Why do inmates {prisons} get free education and have air conditioning?

Question

The average citizen does not have computers, balance diets, free time , gyms,

Answer 1

Because they are being trained not to do crimes again and they have to be kept in a suitable environment. And they are not privaleged because of that as they can't go anywhere else.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Keep in mind that NOT all facilities are the same. Each privileges that inmates can receive, are taken away as punishments as well. Many prisons do not have enough funds in the budget to give people what they need. Medical and dental care is not easily obtainable, in the prisons in my state.

Actually, most facilities do not give inmates free education. Not all facilities have Air Conditioning either. My husband is in prison and I had to pay for his GED. Also I've gone to the facilities in the summer time and we are sitting there sweating to death. They have 2 big fans to circulate the hot air around.

Inmates do not have computers either. The gym is just about the only thing that they have a privilege of doing, which helps to keep healthy. The only free time they have is to sit in their cells. They can read, write, and play cards with other inmates.

Balance diets are not included, unless you count bologna sandwiches or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as balance diets. If someone has diabetes, they have to fight with medical and the prison to get a diet for their specific needs.

Personally I feel the prisons should concentrate on Transitional programs with vocational goals. Because they lack in transitional and vocational programs, many inmates don't have a chance to change their lives around once they are released and go back to their old ways, then go back to prison. If vocational goals were put in place, more inmates would succeed in being law-abiding, productive members of society upon release.

Prisons need to get rid of TV, unless they are watching the Disney Channel or something. The inmates should be working on their education and vocational goals instead of watching TV. But there isn't much else they can do.

If you would like to know more what prison life is really like, ask someone who knows and don't believe everything the media tries to tell you.

Please keep in mind many of people in prison are in there due to charges, like a check forgery, first time drug possession, Driving without a license, probation violations, or other non-violent crimes. You need prison to punish people who commit crimes. They are in there paying their debt to society. Many (not all) people are good people who made really bad choices and mistakes. Many of them are eager to go home and change their lives around.

Less than half are in there for murder, child molestation, etc. I feel if someone has been proven they committed these horrible violent crimes should be taken out of society and match their punishment. Death penalty would be appropriate if they have TONS of evidence that this person killed people or moleseted a child! Most other crimes, people can be rehabilitated and change.

Answer 4

First of all, prisons only offer free education through high school just like the outside. If you want to take college courses, generally you pay for them, just like on the outside. As for air conditioning, I worked in a prison in florida and most of it was NOT air conditioned. The general dormitories where the majority of inmates lived, slept, etc were NOT. The hospital area was, of course, and some of the common areas, but not the majority.

BTW, remember when you criticize what you perceive as "luxuries" for inmates, people work in those facilities and strive to control the violence that is endemic within them. There has to be something available to use as a carrot and stick to manage inmate behavior.

Also, remember the vast majority of inmates will return to the streets someday. Do you want them no better off and very likely worse when they return than they were upon entry??

Answer 5

Thats not all they get. In some prisons, they get congical visits. Every prisoner gets free medical, dental, and eye care. They also have TV's in their "rec" rooms. My husband worked in a kitchen in a prison, they eat quite well. They also get to further their education for free. My husband spent 20 years in the Navy aboard submarines, do you know that the beds in prisons, have better mattress' than those on a submarine. He actually knew inmates that were re-offenders so they could finish the dental work they needed. These people know how to use the system so that the tax payer pays for all of the luxuries in their lives. Its sad, but someone took pitty on them and now it is a law that they have these things, when normal hardworking americans can't afford those luxuries. I don't think that they should get tv's, gymnasiums, air conditioning, anything that is considered a luxury. Sorry - call Me heartless, call Me cruel, but I am 45 yrs old, and just this past year could afford air conditioning, and I have worked my butt off since I was 14 years old. They committed crimes, they don't deserve those things with out working for them.


I am surprised to read some of these answers. I guess it does depend on the state in which you live. It really doesn't matter to me what state a criminal resides in, they should not get ANY luxuries in their life. They are there for a reason, not to enjoy the comforts of home. By the way, in my state, our prisoners have everything I listed above, including AC and computers. They get to take on line college acredited courses at the taxpayers expense!! I think its ridiculous. For those of you who have loved ones in prison - I am sorry for what you deal with on the other end of their lives. You did not commit the crime, but usually pay a harder price than the prisoner. But - for the prisoner, if they did the crime - they should pay with HARD TIME.

Answer 6

Most prisons aren't that nice. My local pen doesn't even have beds for all the inmates. There are no computers for the convicts and the AC dies every year in June. Also, prisoners are often forced to work for $1 an hour.

Answer 7

Most states do not provide anything past a GED (Michigan for sure)-they have taken alot of privileges from prisoners in the past few years-they have cut way back on the food budgets also-and visitation has been cut way back also. I don't think prisoners should be coddled-but in Michigan sometimes a GED is required before they can be released.

Answer 8

Thats a good question. People are being too sensitive to prisoners. They deserve the punishment that fits the crime, and nothing more. I wouldn't feel sorry for them if they had none of those things!

Answer 9

Because Our Government is ignorant to what punishment really is. That is why we have reoffenders,,prison is better, and free survival. I can see schooling them, teaching them, but not the other stuff. 30,000 a yr to house a prisoner, but they get out of child support payments because they are incarcerated,and moms on welfare and gets 1200.00 a yr IF THAT to take care of the kid he left behind. or she. The prisoner is REWARDED for incarceration and the kids suffer, and the state pays way more to house the dad,,and screw the kids. they are ignorant to the damages in their so called system. just like our minimum and maximum sentences are not balanced, and they cause to many prisoners..etc...maybe someday we will have a balance out there in our legal system.

Answer 10

Because inmates ONLY LOSE THEIR freedom of liberty. If you don't treat them well while in jail they can claim their constitutional rights against cruel and unusual punishment.

It's our fourfathers fault when they made up the constitution.

Answer 11

Kinda sad huh? they actually call that punishment no wonder most end right back there , they have nothing to live for on the outside worlde and taken care of when they are in prison