Transcript
Does Our Society Still Believe in Sending People to Prison for Rehabilitation? By M. Pizurro I often contemplate what agenda does prison serve and does our society still believe in sending people to prison for rehabilitation! If so, I question if anyone believe in that process, or redemption being possible for even the worst of offenders. Especially, during these times of mass incarceration, for profit prison companies and profits determining the correctional policy. There's no wonder recidivism remains steady. Mass incarceration reflects how the moral fabrics of our society has declined. Sometimes you wonder if this is a police styled republic rather than democratic; when you see so many non-violent offenders with indeterminate sentences. What happened to investing in prevention, education, and individuals? I'll tell you what happened, the funding of mass incarceration. For profit prison companies has diverted state and federal revenue so that obligations guaranteeing occupancy rates and overcrowding is funded fulfilling contracts. Today, taxpayers are continually signing a blank check to maintain a prison system without seeing any return on their investment. Deprivation of assistance in housing, drugs, literacy, mental health, and life skills has been substituted for profit. Correctional policy is a reflection of the incentives received as rewards that benefit the for-profit companies. Mass incarceration has led to overcrowding, which has led to many newly built for-profit prisons. In return, for profit prison has brought down standards, reduced safety, and corrupted the rehabilitation. Has the vision of society changed from one of redemption to one of profit? Prisoners are being labelled incorrigible to avoid the expense of rehabilitation. As a result men, women, and children are being warehoused sinking into ignorance, confusion, and vegetation. The paradigm incorporating profit over rehabilitation has to be evaluated, shifted, and implemented, so that it benefits society. In closing, remember alternatives to prison such as treatment, reduction in sentences leads to prison closures. Prison closures leads to a loss of jobs, so the question remains "does our society still believe in sending people to prison for rehabilitation."
