I know Americans get a justice boner imagining bad criminals getting raped in prison, but is it beneficial for society to put people with a history of violence through living hell then leave them with no job prospects and basically no real opportunities once they are released? Does that set the general welfare of the country up for more prosperity, peace, improvement? Is it really all that surprising all the unique problems the United States has disproportionate to its wealth?
The prison system in the United States makes much more sense once you realize that its purpose is not to rehabilitate, or even to maintain public order, but to keep certain people (which means exactly what you imagine it means) locked up, cradle-to-grave. It's very good at that.
(Remember the classic mantra, "the purpose of a system is what it does.")
There is also a lot of dependence on prison labor, recidivism is good for business. Technically, convicted felons are fair game for slavery and indentured servitude - it says it right there in the 13th amendment.
I am always puzzled, there seems to be lots of people who seem to have decided that retribution is not the purpose of the justice system. It is the primary purpose of the justice system. Everything else (disuasion, redemption, reintegration, etc) comes as an secondary benefit/purpose.
Now we can debate whether locking someone in a tiny concrete cell for 60 years is an appropriate form of retribution, or even whether it is more humane than a quick death. And certainly any violence in jail is unacceptable. The US system seems a bit absurd to me. But the european systems of extreme laxism seem equally absurd and ineffective.
You're offended. Now, refute the characterization with cogent, rational arguments. Leaving off your own arguments and simply stating that you're affronted doesn't serve much of a point.
As an American, it sure seems like a fair characterization. Many politicians are in favor of harsh incarnation conditions, and a majority of Americans seem to support this position.
There is a different take on prisons in Europe. The take there is to prepare people for reintegration into society while the English take is to punish.
It's an interesting difference since prisons are actually there to punish but once the punishment has been served, the prisoner should have all equal chances to start again having learnt their lesson.
Preventing prison rape is 100% the responsibility of the guards, and absolutely, emphatically, 0% the responsibility of the inmates.
The very existence of this film implies that the inmates have a responsibility to protect themselves while literally being directly under government supervision, which is absurd, inhumane, and blame-shifting. “If you had protected yourself better in prison, despite us literally having armed guards around you, maybe it wouldn’t have happened. So it’s partially your fault, you know.”
It also makes the very name “Department of Corrections” a total farce. A purely punitive system with no corrective intent would probably be safer and more humane than this, when we stop pretending there is any rehabilitative value for being there.
I'd argue that if rape happens in prison, it is because the discipline is not enforced harshly enough. It blows my mind that certain prisons are effectively co-managed with gangs.
> In 2015, New York State prisons began showing state-made orientation videos [...] funded through a grant from the federal government under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)
I'm torn between "if the state officials need to make this video they've failed at something else" versus "well at least some of the officials think it's important enough for a video".
For anyone interested in hearing more inmate voices, Ear Hustle is a great podcast. I just discovered it this year and it has made me think about prison from many new perspectives.
There's no "vouch" button. I want to undo the "flag"
This is a very important issue. Most victims of rape in the USA are men, not women. And, sickeningly, many people are pro-rape when it comes to men in prison.
Readit News
(Remember the classic mantra, "the purpose of a system is what it does.")
This has been a simple answer to a simple question.
Now we can debate whether locking someone in a tiny concrete cell for 60 years is an appropriate form of retribution, or even whether it is more humane than a quick death. And certainly any violence in jail is unacceptable. The US system seems a bit absurd to me. But the european systems of extreme laxism seem equally absurd and ineffective.
What an offensive stereotype to place Americans in general into this bucket.
It's an interesting difference since prisons are actually there to punish but once the punishment has been served, the prisoner should have all equal chances to start again having learnt their lesson.
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Preventing prison rape is 100% the responsibility of the guards, and absolutely, emphatically, 0% the responsibility of the inmates.
The very existence of this film implies that the inmates have a responsibility to protect themselves while literally being directly under government supervision, which is absurd, inhumane, and blame-shifting. “If you had protected yourself better in prison, despite us literally having armed guards around you, maybe it wouldn’t have happened. So it’s partially your fault, you know.”
It also makes the very name “Department of Corrections” a total farce. A purely punitive system with no corrective intent would probably be safer and more humane than this, when we stop pretending there is any rehabilitative value for being there.
Glad to be wrong here tho
Some of what's described in the video is more like grooming/pressure-tactics, as opposed to outwardly-visible violence.
I wouldn't expect guards to be the front-line that subset. Psychologists, maybe.
I'm torn between "if the state officials need to make this video they've failed at something else" versus "well at least some of the officials think it's important enough for a video".
https://www.earhustlesq.com/
Deleted Comment
This is a very important issue. Most victims of rape in the USA are men, not women. And, sickeningly, many people are pro-rape when it comes to men in prison.
Going to need a citation on that