tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152307338772205194.post2587615285955282089..comments2024-01-30T11:14:25.598-05:00Comments on Electronic Village: Am I Not Human? America's Prison SystemAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05001965827509309490noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152307338772205194.post-33500041858237272212008-10-29T09:55:00.000-04:002008-10-29T09:55:00.000-04:00Omyma - I appreciate your village voice on this is...<B>Omyma</B> - I appreciate your <I>village voice</I> on this issue. You suggest some long-term suggestions to combat the problem. Finding other business opportunities. Dealing with the underlying problem/causes of the actions that lead to prison time.<BR/><BR/>Out of curiosity ... what idea or alternative solution would you like to see worked on first? Where can we get traction thru our online activism? Any thoughts?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05001965827509309490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152307338772205194.post-65615189023271930732008-10-28T02:22:00.000-04:002008-10-28T02:22:00.000-04:00Even if it's "good business", the fact that Americ...Even if it's "good business", the fact that America has become an incarceration nation is unconscionable. I live in a community where the prison is a big employer and a "part of the community." What kind of community is that where the prison is thought of as a "contributor"?? And the criminal justice system no longer serves to protect the innocent. It serves to provide the prison industry with "business." It's much easier, if accused of a crime, to cut a deal than go through with a trial, which even paid attorneys always try to avoid due to the expense and time involved. We should invest in businesses that don't destroy lives and solve the issue of crime by getting to the real causes and making changes in the community and create opportunities, instead of acting always out of fear.Omymahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17934478510394910840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152307338772205194.post-46916331428433812142008-10-27T21:16:00.000-04:002008-10-27T21:16:00.000-04:00Lady D - There has to be a better way to handle ou...<B>Lady D</B> - There has to be a better way to handle our entire prison system. Someone noted earlier that it has become big business ... and it cannot be outsourced. I imagine that there are entire communities who depend on the prison as employers and economic stimulus. I wonder if that is part of the reason we don't look at it more...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05001965827509309490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152307338772205194.post-14648763806342810932008-10-27T18:57:00.000-04:002008-10-27T18:57:00.000-04:00Hotep Villager!I am always amazed at the number of...Hotep Villager!<BR/><BR/>I am always amazed at the number of people who are actually housed in the American prison system. And when I consider that many of them are actually drug abusers it no longer makes sense.<BR/><BR/>What really bothers me is the fact that there is actually no honest system to help reform these individuals. So when they are released from prison on these types of charges our society refuses to give them credit for having sered time for their mistakes.<BR/><BR/>It would be nice if part of the money that is put into housing prisoners was used to as preventive funding for programs that honestly helped people.msladyDeborahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17593695415626632490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152307338772205194.post-29424597274266630982008-10-27T14:59:00.000-04:002008-10-27T14:59:00.000-04:00Blackgirl - I wonder if there are any advocacy gro...<B>Blackgirl</B> - I wonder if there are any advocacy groups that have specific alternatives for our consideration as citizens?<BR/><BR/><B>Hagar's Daughter</B> - I understand your jaded frustration. However, I wonder if we can't have some alternative reforms suggested for our consideration? For example, I see no reason to put people in jail for *using* drugs ... although i agree with prison for those that *sell* drugs.<BR/><BR/><B>Sojourner</B> - I agree with your thoughts about drugs being a major cause for the over-crowding of prisons. I wonder if this is something that can be dealt with at local or state level? Or does it require national legislation?<BR/><BR/><B>Urban Scientist</B> - We need to either decrease inputs (prisoners) or increase outputs (successful rehabilitation; worthy members of society upon their release from prison)...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05001965827509309490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152307338772205194.post-49224289370647994252008-10-27T14:49:00.000-04:002008-10-27T14:49:00.000-04:00so many people in prison signals a failure of our ...so many people in prison signals a failure of our society to engage people in legal ways of living and interacting.<BR/><BR/>Increased prison population means decreased tax payer population, fewer contributors to communities/societies and more people on the recieving in.<BR/><BR/>Just thinking economically, no system that requires high inputs and offers little to no outputs is sustainable or good.<BR/><BR/>perhaps we should reconsider the "correction" part of correctional facilities. Rehabilitate.The Urban Scientisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02597475932242633814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152307338772205194.post-81977980255510763692008-10-27T12:04:00.000-04:002008-10-27T12:04:00.000-04:00Addiction or any kind is considered an illness exc...Addiction or any kind is considered an illness except when it comes to the addiction to street drugs. While other addicts receive treatment, drug addicts - unless the drugs are obtained from the doctor - are put in jail. What's wrong with that picture? Could it be that because so many of the faces are black?<BR/><BR/>I invite you and other Villagers to read my post entitled: <A HREF="http://sojournersplace.blogspot.com/2008/10/am-i-not-human-faces-of-poverty.html" REL="nofollow">Am I Not Human? The Faces of Poverty</A>SjPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03637955368291716153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152307338772205194.post-84631077162156063522008-10-27T11:26:00.000-04:002008-10-27T11:26:00.000-04:00Prisons are big business. As a capitalist country ...Prisons are big business. As a capitalist country it's all about making the most money. My view of making improvements to the country's prison system is jaded. I don't see reform happening unless there is no money to be gained from the penal system.Hagar's Daughterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05329175102157599795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152307338772205194.post-57150000549774444132008-10-27T09:38:00.000-04:002008-10-27T09:38:00.000-04:00Wouldn't it be great if all the money that was put...Wouldn't it be great if all the money that was put into the criminal justice system was put into health care and education? The fact that there is even a debate that Obama is "socialist" says how far off we are as American People in realizing what are our natural born rights should be and that our priorities as a nation are amiss.blackgirl on marshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03497832506757310228noreply@blogger.com