EXCELLENT post, Michael....raises some excellent questions, and our Congress for years hasn't even participated in the answers. Nor has our Judicial system.
I think basically, for US prisoners at least, Americans haven't come to terms with what we expect prisons to accomplish. In my mind, there should be at least two basic types....One to try to rehab the person, so that hopefully they can go back out on the streets and live a good and product life with no more crime.
The other type is for hard core individuals, the three strikes you're out types...who have murdered, some many times, and many people, or have committed other violent crimes. These folks are generally in a "hold for the rest of their life" prison. Again, I don't think we should be brutal with these individuals, but rather, only have the human basics for them. TV only as a privilege, books any time they are able to have free time, etc. More privileges allowed if earned.
Places like Gitmo are rather like "luxury holding places"... I wonder if Saddam gets any better care than the Gitmo group? |
