Should we build more prisons since most of them are full?

Question

i was watching Real stories of highway patrol, and they let 4 guys go, bcuz the jails were full

Answer 1

I agree 100% with Rachie.dolly and 2012

Answer 2

Maybe they should focus on having better reform schools/facilities and have better programs for kids that keep them from becoming criminals so we don't need to build more. The USA tends to throw out the old stuff that doesn't work as well for new stuff instead of fixing the old.  Don't believe everything you see on those shows either. It may be true but it is not the norm. They only show the really bad stuff and make it seem like it happens alot.

Answer 3

Why don't we start using the death penalty instead of keeping monsters alive and well in a prison which is overcrowded anyways.

Answer 4

The show you where watching was filmed in the nineties.

How about sending some off to war?

Answer 5

Yes.....i think that would be the right thing to do.....there are alot of bad people in this world o.O

Answer 6

No, we need prison reform. More prisons would be a temporary solution.

Most states are now spending nearly the same amount on prisons as they are on education.

The war on drugs has caused many non-violent offenders to be incarcerated for undue lengths of time. It is also considered political suicide to be considered "soft on crime." Lock-'em-up-and-throw-away-the-key campaigning is what wins votes for governors.

More states need to create "good-time" or "earned time" practices. They also need to move drug violations down a tier or two or three on the seriousness of violation. "Mandatory sentencing" needs to be either eliminated or limited. If judges were free to be creative and "make the punishment fit the crime" rather than enforcing cookie-cutter punishments, we wouldn't need more prisons.

Answer 7

I think prisons should be more of a "crime rehab" instead of just punishment. This way, it wouldn't just be a revolving door with prisoners doing their time and getting right back in jail.

Also, we should reform our drug laws, since about 55% of the prison population is there for drug offenses.

Answer 8

No they should put them in tents and make them clean highways. like sherrif Arpaio Does. that would save us millions in taxes. Alwsome guy!

Answer 9

No... we need to reinstate the death penalty everywhere.

Survey says it costs $90 a night on average to keep someone prison.

It would cost to much to build another one.

Answer 10

Since prisons are not an effective form of rehabilitation and punishment, and there is a high reoffence rate, wouldn't it be better to find more useful forms of punishment, such as community service projects?

Answer 11

No, we should quit locking up potheads.

Answer 12

no....we should release non-violent drug offenders....

people who are in jail for smoking or selling weed should be let go to make space for real criminals...

Answer 13

That show was filmed in the early nineties, but what we should do is make it easier to get death sentence and limit it to 1 year of appeals.

Answer 14

We can't afford it.  What we should do is only lock up those who are a real threat to society.  The others should pay with community service.  People with drug problems belong in rehab.  The mentally ill belong in a suitable facility, but we've been using prisons as the mentaly asylum of last resort.  The setting is enough to drive ANYONE insane!

Answer 15

California already spends more on prisons than they do education and they house prisoners in 3 other states on contract. It's a self-feeding phenomenon.

If it were up to me, I would keep starving the budget for education and just let them have the graduates for the prisons. The politicians could claim victory, the unemployment problem would go away and we could train more prison guards @ $8.45 / hour. Maybe offer a university degree in Criminal Justice, PhD.

Answer 16

Yah. the less criminals around the better, especially if they're like murderers or something =]

Answer 17

yeah i think they should b/c why r u gonna let ppl who r criminals out just b/c the stupid government doesn't wanna build more!!!!!

Answer 18

no we should start killing inmates

Answer 19

That would be nice... I don't want a robber showing up at my house =O

Answer 20

We need to spend more money on rehabilitation to reduce recidivism once offenders are released from jail.  Obviously our criminal justice system is doing nothing to hinder ppl from committing crimes.  If more money was spent giving offenders some education and mental health and substance abuse treatment we would be better off.  What a lot of ppl want to do is throw "them" away and forget about it, but the problem is that most of these ppl are not staying in prison forever...they are going to be released into society at some point and our prison systems don't prepare them for life on the outside.  

Not to mention its extremely difficult to get a decent job with a criminal record...a lot more businesses need to step up to the plate and hire criminal offenders.  As a probation officer I see this problem all the time...offender get out of prison and then can't find a job for months b/c of their record and end up re-offending b/c they have to committ a crime to put food on the table or pay the rent.  Its really quite sad.

Also, we need to stop imprisoning ppl for petty offenses like driving on suspended, etc.