Do prisons rehabilitate or just produce 'better' criminals?

Question

And after they get out, what chance do they have in a society that puts labels on them?

Answer 1

Well I am more qualified than any of these people to answer because I work in a federal prison and have for about 4 years. and let me tell you this place is easy as pie! yeah its tough to be away from loved ones but heck you get six visits a month that have a 7 hour max time, you have movies on a big giant screen on weekends and holidays yeah food is awful and it can get boring even with all the sporting events the hobbie crafts the arts craft and the weight pile so does it make better criminals? look we have education to get these men a GED we have vocational jobs where they can learn a skill so i see these thousands or so criminal scum make poor choice after choice and yet blame everyone else for their problems no prison doesnt make em better criminals they make themselves better criminals

Answer 2

There may be one percent, that hates prisons and would never want to go back, for the most part they just produce better criminals, say you have been in prison for ten to twenty years and that days comes when you are discharged, unless you have a close knit family and friends to support you, you are in big trouble, as you stated, what chance do they have in a society that puts labels on them,alot of prisoners when they do get out don't seem to fit in anywhere anymore, so why not go back to where they fit in, and got three meals a day, had a cot to sleep on at night and were protected from the outside, could study law if they desire, why would you want to get out?

Answer 3

Well honestly I would say both. The amount of time they are held and the type of person the are at the time. Some people are trapped by lifestyles that allow no room for doing things different. Because then they are outcast among there piers. Prison becomes something that is expected, a life long ritual, doing the same things in the same way never leaving room for actions needed to make change. Some are truly good. For what ever reasons caught up in bad situations, some times having poor judgment skills. The list goes on. And the punishment for their mistakes is just enough or what they need to be able to re-evaluate and learn. sometimes people just have know understanding of the phrase consequences for your actions

Answer 4

They definitely produce better criminals. I have talked with people who have spent time in prison. All I have talked to are not afraid to go back. In fact many want to go back when first released, it's just as hard coming out of prison after ten years as it was going to prison.

When they are prison, they talk to other criminals and learn all sorts of tricks of the trade. Their self image as a criminal grows stronger, they spend time thinking about all the crime they will commit upon release and the best way to get away with it.

Rehabilitation is the answer. Prison only serves to keep them out of normal society temporarily, it doesn't correct the underlying problem at all.

Answer 5

I think nowadays they make previously nonviolent criminals to be more capable of violence and really don't rehabilitate but rather make criminals worse. Especially the younger ones that start out in the system early. The system definitely needs massive reform, but people are unwilling to do that reform because they believe the criminals are better locked away than actually being rehabilitated to any degree.

Answer 6

A relative of mine did some hard time in prison in the 1990's. He was a crack addict and committed some other crimes (being vague for that person's sake) that landed him in prison.

While there, he actually had access to drugs, but after a hard life on the streets, he opted to take advantage of the whole "lock-up" thing and avoid the drugs. He minded his own business, avoided anything that could lead to a fight, and took college correspondence courses....

He got advice on what to take from a supportive friend who said he'd hire him when he got out, if he kept his nose clean and passed the courses.

He passed the courses with flying colors...went on to live near that friend and now works for that guy.

Now, this relative had a lot of family support on the outside....family being the ones who were hurt over and over again by this person, but we stood by him.

I think, therefore, outside support is very key in the outcome of criminals.

That correspondence courses are available at all, here in the south, speaks highly of the prison system, in my opinion.

I'm not in law enforcement...I'm just a person who was related to a guy in prison.

Answer 7

Recidivism varies with the Crime for instance SURPRISINGLY recidivism for drunk driving is much higher than that for sex based offenses. Only one in 20 sex offenders EVER reoffends but drunk drivers it is one in 3 Murderers is one in 17 and crack thiefs is 1 in 2.5

As far as Labels again that is another HUGE problem especially with the "high ticket" crimes like murder and sex offense most of them never do FULLY integrate because even when released they are usually on a very long probation and the PO's rarely let them fully do so because of thier own fear and prejudice.

Answer 8

It's up to the person who is jailed to make a change in their life when they are out. You can play it tough and end up right back in as soon as you come out or you can take the punishment and learn from your mistake. It's the prisoners call.

Answer 9

Both A lot is up to the person but the odds of them making it on the outside world are stacked against them especially if they were in for a long stretch of time

Answer 10

they punish, prisons are not longer designed to rehabilitate in most cases. That was a idea they tried in the 80's but it failed.