I'm not sure why they ever got away from prison farms. I grew up in NE Georgia and there was a prison farm not far from my boyhood home. This farm operated for decades with a positive cash flow. The inmates grew all the food for the prisoners and sold excess produce to citizens. They also made and sold uniforms for rental services, among other things. Instead of the prison being a drain on gubmint coffers it was a profitable venture. Violent crime was lower then because potential criminals knew that they might wind up on the business end of a hoe 12 hours a day.
“Violent crime was lower then because potential criminals knew that they might wind up on the business end of a hoe 12 hours a day.”
I think that may the the problem now. The word “hoe” has a completely different connotation with the “younger” generation. Doing “12 hours” with one now looks like party time.
It's not just that.
The fundamental problem is teen, single mothers. They're a central cause of wickedness in society that get little blame for how destructive their selfish behavior truly is.