#1 - Jail is too "soft" [F.U. ACLU]
I hate hearing about prinsoners rights and about all the money we spend to maintain our prisons. What's all that about? I'm all for giving them access to educational materials, basic healthcare, and performing work duties, etc. But do they really need to be watching daytime TV and violent movies? You want to make jail an actual punishment, here are some suggestions:
* The food should be nutrionally sound, but taste bad.
* TV and Movie time should be an earned privilage and restricted to certain content
* Content-restricted access to Internet (some inmates are pulling scams over the internet while still in jail!!)
* All inmates are automatically placed on organ donor program
* Make education (of some sort) mandatory for good behavior and parole considerations
* No smoking allowed
Here is a news story to support my point. This is going on in other countries too I realize, but let's start by worrying about the US!
Convicts pick prison over home
July 15, 2004
SOME convicts were pleading to return to prison rather than serve out their sentences at home, claiming life on the outside was too tough, officials said today.
The Corrections Department confirmed 13 inmates on home detention had asked to be locked up in prison after finding they could not cope with their family situation.
Home detention is an alternative to prison granted to convicted criminals regarded as not posing a danger to their family or community. It allows them to live at home and continue work under close scrutiny from prison authorities.
Heather Mackie, the Corrections policy and planning manager, said "a breakdown in accommodation arrangements" was the most common reason given by convicts angling to get back in their cells.