Quote:
Originally Posted by Scucca  There is policy choice available, as shown by the cross-country differences in the size of the prison population. Has the use of prison sentence been overly employed, given the suggestion that it may have damaging long run effects (compared to other expenditures on the criminal justice system) |
IMO, the prison system is too easy. When convicted felons have things like cable TV, the internet, personal websites, etc, they aren't being punished. Most prisons are far too lax. In certain parts of the country, life in prison is better than life on the street, so this isn't much of a deterrent at all. Punishment like chain gangs for example aren't acceptable with the liberal mindset, but PC use and marrying some bimbo who has a fascination with criminals is acceptable.
I don't believe it is a matter of the prison system being over employed so much as the system falling far short of it's purpose, which is to punish and rehabilitate, not have a better life inside the prison walls.