You know it always makes me feel good when I hear from people who feel that prisons should be progressive and rehabilitative

You lot are all right

What about people who have life or 20 years?

What about a child killer or any murder?

Do they deserve this?

If I told you someone killed your whole family and they will put in prison were they can video games who you be ok with that?

I want to point out the topic says Prisoners.

The average person in jail has 6months-1 year oppose to prison were it's 20 years to life.

I'm curious why people are talking like these are decent people in there.

Rehabilitative is for rehab for druggie not for a killers and rapist.

I think people are not really thinking about this.

you think it's better to let someone vegetate in a prison until he will be free? not sure if this will be better for the society who has to handle such a guy then. and it's not as if their life would be super great in a prison because of some videogames.

and btw i found this http://www.bop.gov/news/quick.jsp :

Types of Offenses

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I believe the majority of prisoners are in there for drug related crimes. I might be wrong but I thought I heard that statistic recently. Plenty of people would rather have the person who killed their family executed, but they can't always get that. The US constiution atleast protects people from cruel and unusual punishment, it's a protection we offer to protect everyone. Not providing entertainment to prisoners cause more problems, it endangers everyone in the prison, prisoners and guards alike. A dangerous prison is more likely to be broken out of. Entertainment will be provided no matter what because it is the best way to prevent unrest without resorting to human rights abuses or violating our own laws or constitutions.

Video games can provide a substantial amount of entertainment at a low price point, can be handed out to inmates in smaller controllable numbers, provides a type of entertainment more impactful than movies or shows due to its interactivity, consumes a large amount of time which can detrack inmates from engaging in dangerous activities, is relatively addictve and therefore benefitial as a reward incentive.

The only downsides presented so far is the tax payer providing it which is countered by already existing more expensive forms of entertainment and the thought of mind that prisoners shouldn't receive any entertainment which is countered by the negative effects not providing it have and the related cost in lives and money it would take to handle such alternative.

A hell nah. Whats wrong with Canada? Why are you so nice?

Or look it this from this way, what works better to influence bahaviour, punishment or a reward system.
Here's a recent article. (crap google is fast, it's an article from tomorrow)
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/a-23-2009-10-20-voa3-83141802/129914.html

It won't work for everyone, but do you want people back on the street after they've been treated like worthless crap for years? Or people that have been shown that others care and that they can become a constructive part of society. Replacing drug addiction with video game addiction is an improvement as far as I see it.

Prisoners should never experience pleasure.

/sarcasm

Drugs can be drug dealers and many times murders and beatings are not tracked because they get away with it. For example, I personally know many drug dealer that have gone to prision for deal selling and have beaten druggies NEVER once have they been caught with it. It's part of the lifestyle this guys are scum and get away with a lot these Cops are lucky to get them for ANY crime they do. "Plenty of people would rather have the person who killed their family executed, but they can't always get that. " I'm sorry that doesn't follow how does someone just because they don't get killed doesn't mean throw your hands up and give them life. 

"The US constiution atleast protects people from cruel and unusual punishment, it's a protection we offer to protect everyone. "

This was kinda pointless as this again doesn't mean make there life better.

"Not providing entertainment to prisoners cause more problems, it endangers everyone in the prison, prisoners and guards alike."

My grandfather and best friend's father have worked in prisions before and have used sports to reduce problems which I believe is good enough. If people are going to fight there going to fight like gang related stuff. Sports have proven to reduce stress and video games is going to far. This isn't suppose to be fun time. This is prision if you think this rehab you need to go to a stae prision and talk to these people and ask them what they did to get and there and what didn't get caught with. People look at flat statistics and think they tell the whole truth. For example, you can look at statistic saying the average person makes 150,000 a year and you go there you see people barely living in areas that are deemed ok, but because there are streets over 9 miles away with expensive houses it make it look like the area must be doing good. Example of this is Miami. Going futher look at gang related drug dealing which ruins family lives/ people and known to hurt people and never is known because it's a part of the business. This why my best friend father laughs when people say these drug dealers aren't that bad.

"Entertainment will be provided no matter what because it is the best way to prevent unrest without resorting to human rights abuses or violating our own laws or constitutions."

I don't understand why not kill people are rob people. If I was told that I would get free health care(most people can't even get go to the hospital even though they have serious problems, food( even though it's crap it's better then no food like the homeless), water, and now Video games that many people can't play because they don't have the money even though they work 2-3 jobs to support there job? So, your basically saying a common thug deserves more than good civillin but Oh the Government doesn't care so you shouldn't. Do you not see the problem?  Why are you saying we should treat the criminals better than our innocent countrymen?  Buying a couple of footballs and basketballs SHOULD make them feel lucky. If this was one of the russian prisions were they MAKE sure you don't cause cause problems nobody would even be worrying about them acting out. If you really want to HELP them give them something pro-active to do like some of the Texas prisions that make them work which actual helps the state with money and make them to tired to fight.  Plus making them work would help them get use to actually working which will benefit them in the long run as a video game will just keep them quite for while and will do nothing for them personally.

http://www.annenbergclassroom.org/speakout/inmate-labor

"Entertainment will be provided no matter what because it is the best way to prevent unrest without resorting to human rights abuses or violating our own laws or constitutions."

There are many program in so many prisions to say they all failed without proof is clearly claim based on supporting your own argument. For example there prisions that have people walking around without and lock downs for months. There are to many ideas and sucesses for you to make a claim like that. 

"The only downsides presented so far is the tax payer providing it which is countered by already existing more expensive forms of entertainment and the thought of mind that prisoners shouldn't receive any entertainment which is countered by the negative effects not providing it have and the related cost in lives and money it would take to handle such alternative."

Libraries are cheaper in the long run and are donated most of the time from people who don't want them. Prision work jobs actually make money. Sports are 1000000% times cheaper and do everything you stated. Inmates also get workout eqiupment which are cheaper in the long run. Video games is insult to the justice system it's a spit to justice system the very thought of men playing Mario Galaxy in prision where some can't even afford a wii in this economy. This actual encourages people to not to worry about going back because hey i can relax and enjoy myself. Prision should be hard on people because you need to learn something. You get in trouble from school and go to detention you don't get gameboy color to enjoy yourself for 2 hours because it causes to not act out. You not helping anyone you just making it worst because the system will be seen as a push over.

The least harsh (or most intensely focused on rehab) prisons in the world usually have the lowest recidivism rates, right?

I'm sure some Europeans can enlighten me on that point; the US prison system is medieval compared to every prison system in western Europe, but our recidivism rates are way higher

The point here being that "tough justice" has never really prevented crime, not in the history of the first world

prisoners are not bad people they just made bad decisions in their life. some of the prisoners are victims of circumstances. not all prisoners are rapists or murderers.
let the prisoners play the old video games that are donated to them or purchased from bargain bins.