While not suprised, I am saddened by a pole I just took part in. Over 80% of people are not concerned at all about the conditions in jails. Which of course means a lot of people who read this will disagree with me.
We, as a society, and as individuals, are defined by how we treat our so called lessers. The way we treat children, animals, and criminals defines so much of our society, and overrules any arguments to the contrary. After all, isn’t this one of the reasons we claim Saddam Hussein was evil? He tortured prisoners. I’m sure there are people saying that what disgusts them is that he tortured innocent people, but really, who’s to say who is innocent? Every day we hear of another verdict being overturned due to new evidence, or finally getting around the dna testing. Even if you say, let’s torture people who commit heinous crimes (how we define that is also up for debate), what of all the people falsely convicted of those types of crimes?
Our criminal justice system does not work. It will not work until we actually do things that affect the cause of crime. Locking even the most innocent person into a 5×9 cell for 23 hours a day will destroy their mental and physical health, leaving them unable to function in society. No positive change comes from that.
How do we create lasting change? Address the issues of the individual. Do they have mental problems? Did they never have guidance and structure growing up? There are many ways to address emotional issues that actually work, like EFT (emotional freedom techniques). Address the underlying beliefs that cause the conflict. That’s true healing, and true freedom. Then, give the people tools to survive in the world. You can’t expect a person to function if they were never given tools. If no one teaches you how to live, where do you learn it? You make do. And that often leads to crime.
I personally feel that if a person cares nothing for those in prison, they are no better than criminals themselves. To lack compassion and desire to help and heal, what difference is there between you and the average criminal? Just because you follow the rules society places before you does not make you a good person. Nor does the breaking of societies rules make you a bad person.
So if you’re part of the 80% who has no concern about our prison system, perhaps it’s time to use a little empathy with intelligence. Learn the facts about these places. Hell, there are shows on all the time showing the prison system from the inside out. Look at those who successfully rehabilitate people. It’s not by placing them in a small box for most of the day. And then, think of what you would want if you were falsely convicted of a crime. I bet you’d start caring pretty darn fast. What if it was your child? What if someone did commit a crime? What if a person kills their abuser, someone who made their life hell for years? Should they then spend the rest of their life in a small box? What if you found out someone had molested your child, and in the moment you lost your mind and killed them? Self defense and insanity pleas don’t get you very far these days, never assume you can get off in these situations.
It’s time to care, about everyone. Until we do, this world will not improve. And we, as a society are no better than any others. As a final thought, here is the golden rule from many religions. I wonder…how many religious people are in that 80%?
The “Golden Rule” in Eight Faiths
Brahmanism — Mahabharata 5:5157
This is the sum of duty: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you.
Buddhism — Udana-Varga 5:18
Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.
Christianity — Matthew 7:12
All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. (King James) So always treat others as you would like them to treat you. (Jerusalem)
Confucianism — Analects 15:23
Surely it is the maxim of loving-kindness: Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you.
Islam — Sunnah
No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.
Judaism — Talmud, Shabbat 31a
What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. That is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.
Taoism — T’ai Shang Kan Ying P’ien
Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.
Zoroastrianism — Dadistan-i-dinik 94:5
That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself.
12 December 2006 at 16:46
I know there is a lot of generalization involved… but one must look at more bits of the ‘big picture’. In the U.S., we some of the most humane prisons in the world — color televisions, libraries, educational opportunities, full blown exercise/gymnasiums. Not all have them but most try as best they can. This is all part of trying to keep prison/punsihment from being cruel and unusual.
Let’s stop and think a moment. Not 150 years ago, you stole a horse; you got your neck stretched with a rope from the nearest tree. At the end of the 1800’s and into the 1900’s, to ‘give exercise’ and not let prisoners’ sit around, they had the equivalent of giant hamster wheels, which prisoners spent 10-12 hours a day ‘running’ in… to keep them busy and too exhausted to assault the guards or escape. Some places in the south still had ‘chain gangs’… that went out to work fields (most of which fed the prison population) or busting rocks to make roads.
Now, a drug dealer or multiple killer can get up, do his morning ritual, exercise, watch television — and do ‘an honest days work’ — either making clothes at a wage which tends to shut down other local makers/suppliers — or they are manning computer terminals, taking your credit card info over the phone as they expedite your catalog orders!
I was in Turkey for a few months a couple of decades ago. Their system is swift and more in keeping with your picture of prisons. Stare at a female too long and the relative (remember, females can’t walk in public without a male family member in attendance) and you can hauled into jail for their ‘insult’ law. Nasty little places. More 12 feet by 12 feet (and smaller in some cases) — and they do NOT provide clothes, food, or medicines…. so, unless you have a good friend or family to come every day to give you the essentials… you are destined to wait until your turn in court — or die before ever seeing the judge.
The U.S. system is NOT that bad. True, there are probably better ways to ‘rehabilitate’ those who do crimes against others but, until the will and the money is available to do one-on-one therapies, it will be tough. Prison has gone from a punishment to an industry over the last three decades. Industry assumes there is chance to ‘make money’. Counties get paid to hold federal prisoners. Prisons have better wireless networks than most Starbucks these days. Though ‘in a cell’, prisoners can surf the net, do business online, and look for potential ‘opportunities’ when they get out.
I agree, we should be doing more to look at altering mind sets rather than the ‘rolled up newspaper thwap to the nose’ responses. In some ways, I would rather you used those religion based quotes to get a positive movement for ‘the lowest of the low’ — those thousands of homeless who can use a little positive energy in their lives.
I’m probably one of those who would argue the methods and motives of the penal industry… at least, until the time when my family’s personal space was violated — a group busted in the door of the $350 a month, holes in the walls where you could see sunlight coming in, log house… ransacked the place and took all the kids stuff and ‘our’ stuff that was easily fenced at the local pawn shops. And the guys that busted in my son’s car windows so they could steal the electronics out of his dashboard. Then, it’s more about invasion of personal space and the feeling that some folks need more than a slap on the wrists for screwing with other peoples’ lives, feelings of security, etc.
These issues can get very philosophical …. until something ‘bad’ happens to you. Then is the REAL test of your basic values and desires for ‘humanity for all’. It can be a rude awakening to find out philosophy does not always trump baser human emotions.
15 December 2006 at 00:41
First off, I’ve always been an advocate for the homeless, including in this blog. But it’s a good reminder.
I don’t believe saying ‘It’s better than it used to be’ is a justification for letting it stay bad. I think we also had 2 different scenarios in mind. You are referencing minimum security type prisons, where I was thinking of maximum security. Though, even minimum security has it’s issues.
I simply think that there’s a distinct lack of will to change things so we’re actually rehabilitating, rather than teaching people more ways to commit crimes, and sinking further into their mental and emotional issues.
And I think that, the mark of being a human is being able to transcend your base emotions, and see things from a different perspective. Otherwise we are simply animals looking for revenge. While I haven’t had to deal with too many bad things in my life, I have had to reconcile my personal feelings towards people who have hurt those close to me. I do believe people should face consequences for their actions. I don’t, however, feel they should be confined to a small room for 23 hours a day with no interaction. I do see that as torture, no matter what the individual has done. I could resort to base emotions, but I choose not to. I want to evolve as a human being, and that involves not resorting to revenge.
After all, we’re all connected. Whatever we do to others, we do to ourselves. Some day we will see that as a group. And then everything will change.
24 December 2006 at 23:49
butchjax,
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Compassion should be extended too all regardless of their position in society, regardless of whether they are convicted criminals or not.
We all should be concerned with the treatment and well-being of Prisoners in this country.
I applaud your efforts to bring this issue to our attention
29 December 2006 at 19:56
I agree with you. I spent 4.5 years at Alderson Federal Prison Kamp for women, sometimes referred to by the press as Kamp KupCake. Ha! The food, When I arrived naive me said I wouldn`t feed this to my dog. The food got worse and worse over the time I was there. Try lunch meat for Thanksgiving dinner. Steak night, oh yeah so over cooked think of trying to eat your leather shoe. There were good meals it depended for most part on which officer was managing the kitchen. Staff well liked and respected by the inmates seemed to transfer sooner, take earlier retirement extc. Medical for shame, one woman had a sizure They left her laying on the floor of the range for over an hour, then was carried down to a truck and sat upright inside, the ambulance came 2 hours later and the lady was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Business? Bigggg, the Us prison system is Americas Pacific Rim. Take your catalogue calls sure for an average of 1 dollar in pay per hour as compared to what an American business would have to pay it`s staff. The biggest threat to American small businesses isn`t the 3rd world it`s US government slave labor. I saw a lot of miracles too because if you didn`t believe in Miracles … Oh Well May you know Light, Love and Miracles. Many Many blessing to you my friend. StarrSeed
1 January 2007 at 10:53
I love what you’ve expressed here, it moved and inspired me. Prison conditions is a pretty big issue here in India.
God bless you,
Diana
4 January 2007 at 15:04
I wanted to thank you all for your comments. Starrseed, you brought up something I hadn’t thought of, which certainly adds another element to the equation. Money is always involved, isn’t it?
I don’t know how to fix this, I wish I did. I think it will come as the country starts to think of others rather than just themselves and extending compassion to all. Then it will naturally resolve itself.
Thank you again for your thoughts.