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Forums - General - Re-educating prisoners

KingFate on 10 April 2010
Chairman-Mao said:
highwaystar101 said:
Chairman-Mao said:
Kasz216 said:
 Either way it all depends on whether you think the main purpose of prison is to punish or to rehibilitate.

 

I think solitary confinement would make them far more likely to kill again. I've been reading around the subject of solitary confinement today (because I'm a geek), and it causes many psychological disorders, many of them severely dangerous. Just a short extract from an article on isolation in prisons.

"Dr. Stuart Grassian, an expert on the results of living in extended isolation, has commented at length on the psychiatric harm that can come to people subjected to long-term isolation. He interviewed people who began to cut themselves just so they can "feel" something and reports panic attacks and a progressive inability to tolerate ordinary stimulation. Isolation has been documented as a cause of paranoia, problems with impulse control, extreme motor restlessness, delusions, suspiciousness, confusion, and depression. I have treated a number of ex-control unit prisoners who come out with serious symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress."

Source

Solitary confinement clearly breeds psychological disorders in those who are subjected to it. People who have been subjected to extended solitary confinement are clearly not fit for society, significantly more so than they were before.

I think teaching someone skills is obviously a far better way of stopping them re-offending.

I guess I had better re-think my idea then. I didn't realize it could cause so many problems.

Of course I was exaggerating somewhat though. They'd still get time outside for exercise and some interaction each day. I was just thinking keep them locked up in their cell for a good part of the day in individual cells.

 

You know what you make them do Mao, sew pillows. Nice pink fluffy pillows while they are forced to listen to Taylor Swift and Lady GaGa songs only. Take away every shroud of manhood they ever had. That way lifers contribute to society and don't entirely waste tax dollars. They will fund the pink fluffy perfume pillow market!



PSN ID: KingFate_

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Chairman-Mao on 10 April 2010
KingFate said:
Chairman-Mao said:
highwaystar101 said:
Chairman-Mao said:
Kasz216 said:
 Either way it all depends on whether you think the main purpose of prison is to punish or to rehibilitate.

 

I think solitary confinement would make them far more likely to kill again. I've been reading around the subject of solitary confinement today (because I'm a geek), and it causes many psychological disorders, many of them severely dangerous. Just a short extract from an article on isolation in prisons.

"Dr. Stuart Grassian, an expert on the results of living in extended isolation, has commented at length on the psychiatric harm that can come to people subjected to long-term isolation. He interviewed people who began to cut themselves just so they can "feel" something and reports panic attacks and a progressive inability to tolerate ordinary stimulation. Isolation has been documented as a cause of paranoia, problems with impulse control, extreme motor restlessness, delusions, suspiciousness, confusion, and depression. I have treated a number of ex-control unit prisoners who come out with serious symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress."

Source

Solitary confinement clearly breeds psychological disorders in those who are subjected to it. People who have been subjected to extended solitary confinement are clearly not fit for society, significantly more so than they were before.

I think teaching someone skills is obviously a far better way of stopping them re-offending.

I guess I had better re-think my idea then. I didn't realize it could cause so many problems.

Of course I was exaggerating somewhat though. They'd still get time outside for exercise and some interaction each day. I was just thinking keep them locked up in their cell for a good part of the day in individual cells.

 

You know what you make them do Mao, sew pillows. Nice pink fluffy pillows while they are forced to listen to Taylor Swift and Lady GaGa songs only. Take away every shrowd of manhood they ever had. That way lifers contribue to society and don't entirely waste tax dollars. They will fund the pink fluffy perfume pillow market!

hahahaha not a bad idea.



mrstickball on 10 April 2010

They do that in Arizona...



Back from the dead, I'm afraid.

KingFate on 10 April 2010
mrstickball said:
They do that in Arizona...

They do that and they don't have human rights groups fighting for them!?!



PSN ID: KingFate_

HappySqurriel on 10 April 2010
KingFate said:
Chairman-Mao said:
highwaystar101 said:
Chairman-Mao said:
Kasz216 said:
 Either way it all depends on whether you think the main purpose of prison is to punish or to rehibilitate.

 

I think solitary confinement would make them far more likely to kill again. I've been reading around the subject of solitary confinement today (because I'm a geek), and it causes many psychological disorders, many of them severely dangerous. Just a short extract from an article on isolation in prisons.

"Dr. Stuart Grassian, an expert on the results of living in extended isolation, has commented at length on the psychiatric harm that can come to people subjected to long-term isolation. He interviewed people who began to cut themselves just so they can "feel" something and reports panic attacks and a progressive inability to tolerate ordinary stimulation. Isolation has been documented as a cause of paranoia, problems with impulse control, extreme motor restlessness, delusions, suspiciousness, confusion, and depression. I have treated a number of ex-control unit prisoners who come out with serious symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress."

Source

Solitary confinement clearly breeds psychological disorders in those who are subjected to it. People who have been subjected to extended solitary confinement are clearly not fit for society, significantly more so than they were before.

I think teaching someone skills is obviously a far better way of stopping them re-offending.

I guess I had better re-think my idea then. I didn't realize it could cause so many problems.

Of course I was exaggerating somewhat though. They'd still get time outside for exercise and some interaction each day. I was just thinking keep them locked up in their cell for a good part of the day in individual cells.

 

You know what you make them do Mao, sew pillows. Nice pink fluffy pillows while they are forced to listen to Taylor Swift and Lady GaGa songs only. Take away every shroud of manhood they ever had. That way lifers contribute to society and don't entirely waste tax dollars. They will fund the pink fluffy perfume pillow market!

While this may not be true of all prisons, and it may not be true of all work programs, from what I know work programs tend to be amazingly popular among prisoners; especially if they can earn money while doing them (even if the wage is awful like $1.25 per hour). Even if they were sewing fluffy pink pillows while listening to bubble-gum pop music many prisoners would gladly do that rather than spend time in their cell; and if they could earn money to send to their family at the same time it would be even more popular.

 



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KingFate on 10 April 2010
HappySqurriel said:
KingFate said:
Chairman-Mao said:
highwaystar101 said:
Chairman-Mao said:
Kasz216 said:
 Either way it all depends on whether you think the main purpose of prison is to punish or to rehibilitate.

 

I think solitary confinement would make them far more likely to kill again. I've been reading around the subject of solitary confinement today (because I'm a geek), and it causes many psychological disorders, many of them severely dangerous. Just a short extract from an article on isolation in prisons.

"Dr. Stuart Grassian, an expert on the results of living in extended isolation, has commented at length on the psychiatric harm that can come to people subjected to long-term isolation. He interviewed people who began to cut themselves just so they can "feel" something and reports panic attacks and a progressive inability to tolerate ordinary stimulation. Isolation has been documented as a cause of paranoia, problems with impulse control, extreme motor restlessness, delusions, suspiciousness, confusion, and depression. I have treated a number of ex-control unit prisoners who come out with serious symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress."

Source

Solitary confinement clearly breeds psychological disorders in those who are subjected to it. People who have been subjected to extended solitary confinement are clearly not fit for society, significantly more so than they were before.

I think teaching someone skills is obviously a far better way of stopping them re-offending.

I guess I had better re-think my idea then. I didn't realize it could cause so many problems.

Of course I was exaggerating somewhat though. They'd still get time outside for exercise and some interaction each day. I was just thinking keep them locked up in their cell for a good part of the day in individual cells.

 

You know what you make them do Mao, sew pillows. Nice pink fluffy pillows while they are forced to listen to Taylor Swift and Lady GaGa songs only. Take away every shroud of manhood they ever had. That way lifers contribute to society and don't entirely waste tax dollars. They will fund the pink fluffy perfume pillow market!

While this may not be true of all prisons, and it may not be true of all work programs, from what I know work programs tend to be amazingly popular among prisoners; especially if they can earn money while doing them (even if the wage is awful like $1.25 per hour). Even if they were sewing fluffy pink pillows while listening to bubble-gum pop music many prisoners would gladly do that rather than spend time in their cell; and if they could earn money to send to their family at the same time it would be even more popular.

 

Joking aside, it really comes down to the type of offender. I mean if it's low risk criminals, etc. Then yes this programs should be put to use. Now if it's a high risk criminal(murderer rapist etc) these programs should be tossed aside.



PSN ID: KingFate_

mrstickball on 10 April 2010
KingFate said:
mrstickball said:
They do that in Arizona...

They do that and they don't have human rights groups fighting for them!?!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Arpaio#Actions_as_Maricopa_County_Sheriff



Back from the dead, I'm afraid.

Kasz216 on 10 April 2010

Yeah, that's the funny thing stickball... Crime is rapidly going down... heck Crime went DOWN during the recession and not up... despite the fact you think it'd go up... what with lots of people going bankrupt and being forclosed on.

It should also be noted that the UK is actually "catching up" in terms of crime. No clue if that has anything to do with the prison system though... I'd wager not... but it's worth noting for those who do think inter country comparisons are fairly easy.  Really we should decriminalize marijuna... that'd probably cut down on our prisoner rate and crime rate quite a bit alone.



mrstickball on 10 April 2010

I've been thinking about the US crime rate and what are the causes of the rapid increase of crime in the 60s-80s, and why its been down, despite recessions.

First off, its my belief that GINI, unemployment and other economic factors are the primary driver. Racial strife can also be a problem, as it can correlate with the other economic indicators (as minority races in most countries may be immigrants and lacking the required skills in a given country - e.g. hispanics in the US lacking advanced skillsets for high tech jobs, blacks prior to de-segregation, ect).

However, such metrics are not the only drivers of crime. I would believe there are a lot of other factors, which may be the underpinning reasons as to why our crime is still going down, despite the significant rise in unemployment.

I think the first and most important analysis is of the rapid rise in the 1960s, in which the rate per capita of crime nearly doubled - a horrific number.

Thinking hard about it, I don't think it was entirely racial, although that was probably a decent bit of it (e.g. integration of blacks into society may have caused problems due to the vast disparity in education with white society). I think a lot of it correlates to the baby boom of the post-war era. The crime started in the mid 60's. Who would commit the increased crimes? Obviously, it had to of been peoples over the age of 18, which would mean that your looking at the likelihood of criminals being born in and after WW2 - as an 18 year old man in 1965 (the start of the major increase in crime) was born in or around 1947. Crime continued to rise during the late 60s and 70s - which corresponds exactly with the boom of children in the late 40's and early 50s - those were the youths that likely fueled the crimes of the 60s, and 70s.

I'll add to this later, but that is IMO as a primer to my thoughts about American crime rises in the 60's and 70's.



Back from the dead, I'm afraid.

Kasz216 on 10 April 2010

So if I get your theory right... the crimerate increased because the number of people at a "prime" age for committing crime increased... and the decrease comes as those people get "too old" and there are less younger people to take it up.

That's genius in it's simplicity.