Why does rape, murder, and assault occur in American prisons?

Question

Is the purpose of prison to punish people by, putting them in the worst place imaginable as a deterrent to crime?

Answer 1

The prisons encourage sexual violence between the inmates as a form of torture. The government could never officially take the line, "break the law and you'll be tortured," so instead they create the circumstances where it will happen and turn a blind eye. In fact, the US currently has many more "rape rooms" across the county that Iraq under Sadaam even did.

Answer 2

They are getting better but not perfect. There is a special documentary on Pelican Bay that gives insight on criminal mentalities. I think it is on A&E. However, those are the worst of the worst. I can see small traces it in some of the ex-prisoners I've met. I don't think the idea is to punish them in that way rather to get them out of society. I feel it is a deterrent to would be offenders not to go to prison. When you have that many criminal minds together it's gotta be tough. I think the justice system knows this and tries to spread them evenly which explains the level of prison from a minimum security to a maximum like Pelican Bay. If what you were saying was true and a guy got busted for larceny would sent straight to the worst maximum security prison with the murders and no conscience lifers. I doubt he would survive and if he did he would be a worse criminal than when he went in.

There is a word that is good to know, reprobate... It means void of judgement. There are people in this world that don't have any judgement. The truth to them are the rumurs they hear and the feelings they have at the moment. That might be part of the reason rape, murder and asssults happen in prison. You ought to talk to a prison guard, they can tell you alot. Many communities have a citizan police program were they enlighten you on some facts. I just went and recommend it to everyone.

I gotta say this, it's not politically correct but here it goes. I feel we have lots of legal criminals today. What is the difference between actually murdering someone or spreading gossip and having someone else do it. There ought to be a murder by mouth law...

Answer 3

Well.....That's the type of people that live there. You can't stop them all. Can teachers stop a High School fight if they don't know about it? No. Same thing. Prison to some isn't punishment. It's home. They don't know what it's like on the outside, or they are confortable in a surrounding where people are stabbing each other and fighting and killing. That's were they feel relaxed. I saw this on a show about prisoners.

It's hard for us to believe how someone can feel at home when there is violence around them. It goes to show that we (Normal people) truly have no idea what these people have in their minds. They are a different breed of people. We also can't imagine their childhood that would bring them up this way. Sad..Go to a hosptial. Nurses and Dr.'s see a lot of these kids where their future is sure to be doomed. and unfortuanlty some innocent person will be the victim. Again Sad.

Answer 4

Well common sense leads me to say that these are the crimes they are in prison for to begin with. A true deterrent would be no entertainment and 16 hours of hard labor a day with bread and water for the bad guys.

Answer 5

I agree with the "not enough to do" sentiment. I would further add that if prisoners were made to grow their own food, make their own clothes, and chain gangs were brought back; prisoners would be too worn out to do much of anything. Perhaps they could also learn a trade and value of hard work. I know the prisons in the US can't be as rotten as those in, say, China or somewhere, but we would do well to stop making them the equivalent of convict club med! (get 3 squares, weights, etc w/o having to earn them).

Answer 6

Rape, murder and assault occur in prisons because most of the people there are rapists, murderers and assaulters. They are in prison because they don't belong in a free society. The prisons are a part of the "penal" system not the "rehabilitation" system. Yes, they are in fact there to be punished for their bad deeds not to be sympathised with.

Answer 7

American prisons are a horrible place for anyone to try to exist, let alone anyone trying to learn a better way of .life... Can you imagine, risking sodomy just to be able to clean yourself up ??? Prison is a joke, it is not to learn to be a better person, it is to be defiled and not be able to contest the act... Is that supposed to teach you to be a better person, or to be able to show you how to better exist and function in general society ??? Bad people should be locked up, no question... What I question is the methods... I would much prefer to serve out my time unmolested, as many of the population of todays prisons...

Answer 8

Because prisons are full of rapists, murderers and those who assault others. It's a breeding ground for crime, particularly where drugs are concerned. Go to prison for a drug offense: get all the drugs you want! -RKO-

Answer 9

Why does rape, murder and assult occur anywhere?

Bad people = bad things.

Orignal sin started it all and will be until the end.
Seriously, I dont care. Eye for an eye i what I say.

Answer 10

because that is what most of them did in the first place to get put in prison. plus they are a Bunch of savage animals I think they should come back strong with the Death penalty.