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Thoughts on Jail

By Shanon NormanPublished 2 years ago 5 min read
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I just looked up some statistics regarding incarceration in the United States and some of the things I found were very interesting. In 2011, there were 2,266,800 people incarcerated, 54% of these people had drug offenses, 13% had weapons charges, 11% were there for immigration problems, 10% were robbers or burglars, and the rest were violent, sexual, or miscellaneous. Most inmates test at the 6th grade level, and 72% have less than a GED as their education level. That average age is 33 years old, and the average length of stay is 45 days.

What does all this mean? To me, it means that the society is failing in several ways. First of all we are failing to educate our citizens. Without education and skills to obtain employment, many fall to crime. Second, we are "protecting" the people from drug-users, drug-pushers, and immigrants! Now I'm sure that there are drug-related criminals that will stoop to violence and burglary, but I really don't think I need to be protected from someone who is simply an addict. They may be hurting themselves, but they most likely are not hurting anyone else. As for immigration law, Yes it is a crime - but Incarceration? Really? Do I really need to house and feed some Mexican in a jail simply because he doesn't have a green card? Perhaps our jails are better than their quality of life back in their home country. If that's the case, arresting immigrants is not going to deter them from coming over here illegally.

I think most people would agree that jail or prison is supposed to be for the criminals that make the people feel "unsafe"... That means, violent crimes and burglars. Yet they make up less than 1/2 of the inmate population. What's going on? Why are we jailing people that really don't belong there because society doesn't really need to be "protected" from them? Are we jailing them to "protect" them? Is jail for criminals or is it just another place to throw "skid row" type people that nobody cares about?

It's our tax money that pays for the jailing system. We pay for the institution, and the people who work there. Yet, most people don't take the time to think about who is going to jail, and who we are affording to be there. Why not?

It bothers me because I do not think that a person with a "lesser" crime such as a drug addict or immigrant should be in the same jail cell as someone who raped or murdered another person. How is that fair or just? Yet this is what's happening, and no one seems to care. Recently, I knew of someone who smoked marijuana while he was on probation. He had to do a few months jail time for "breaking the rules of his probation". I did not see him as a threat to society, however, I did agree that breaking the rules of his probation was a justifiable reason for him to return to jail. He was not proving his "rehabilitation" if he could not abide by the stipulations of his "probation" - the final "trial" to see if he "deserved" to be "free".

I was once arrested for a misdemeanor charge of Disorderly Conduct. I met in the holding room while I was awaiting my bail, a man who had murdered someone. Does this seem right? It happens every day to people who have gone to jail. While I was in jail for my felony of Aggravated Assault, I got upset when I saw the officers bringing in "tourists"... Non-criminals who were going through the hallways of the cells staring through the glass to look at the "animals" that were incarcerated. Jail is not a fun place to be, and it's not supposed to be. However, it's also not a zoo. The "authorities" are not supposed to sell tickets to the "humans" to spectate and humiliate the "criminals". That doesn't help with rehabiliation. That just creates anger, bitterness, and resentment. Jail should be a place for a human who made a mistake to relearn or rethink the problem. They should have access to humane treatment, like medical care, food, rest, protection, and educational or religious materials to help them understand how they went wrong and how they can do "better" once they "pay" for their crime with their "time".

They should not be raped or beaten regardless of their crime. They should not be starved or humiliated regardless of their crime. If any authorities of the law believe that those treatments are "just" for any criminal, then I have to contradict my "Christian" doctrine of "no kill" and "against the death penalty" and state tht the death penalty is better than inhumane treatment.

But how do we define "inhumane treatment" or "justice", such ambiguous and elusive words that so many people disagree on.

I would start with animal pets like cats and dogs. If you are a pet lover or owner and know about how humans "rescue" animals and save their lives, then you should know what "humane treatment" is. If you can't treat a human with as much love and respect as you show an animal, then it's time to eliminate that human, as death is more appropriate justice than inhumane treatment including torture, neglect, or abuse. Eye for an eye mentality is not American, not Christian, and not right.

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Shanon Norman

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