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Monday, December 27, 2010
This is in response to the Dec. 21 editorial, "Maine must cut prison costs, but not this way."
There is so much money wasted by the Department of Corrections that sends people out from prisons (maybe costing taxpayers more than if they paid for prisoners to go to college) and they are not corrected.
No blame on the staff and administrators. America has a tradition of useless and harmful prisons.
The editorial is evidence that Maine may be ready to lead the nation in rehabilitation rather than warehousing.
George Swanson, Manset
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George jail/prison is meant
George jail/prison is meant to be a punishment not a place for free education and recreational fun. Tax payer money is supporting thier crappy decisions. It would be nice if the state laws were harsher, prisoners had to work harder and were unhappier, then it would be a punishment.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I'm often bewildered by
those people who think that any inmate in state custody has a right to anything beyond meals and a bed. Send them to college??? Are you insane??? There are working people who can't afford to send their children to college and you think that the state would be better served by sending inmates there than releasing them into the world.
All you get from an educated criminal is a smarter criminal. I will admit that there are some who have rehabilitated themselves but it was something that THEY wanted to do. They didn't do it because they were given a college education.
Personally, I think that sheriff down in Arizona or wherever it is has the right idea. Work farms so they can support themselves and not be a burden on the state. Breaking rocks and growing gardens and raising and slaughtering your own livestock. Maintaining the prisons and state highways,etc. That will either teach them that they don't want to go back to jail or how to not get caught again when they do get out.
Out sourcing them to other places is depriving the State of Maine of potential labor that could help cut costs right at home.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.The problem with just seeking
The problem with just seeking to punish criminals is that you let them out and they will do it again. The conditions that caused them to commit crimes most likely are still there, and with the stigma of being a excon will only make things worse.
Sorry guys, I know it feels great to rail at criminals(especially child molesters) and say “Lock em up and throw away the key” but that’s as realistic as saying “Nuke Mecca, that’ll teach them Muslims”. It’s a fantasy land argument that’s has 0% chance of being implemented in a country of laws.
Rehabilitation is key to preventing recidivism. I know it seems wrong to you, but getting convicts invested into society through education can lower crime.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Here's for cutting costs: No
Here's for cutting costs: No television, lights out at eight, confinement to cell for everything but showering (less staff required), Use lesser risk inmates to slide meals under bars and collect trays (with supervision). It should only take a handful of staff to run a building full of cages; just ask someone from a laboratory.
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