities and don't feel as though they are risking anything by continuing their life of crime.

Look at how their life of crime pays off for them:

1) It effectively allows them to avoid taking responsibility for anything,
2) Crime allows them to live off of the efforts of others by stealing money or goods that can be sold or traded for cash or drugs,
3) Once caught, the criminal is provided an attorney at the expense of those of us who work and pay taxes,
4) While incarcerated, the criminal is housed, clothed, fed, educated and provided with better healthcare than most law-abiding people can afford at the public's expense,
5) While incarcerated, criminals are provided access to gyms, cable TV and law libraries that allow them to file frivolous lawsuits that clog the courst and cost more taxpayer money,
6) Many criminals CONTINUE their criminal activities in prison (or learn NEW criminal skills) thanks to having access to computers or performing jobs processing sales receipts or other similar functions that bring them into contact with the personal/private information of law-abiding citizens.

Overall, those who choose a life of crime have decided that they want to live other people's lives without WORKING for it; it's much easier for them to steal it. Ask anyone whose identity has been stolen (for example) how easy their life became, constantly having to fight creditors and credit reporting bureaus for YEARS to prove that they are NOT the people who perpetrated fraud and STOLE.

I have expressed my views on criminals before and do not share much sympathy for them. For those ex-cons who are actively trying to turn their lives around, I will do what I can to help them, but most prefer their lives of crime and quickly revert to them. Those who cannot abide by the laws of the land, DO NOT DESERVE TO ENJOY THEIR FREEDOM. Frankly, I consider most prisons to be too nice and part of the problem with prison and the recidivism rate. When prisons are less Club Fed and more like prison should be (a place one shouldn't want to go to; much less return to) crime and the prison population will begin to fall naturally.

Also, we must begin to emphasize personal responsibility and respect for others as examples of good citizenship. As long as the liberal ideal of group identity and pity for those who had tough times and "just don't know any better" prevails (give me a freakin' break), crime and the prison population will continue to rise.

This crappy article and the prisoners it attempts to solicit tears for are part of the reason that those of us who obey the laws live in fear behind locked doors - the very locked doors that the criminals are supposed to live behind.

[Republic If You Can Keep It]

The Bureau of Justice Statistics has found that two-thirds of those released from prison on parole are re-arrested within three years...

And why does this surprise anyone?

This is why "3 strikes & you're out" is such a good idea. Really just common sense.

[kingu]

I agree (ooh, where are those flame proof undies) with your statement to a point; the biggest problem I see is that there isn't enough punishment in the jails. If the jails actually punished the offender, I could see them rejoining society.

But they don't. 'Hard time' is when a prison forgets to pay the cable bill.

Get rid of the perks in prison, make the only entertainment come from a book, make them produce products, and then you'd see a change in the nature of a criminal.

Because right now, all they learn is when to get up, when to go to bed, and what cable channels have the most interesting programs.

[LibertyAndJusticeForAll]

"Most inmates leave prison with no money and few prospects. They may get $25 and a bus ticket home if they are lucky. Studies have found that within a year of release, 60 PERCENT OF EX-INMATES REMAIN UNEMPLOYED. Several states have barred parolees from working in various professions, including real estate, medicine, nursing, engineering, education and dentistry. The Higher Education Act of 1998 bars people convicted of drug offenses from receiving student loans. Prisoners are told to reform but they are given few tools to do so. Once they are entangled in the prison system, many belong to it for life. They may spend stretches of time inside prison and periods outside but they are never truly free."

Apparently an "illegal" is not considered a criminal (even though they are by definition), because they are employed in many industries, taking the jobs that many Americans would gladly take.

[George W. Bush]

The real truth is in spite of the "large" (sob sob) prison population we don't punish criminals enough in this country. Constantly stories arise of evil predators out among us killing and destroying more lives instead of in jail where they belong. Crimninals need to be put away, and habitual criminals need to be put away forever. If that means building more prisons, then hell yeah, by all friggin means, go for it.

The real problem is that we fail to lock up violent criminals permanently. And we should segregate the violent criminals from the non-violent criminals in prisons.

I don't feel safer when they release a murderer or rapist to lock up some drug peddler or a swindler. Or even a former member of the Xlinton regime.

I think we need to focus overwhelmingly on never releasing violent criminals who rape and kill. We need to execute them or at least see to it that there is no more parole for them. They should serve full sentences.

[shrinkermd]

"The real truth is in spite of the "large" (sob sob) prison population we don't punish criminals enough in this country. Constantly stories arise of evil predators out among us killing and destroying more lives instead of in jail where they belong

Many years ago, I visited a prison in Tiawan. I did this after reading about it. What struck me is that there were graded differences in priveleges on the basis of proven cooperation and effort. Further, initially prisoners were submitted to constant (over the loud speaker)references to having been asocial or antisocial and were being incarcerated because of their inability and unwillingness to participate in society. Finally, the graded differences eventually resulted in conjugal visits (a tremendous reinforcer for the age population) that also permitted a gradual entry into real life's pleasures and responsibilities.

Sooner or later (with few exceptions) everyone is released. While three strikes and out seems to be quite popular, I would suggest you speak to a judge. Not rarely, there are gross injustices and excessive sentences by this "one-size-fits all" policy. After all, what are judges for?

Finally, it never hurts to review Mathew 25: 31-46.

[Kaslin]

Apparently an "illegal" is not considered a criminal (even though they are by definition), because they are employed in many industries, taking the jobs that many Americans would gladly take.

You can not lay the blame on just the illegals, you need to look on both sides. If it weren't for employers to hire these illegals then there wouldn't be no proplem for Americans to get the jobs they want.

[FNU LNU]

Few realize that the first penitentiary in the world was founded in Philadelphia in 1792. Of course, jails existed in history for the purpose of holding the accused until trial, but the concept of warehousing crimnals to cause them to repent was entirely new.

Imagine a criminal justice system where prisons didn't even exist, but where a person paid for his crimes rather than having society pay to keep him incarcerated.

Historically, one state existed. If you stole someone's property, say a sheep, and were caught with the animal in your possession, you repaid the victim with two sheep, but you didn't go to prison. The victim also got a financial settlement, a large concern in our time.

If you sold the stolen the sheep, thereby being more involved in the crime, you paid the victim four sheep.

If you committed a capital crime, (murder, rape, kidnapping, etc.) you paid with your life, but you didn't go to prison. Such facilities didn't exist in this nation. They were not needed.

Such a system would completely do away with our newest growth industry, prisons, and restore the victim of crime financially.

I'm not going to tell you where I got the idea for this system, but it's from a reliable source.

[LibertyAndJusticeForAll]

I place all the blame on the Mexican government, our government and the criminal employers who hire illegals.
I would never blame an ignorant, poor and desperate people (except for the ones who commit violent crimes).

[GailA]

The real thing is that the soft on crime pols want that money to spend on MORE SOCIAL ENGINEERING programs. Recidivisim rate is 68% UP from the 62% in the 1983 BJS report.

Crime has gone down in proportion to the number of inmates locked up and executed.

[GailA]

Would you want to hire a convicted child molester, killer or rapist? Or have them live next door to you?

Our 16 year old son's killer plea bargained for 20 years. He only did 14.5, that he served that much time is due to our FIGHTING tooth and nail to keep him in prison for as long as possible. He wanted to see what it FELT LIKE TO KILL. He choose a 16 year old with the physical and emotional make-up of a 13 year old for his victim. Beat my Jeremy to death with a 4 x 4 fence post. More than a dozen blows ALL FROM BEHIND.

He is UN-REHABITIBLE, he is a SOCIO-PATH according to the shrink reports that they did on him at time of trial and before each of the 6 parole hearings.

Despite the fact Tenn offers GEDs, job training and college, he came out with the SAME 5th grade education he went in with.

[Freebird Forever]

Look at how their life of crime pays off for them:

Prison inmates in the US have a higher quality of life than do 50% of the world's population.

[GailA]

BJS Parole & Probation

Probation and Parole Violators in State Prison,
1991: Survey of State Prison Inmates, 1991

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Special Report

August 1995, NCJ-149076

(Note: This file does not contain data tables. The full text with tables is available from the Bureau of Justice Statistics Clearinghouse, 800-732-3277. Use title and NCJ number to order.)

By Robyn L. Cohen BJS Statistician

In 1991, 45% of State prisoners were persons who, at the time they committed their offense, were under conditional supervision in the community--either on probation or on parole.

Based on the offense that brought them to prison, the 162,000 probation violators committed at least 6,400 murders, 7,400 rapes, 10,400 assaults, and 17,000 robberies, while under supervision in the community an average of 17 months.

Based on the offense that brought parolees back to prison, these 156,000 offenders committed at least 6,800 murders, 5,500 rapes, 8,800 assaults, and 22,500 robberies, while under supervision in the community an average of 13 months.

These are some of the results of a national survey in which personal interviews were conducted with 13,986 inmates in 277 State correctional facilities nationwide. Data were collected on individual characteristics of State prison inmates: their status at time of admission, past and current offenses, their victims, their criminal histories, and their prior drug and alcohol use.

Highlights

* Thirty-five percent of State prison inmates in 1991 were convicted of a new offense that they had committed while they were on probation or parole from a previous sentence; 10% of the inmates had been returned to prison for technically violating the conditions of their probation or parole.

* Probation and parole violators comprised 30% of all the offenders in State prison for a violent crime. Probation and parole violators comprised 56% of inmates incarcerated for property offenses, 41% for drug offenses, and 85% of those in prison for public-order offenses.

Mash the link for the full BJS report. * Collectively, probation and parole violators committed 90,639 violent crimes while being supervised in the community (based on reported convictions). * More than 1 in 4 probation and parole violators were in prison for conviction for a violent crime.