This is really sad. I believe someone who breaks the law must suffer the consequences of his/her actions. However, this man in no way, shape, or form deserved to go through this. My brother did federal time for drug violations, and thank God he never encountered treatment such as this.
There is no doubt that prison is the belly of the beast. Is there hope for an inmate who wants to be reformed? I don't know. It's the last stop on a path going nowhere. It is what it is.
I work with both state and federal prisoners in Texas. It is much better to be in the federal system than the state one for two reasons. First many of the offenders are there on drug trafficking violations and are a different "class" of criminal, much less likely to be violent. Second, the officers in charge of the prisoners are better paid, and tend to be much more professional then those hired by the state.
Like it or not the majority of society has the welfare of prisoners at the bottom of their list of concerns. The culture in prison, is merely an outgrowth of the more diseased cultural influences present in our own society. Change our culture's view on thing's (e.g. homosexual behavior), and you will see a corresponding decrease in that activity in prison.
That being said, I've met young kids, 18 and 19 yr olds arrested for minor theft or drug charges. They have a very rough time in jail, and with the HIV rate in there, a 6 month hitch can turn into a death sentence.
For those who are less than concerned about the fate of prisoners, keep in mind that many pro-lifers have been and continue to be arrested. And with the new laws regarding "hate speech" becoming more popular around the world, many people posting on free republic could be arrested in some countries.
Got to cut this short, the kids are restless. God bless.