Transcript
Essay: Video games in prison? White I was in the county jail waiting to get on the prison bus, I came across an article in "The Sacramento Bee". It discussed the possibility of an electronic tablet, to be issued for recreational purposes in the jail. The demeanor of the police was both alleviating and insulting for a few reasons. Reading over the article it was evident that law officials expected the inmates to fight over the device. They were bewildered to observe the inmates doing the exact opposite and in fact, sharing the tablet. In the article, inmates explained how much of a stress relief it was to forget about their problems for a while. Which is one reason why there were no fights during the following 2 weeks. An inmate is a human and not an animal. If a human is treated like an animal then they will do what it takes to survive, even if it means acting out. Since incarceration was meant for rehabilitation, then being treated like a human is the ideal way. To rehabilitate, humans need entertainment to feed, inspire, and encourage our brains to succeed or even interact with others in a healthy way. I believe the same civil reactions would occur if a video game console/trading card game were approved, for all inmates in prison. For therapeutic reasons to all inmates, not just the mentally unstable but the general population as well. It would make the traumatic experience of prison more baring but also ke3ep the population occupied and out of mischief. The whole ideal once manifested could more than likely give prisoners a safe haven from institutional violence and drama. Such tools like game consoles could change the entire prison atmosphere across the nation, into a more relaxed and safe place for inmate and correctional officers. Unless the legends are true that prison was designed to kill inmates off. Then there may be no hope to bring about strategic therapeutic coping tools inmates like myself need. If we can change prison, then together we can change the world. I can't think of a better place to start since criminals end up in the system. If we soften there hearts with leisure time, then its more likely inmates will return to freedom without a hardened heart. - Steadfast.
