Did you know Americans are paying 3 times more to incarcerate prisoners, than education for their children?

Question

are you concerned about the 2 million people within the US prison system, many who can not even read,, 600,000 released into society each year?

when we locked them up, (10-30 years ago or more) and threw away the key, did we think our actions would come back to haunt us?

Answer 1

You do the crime, you do the crime.

It's not our responsibility to make sure that CRIMINALS get a GOOD EDUCATION. I would rather give a good education to the innocent children born into horrible families, or the honest migrant workers that want nothing more than to provide a stable life for their loved ones. Who cares if a man who raped and murdered someone years ago doesn't have an education? I don't.

Answer 2

I'll just bet you are a Liberal. If they broke the law, they got a trial and some received the penalty of prison. Do you think they deserve to get a Harvard degree? Now THAT costs money! I couldn't care less if they can read or not. I DO care that the school systems are seemingly going to hell. Why is it there are so many h.s. graduates that can not spell or speak an intelligent sentence without including the word "like," MANY, MANY times? If you have the answer as to keeping people from breaking the law so we don't have to spend so much money on them, for heaven's sake talk to your congress person.

Answer 3

I don't quite understand where the question is going... But -
What bugs me more is that so many parents have little or no regard for their children's educations. They put too much responsibility on the teachers, and do nothing to help nurture a child's education and creativity at home. I knew how to spell and read before I even started school, but a lot of parents don't see "teaching" as their responsibility. That's what I think is sad.
And yes, a lot of these kids who fall through the cracks and are "no one's responsibility" will end up incarcerated.

Answer 4

What do you suggest, we let the rapist and murders out so they can be repeat offenders? Let me tell you something. I used to work at a prison. The inmates were offered classes to help them get their GED, also had classes to where they could learn a trade, like a brick mason, and so forth. It is not my problem they refuse to utilize their time in prison. Furthermore, while my husband and I bust our bottoms working at this prison, and paying top dollar for our state insurance, I got cancer. It was funny that the inmate who also had the same type of cancer, got all of his treatment and surgery for a $5 payment total and recieved top of the line care with a speedy recovery, and radiation treatment. Where went I went to get my surgery and got jacked around for 6 months, finally had my surgery, the insurance allowed my cancer to spread, and would not give me the radiation that I needed for one year later. I had to fight to get it. My tax dollars allowed this inmate to get treatment, while I had to suffer..doing the right thing. I have since had to file bankruptcy, and had lost everything. What about my kids????

Who turned their back on the average JOE? People say that inmates are being treated cruel and unjust. If I were to have jumped the fence, maybe I would not be disabled and be in pain 24/7. Where is the justice???? Its pretty bad, if I want to have Cancer treatment in this country, it would be easier just to become an inmate. I don't want to hear anything.

These inmates have it made in the shade. You ever wonder why inmates look so young? They don't have the day to day stress. Don't believe everything you see on tv. Everything is done for them, they don't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. THere medical is provided, and schooling, if THEY so chose to take it. The inmates have more rights than the Correctional officers now adays? Where are you getting you sources lady? I would love to know and read about these statistics.

Answer 5

Thank you for putting this information out, and for being concerned. People should realize that about half of those incarcerated are there on victimless crimes--simple possession of drugs or drugs for sale, non violent and NO victim. It is insane economics. Beyond that, it is evil. America, land of the free, with more prisoners than even Communist China. Sick, isn't it?

Reading the responses is kind of depressing. People love it, don't they? You can see how police states succeed--people like them, they make people feel more secure, even when millions, like here, are locked up. Needlessly locking up people is not just an unforgivable sin against humanity, not just a horrible inexcusable waste of human life and talent, but it is also cultural suicide--you turn millions of people who might otherwise be supporting your society into active enemies of it.

Answer 6

Plus they are the first ones to get grants for colleges which takes money away from the children that desperately need the money. Which eventually starts another circle for without college doesn't come a good job a nd without a good job comes desperation and sometimes ending up in Jail. So not only do we pay for them to eat and watch television but we also pay for college education and some of them become lawyers while incarcerated!

Answer 7

What is coming back to haunt us? They've done their time, if they screw up again, back they go.

Jails and prisons cost a few bucks more than schools, you know, with re-enforced concrete, razor wire, weapons, around the clock security, schools don't have that.

It all costs $$$$$$$$, what should we do with them? public executions? We OFFER schooling at a young age but the national average dropout age is 15, we can't make them stay in school, so pumping more $$ in eduaction aint the answer.

Answer 8

Yes, I do know. Did you just watch the Oprah show? Also not mentioned on the show is the fact that politicians make projectiles about how many prisons to build based on the number of kids that fail the 4th grade. You stop to think Who failed who?

Answer 9

The reason it costs so much is all the free stuff that they get while in prison. For some reason, prisoners are "entitled" to things (gym, Internet, medical/dental care, etc) that law-abiding citizens have to do without if we cannot afford the.

Answer 10

And did you also know that while they are in there our tax money is paying to not only house them, but also educate them, speaking of education. They receive free education while our young children have to sell cookies and fruits and other things to help pay for their education. Now that is what I would call justice. You think?