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Who did Rob kill? Do you know the circumstances behind it?

As for me, I spent my first year at the Marine Corps brig in Camp Pemdleton and then transferred to USDB for another three years. I can tell you that there was nothing short about my stay there.

I was convicted of numerous national security offenses.
Portions of my court-martial were classified so i am only allowed to tell "parts" of my story, which when told don't make alot of sense or at the least, don't make me look very good.

My sentence was originally 15 years but after serving 3 years, the Secretary of the Navy granted me clemency WITHOUT COMMENT by reducing my sentence to 8 years. I did another year and was paroled after serving half my time. I then spent the next 4 years on parole. I'm happy to say that I've been home for 11 years now.

I loved the military but the military "justice" system is a different beast entirely. If you are unfortunate enough to be in it's sights (for WHATEVER reason), you are screwed. The military enjoys a 98% conviction rate. Perhaps like Stalinist Russia, I suppose only the guilty are charged?

I'm not sure what the conservative view is on prisons in general but I'll offer this and see what responses follow.

The drug laws that have boosted the incarceration rate of the US to being #1 in the world and fills our prisons to over 2 million of our citizens is quite profitable.

Why do we keep building more and more prisons? Well, besides the fact that they need someplace to put everyone they are locking up, there is big money to be made in prisons.

Most prisoners are minorities, though not necessarily racial minorities. Prison labor produces BILLIONS of dollars in revenue. Prison labor has replaced the slave trade in this country. Think about it. Slavery is unacceptable, but by using prisoners to make money off of there is no public outcry. After-all, prisons protect us from criminals and those criminals shouldn't be allowed to have a free ride! Sound familiar?

Before you flip out on me you may want to reread the post a couple times and make sure you understand what I am saying.

I believe there is a need for law and order and for prisons to protect society from the dangerous derelicts that infect it. I am speaking mostly about the drug laws that comprise the majority of prison sentences.

The government has a good thing going. I don't see the complete privatization of the prison industry occurring anytime soon.

As for the military. I agree with the need for a Uniform Code of Military Justice to maintain good order and discipline within the ranks. But have you ever wondered why there is a USDB in the first place? Yes you heard me right, why is there a USDB run by the Department of Defense, housing Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine prisoners?

I understand the function of a brig or stockade, where servicemen are confined for a period of time and then returned to duty. But why does the military hang on to ex-servicemembers who are never going to return to duty or never going to return anywhere for many?

The military isn't in the business of running prisons....is it? (remember, there is BIG money in prisons). USDB generates ALOT of revenue!

USDB typically transfers prisoners to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. You know the FBOP right? They are actually in the business of incarcerating people. We do not call the FBOP to wage war. USDB hangs on to these guys for 10,15 years and then ships them to the feds to make room for some newly convicted lifers. They then keep these guys for 10-20 years and fuel their money machine with them.

Why don't they send convicted service-members sentenced to a punitive discharge and long term confinement to the FBOP in the first place? It's not like these guys are going home. If you read the above, I have already answered the question.

Everyone always complains about how much it costs to house prisoners but they don't understand. The taxpayers (US)are footing the bill and the government (state and federal) collect the profits of prison labor with no overhead. And they even have you feeling good about it. Why it would be down right un-American to disagree.

Don't you feel "safer" now? I'm sure that given the nature of my past, my comments will be seen as anti-american by some but people are entitled to their own opinion. I think that there is a difference between the GOVERNMENT AND the CITIZENS of this great COUNTRY. God bless America!