welkum to FREE REPUBLIC. Its kustomary to respond to comints abot posts u maik.
Re "60% of prisoners are illiterate" and your reply "and 100% have committed crimes", even if you hate the prisoners and are glad they committed crimes so they could go to jail, don't you realize how many victims have been harmed? I've read the average criminal commits 240 crimes a year. You, your loved ones, I, and our fellow citizens can be hurt badly by criminals. It is strongly in our self interest to have as few people go bad as possible. And a man who can read and get a decent job is far less likely to decide to sell drugs on the street corner, join a gang or rob you, than someone who sees no other choice.