prison overcrowding= too many laws?

Question

prison overcrowding is a ridiculous problem that we shouldnt have in the first place. we have too many laws criminalizing too many things, while truely dangerous things are legal. like we control firearms because of acts bad people make...like school shootings, yet we do not control who becomes parents...who sometimes produce bad people, and nothing changes. criminals are criminals because they DONT FOLLOW THE LAW. duh, laws arent the answer.
we prosecute the guy smokin a j in his living room,not harming anyone...while abusive spouses and parents can get a 12 or 6 pack anytime.
we prosecute the 17 yr old drug dealer and send him to jail for 10 yrs....rather than fixing the environment that forced him into it in the first place.
thank you for reading my tirade....theres more, but im done typing. thoughts?

Answer 1

-Too few executions.
-Too many laws on victimless crimes.
-Spend more on education and the crime rates will drop.

Answer 2

Too many laws in the last ten years has resulted in chaos in the prison system.

Some parents have no shame or respect for themselves or anyone else, and don't need to under this present government be responsible for their childrens behaviour.
Parents should be held responsible for their childrens behaviour until 16 and if the child is caught in a criminal act then the parent should be charged with not keeping the child under control.

People who smoke a J in their own home are easy targets for the police as most dealers are police informants.

Prisons are a lot softer nowadays with t.v's in every cell, drugs are easier to come by, i've heard of youngsters going in clean and coming out heroin addicts,soft porn allowed to be brought in, gym, sterio's , money, no wonder the prisons are packed some inmates have a better standard of living inside than out, I heard one prisoner because he broke his dentures whist playing cricket was awarded £25,000 for pain and embarrassment having no dentures for 4 weeks.

If the government toughened up the prison system then I don't think too many people would want to go there.

Petty shoplifters don't need to be incarcerated a large photograph with their name should be displayed in shops along with a fine that would make it harder for them the next time.
Why give a fine when there are so many filthy streets and graffitti walls ? get the yobo's out cleaning perhaps with shocking pink overalls with whatever crime they commited e.g
I MUGGED AN O.A.P ON THE BACK.

Just a few simple name them and shame them, and I think it would make a BIG difference.

Answer 3

We just have too many losers and criminals.

I agree drug possession shouldn't be prosecuted so harshly since it is less of an evil than child abuse, rape, murder, molestation ,etc. But, that doesn't mean people who are habitual drug users don't deserve some harassment, because they cause most of the problems in society.

We are a nation of lazy bums, drunks, and addicts. It is a sad, pathetic thing to see both rich and poor who devote their lives to the meaningless pursuit of getting high and getting rich off the backs of others. When China kicks our @ss economically in 10 years it wil be because a lot of americans forgot how to work for living and work to make their lives better.

Answer 4

detention center overcrowding is extremely severe. one in 142 human beings is in detention center, which, whilst i finished to think of approximately replaced right into a helluva lot. So for the U. S., it particularly is 300000000/142... detention center overcrowding is whilst a detention center has lots of inmates, that the detention center is over its maximum potential and for this reason upload greater beds and make single rooms double or double rooms triple. California on my own is over two times its meant detention center potential. the only element to truly do is to the two build greater prisons or boost them (costly), or launch the convicts, which isn't an exceptionally solid decision the two. The already tight quarters improve violence and the likeliness of riots, alongside with a decrease possibility of parole (with the aid of violence). So, the U. S. is at present in a foul concern, yet as uncomplicated, I even have self belief that we are going to make do. :)

Answer 5

You're right in one aspect, we need to eliminate prison overcrowding - we should execute any murderer or child molester immediately. But, as far as too many laws, I don't think so! There needs to be much stricter laws to prevent crime in the first place. Granted, there are other things that need to be fixed like who becomes a parent, etc., but that doesn't mean we should be any less tough on crime, that's ridiculous.

Answer 6

Some of the things you say are right but i think you go too extreme. I am not down for parenting tests. I do agree that one way to fix the problem of crime is to address the root causes seriously, and try to remedy them. But in the mean time we dont ahve too many laws and people are going to break them until we can change some things about our society.

Answer 7

I think your in the states? We have the same problem in the UK, but I believe that our problem is caused by lenient sentencing. Your never going to keep people out of prison when the realise that they will be out in next to no time. As a result offenders continue to re-offend and first timers realise that the punishment NEVER fits the crime. For example a life term in the UK means the offender can be out of prison in 3-5 years.

Answer 8

Prison overcrowing=too many meat heads breaking the law.

The law is put in place to protect people from others, and especially people from themselves. HELLO, MCFLY....

In some cases people don't really know what is best for their well being! Case in point, a 35 year old man died from meth use just recently. Here's the link http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17808933/wid/11915773/?GT1=9145.

But hey, you want to destroy your life, and the lives of those around you, what business does anyone have objecting to it?

If someone doesn't want to go to prison, they shouldn't break the law. End of Story.

Answer 9

I agree 100%. I don't know where you live but I'm in Nevada and its to the point of no return due to too many ridiculous laws most that you named. I think they should let people out into programs for drugs and alcohol and help people not lock them in a cell that makes many people come out more f'd up than when they went in. Our women's prison is in crisis as well and they keep on sending women there for a drug problem. I get very irritated with this subject. I hope that Gov. Gibbons fails in receiving his 400 million dollar prison budget and the feds come in and take over. Our prison systems are bull dookey!!!!!!

Answer 10

You're absolutely right. Our Congress makes national laws and our State Senate makes state laws. Contact them about your concerns and suggestions. Decriminalizing certain 'crimes' would balance our prison population which is out of control. One excuse I've heard is that it costs too much to take a law off the books B.S., compared to the daily cost to house an inmate.

Answer 11

I'll take a different perspective... let's say that prison overcrowding may be attributed to lack of gainful, economic opportunity that is legal. Often times, the crimes that are perpetrated are due to lack of skills and proficiencies, academic opportunity, or work available. Lack of work causes a aura of hopelessness that is eased by way of indulgence of illegal activities (including drug abuse). It becomes a vicious cycle of wrongdoings.

How can the cycle be stopped? What may reduce the number of people who are incarcerated at the public expense in order to placate a system of intricate legal codes, rules, and regulations? Why isn't the rehabilitative aspects of the justice system more effective? Are we, as employers, hesitant to hire individuals who have paid their debt to society? Is that hesitancy contributing to the necessity of repeated criminal activity? How may our education system contribute to the reduction of criminal activity? Are legal aspects being offered early enough to our young persons who may be tempted to engage in illegal acts to "know why not to be tempted?"

Should there be special work opportunities extended for those who are incarcerated and released that segregate them from the population -- at large? Could special companies be developed to provide work that pays a fair wage in exchange for a fair effort? Sure, we could. However, in today's economy (afta NAFTA), it is ever more increasing difficult to obtain gainful employment for 'good' citizens...much less provide for those who may tend to be less trustworthy by virtue of past reputation. Thanks for the soapbox...and the brainstorm.

I agree that the legal system needs to be "weeded" and / or reworked; however, the amount of manpower required to accomplish the task is far too expensive for realistic consideration...at the present time.

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