People who are now locked up behind bars, do they have any chances of rejoining the outside world regardless of how long they have served their sentences? If you got the chance of meeting up a former convict, would you help them regain their status in the society or get past them and let them worry over their own lives over yours?
2006-06-29 00:20:31 · 9 answers · asked by louvre1196 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
Yes, criminals are people too, all 2.2 million of them, and every year more than 600,000 of them are released from various state and federal prisons throughout the nation. As a former criminal, released from prison on Dec. 9, 1968, I have learned during the past nearly 36 years how to remake myself, with God's help and direction, from a criminal to a contributor to society.
This change is our only hope for reducing crime, and the ever-growing prison population in our country. The US prison population constitutes 25% of all prisoners in the world, and we imprison a higher percentage of our population than an other developed country in the world.
Many, many more people must learn how to help criminals make the arduous trek from crime to contribution, But be warned, this is not work for the naive or the fainthearted, because personal change is the world's hardest work. I believe we must do the following:
1. Work closely with a group I refer to as the FLOC--Families and Loved Ones of Criminals, and help them learn how to really help the people they love make that significant transition--from crime to contribution.
2. Work with employers, and teach them how to recognize evidence of change because going to work is one of the first steps in this transition from crime to contribution.
3. Begin this work with the FLOC and with criminals at least three years before they're released from prison, so we can identify those who are ready to change.
4. Make the willingness and the work of change a condition of release.
This is only a partial answer, but I believe it provides key principles that will help us reduce crime in the our nation because the only people who can truly reduce crime are those who do it.
2006-06-29 00:33:50 · answer #1 · answered by mcjordansr 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, they are people. But once they have left society, it takes a while for them to readjust. No, I don't think you should meet someone in prison and think you can help them with a dreamy life when they get out. Start a friendship, but not a relationship. Remember, they did the time because they did the crime. It's like meeting people on a blind date, on the Internet, it all sounds so good when we are lonely, but not so good when we are picking ourselves up from the floor. I am sure lots of good guys are behind bars, but I think you should look elsewhere.
2006-06-29 07:26:13 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, they are human, most has just made a mistake, that landed them in jail to pay a debt to society. I am all for that. However I do think that prisons are crime schools and that some crimes should not be crimes at all. Violent crimes deserve harsh penalty's but non violent crimes there should be a rehabilitative process that prepares an individual for the outside world after he or she has paid her debt to society. Today I think that crime is crime and that does very little to prevent repeat offenders.
2006-06-29 07:27:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes they are people...some just made a mistake..and in many cases forgiveness should take place..I think it also helps them to feel that they are now apart of society. However I don't feel that wasy for rapist, child molesters etc.
2006-06-29 07:58:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
most of them are people but a certain % are dangerous animals in human form too. the problem is sorting out the animals from the humans.
2006-06-29 08:43:24 · answer #5 · answered by glen t 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sure. anybody can change with SINCERE desire for rehabilitation. the true problem is that some convicts come out and terrorize the neighborhoods and community ONE MORE TIME -- over and and over again.
2006-06-29 07:42:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have known convicts and yes they are people, so you can't lump them together and say this or that about convicts, you treat them as individuals.
2006-06-29 07:23:53 · answer #7 · answered by Jim C 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes they are people too,some are better than the ones that have not been caught.
2006-06-29 07:42:06 · answer #8 · answered by grayladygranny 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it depends on their crime. If they are child killers, nope! They are not people too!!!
2006-06-29 07:28:09 · answer #9 · answered by Naples_6 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋