Nothing much is achieved by putting Madoff in Supermax except scaring the crap out of him for the rest of his unnatural life and putting his life in constant peril from other prisoners.
That’s not too useful.
IMO he would be better in a medium security prison with minimal creature comforts and a job making license plates. He can’t dig ditches at his age and it would be silly to make him try. But he certainly can stamp license plates, one after the other after the other, day in, day out, week after week, month after year, for the rest of his life.
That would be punishment that fits the crime.
(Liz ping)
The point of putting him in Supermax is to demonstrate that his crimes will not be tolerated (and to mollify victims who thirst for justice). Younger more stalwart types should get the message-—you commit these crimes-—you end up here.
That part of the country is interesting-—there are actual official road signs reading “Do Not Pickup Hitchhikers.” Seems some of the inmates manage to escape..... and thumb their way to freedom.