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that's all fine and good, but when they get out they aren't exactly any better than they were when they went in. the point of prison is to teach someone a lesson, not teach them how to be an even tougher criminal.
you chain a dog up and beat it, starve it a little and torture it, chances are then when it gets off the chain they are going to do more damage.
While you're very right about this, we also know that many convicts wind up just recommiting for the sole purpose of getting back into prison shortly after getting out. While they're in, they think they want out but once out, there's no one telling them what to do and when to do it and it's a bit overwhelming. I believe socialogists call it institutionalization. And it sure doesn't help that for many convicts, their life inside was much more cushy than out.
I know you did not ask me this question but, I have to give you an example.
Years ago, I was involved in a pilot project through the Maricopa County Attorney's office - we took kids (teenagers 14 yo +) who were really going bad - these kids had done some really bad things, to the State Prison in Florence, AZ. We turned these kids over to "Lifers" - inmates, many former gang members, who were never going to see daylight.
Like the kids we took there, these inmates started out with petty stuff - and worked up. These inmates had volunteered for this project - they really wanted to try to make a difference.
The program was called "Scared Straight" - and these inmates did just that - they scared the s..t out of these kids - they told them what was really going to happen to them - and what would happen to them in jail - THEY DID NOT MINCE WORDS.
It was amazing to see the results - most, not all, of these kids never got back into the system -
We had to shut it down however - the program was not "PC" - the bad language that the inmates used was not approved of - etc.
Too bad too - it was really effective
wow, I always wondered who put that movie together, and YES, IT WAS VERY VERY EFFECTIVE!!!... you guys did an excellent job and Im glad to hear from someone who put that together, Im sick to hear tho they shut it down, darn darn darn, if it saved one kid, then it was worth it all the way, kids dont listen, until its too late... my kids have seen that, they were shown that show in school AND they saw it on tv and thats when I saw some of it, scared me half to death too...good on ya for following it out... my brother is a judge in Alachua County Florida, he took my son up to Raiford State Penitentiary one day, lol, it was an eye opener for him too... my brother said by the time they got back to the car and the end of the day my son said "if I had to eat that food and live like that Id LET them kill me"...and hes a VERY big kid, lol, my brother has defended many a man up there too when he was with the Public Defenders Office, he said the guards are as mean as the inmates, especially to younger offenders... thanks for sharing your story, and your post below is a good one too...take care and keep fighting for the cause!
Having innocent people out on the street get killed by career criminals due to our soft on crime system is a much greater threat than the probability of killing an innocent person on death row. I am outraged at the violent crimes that go on in this country. The only way to reduce crime and return our country to decency is to kill off in large numbers the violent criminal element. Literally thousands of violent criminals should be executed each year. It will give them the punishment they deserve, it will scare ambitious young criminals from killing anyone, and by "taking out the garbage" so to speak it will make the balance of the U.S a sweeter, more innocent place as only the good guys will remain.
speaking of a killer as another faceless nameless statistic works well. But have you ever stopped to look at who is in prison and what for? have you taken things into account as far as race, area they lived in, age or anything about who they were or the life they lived before they were in prison?
wow, I always wondered who put that movie together, and YES, IT WAS VERY VERY EFFECTIVE!!!... you guys did an excellent job and Im glad to hear from someone who put that together, Im sick to hear tho they shut it down, darn darn darn, if it saved one kid, then it was worth it all the way, kids dont listen, until its too late... my kids have seen that, they were shown that show in school AND they saw it on tv and thats when I saw some of it, scared me half to death too...good on ya for following it out... my brother is a judge in Alachua County Florida, he took my son up to Raiford State Penitentiary one day, lol, it was an eye opener for him too... my brother said by the time they got back to the car and the end of the day my son said "if I had to eat that food and live like that Id LET them kill me"...and hes a VERY big kid, lol, my brother has defended many a man up there too when he was with the Public Defenders Office, he said the guards are as mean as the inmates, especially to younger offenders... thanks for sharing your story, and your post below is a good one too...take care and keep fighting for the cause!
I am actually upset to see that program go also, that seemed to work pretty well. It is indeed a Shame that someone couldn't bring that program back. that line of thinking is where i am coming from. do something about crime before someone becomes a criminal. Just reacting to something is like swatting the mosquitoes and not dealing with the pond.
wow, I always wondered who put that movie together, and YES, IT WAS VERY VERY EFFECTIVE!!!... you guys did an excellent job and Im glad to hear from someone who put that together, Im sick to hear tho they shut it down, darn darn darn, if it saved one kid, then it was worth it all the way, kids dont listen, until its too late... my kids have seen that, they were shown that show in school AND they saw it on tv and thats when I saw some of it, scared me half to death too...good on ya for following it out... my brother is a judge in Alachua County Florida, he took my son up to Raiford State Penitentiary one day, lol, it was an eye opener for him too... my brother said by the time they got back to the car and the end of the day my son said "if I had to eat that food and live like that Id LET them kill me"...and hes a VERY big kid, lol, my brother has defended many a man up there too when he was with the Public Defenders Office, he said the guards are as mean as the inmates, especially to younger offenders... thanks for sharing your story, and your post below is a good one too...take care and keep fighting for the cause!
While I'd like to take the credit, please, I was merely someone who helped with facilitating the program and working with the kids -
Much smarter people than I came up with the idea and did the promotions -
But, I do agree with you - the program worked - and for far more than one kid -
Maybe someday, we can get it back!
As an aside, I did get to know a few of the inmates - some of them were really UGLY dudes But, they knew that they were wrong - that they had choices and they choose the wrong things - they blamed themselves - and not society - there was one, George, who was actually .... "likeable".
While you're very right about this, we also know that many convicts wind up just recommiting for the sole purpose of getting back into prison shortly after getting out. While they're in, they think they want out but once out, there's no one telling them what to do and when to do it and it's a bit overwhelming. I believe socialogists call it institutionalization. And it sure doesn't help that for many convicts, their life inside was much more cushy than out.
I have known a few people like that. One man was in prison for 19 years, when he got out he was useless. he had no training to get a reasonable job, his education was nearly obsolete he couldn't pump gas... the whole computer thing exploded while he was in there. when he came out, it was a totally different world and he had no idea where to start fitting back into it.
I would say just as I did before, the girl is gone, the crime has past and nothing can undo what has been done.
When one person kills another, they are in an emotional state of mind. How does it change anything if I were to say he deserves execution when I am in an emotional state myself?
Emotion doesn't lend to reason and anger is a selfish emotion to boot.
Well, this jury disagreed with you - he was sentenced to death.
I was a witness to his execution - in the electric chair.
PS: No one from his family would claim his remains after the execution. He is buried in the inmate cemetary at Florence. No marker.
I would say just as I did before, the girl is gone, the crime has past and nothing can undo what has been done.
When one person kills another, they are in an emotional state of mind. How does it change anything if I were to say he deserves execution when I am in an emotional state myself?
Emotion doesn't lend to reason and anger is a selfish emotion to boot.
if somebody kills somebody their mind is GONE in my opinion, its funny how quick it returns when sentence is passed tho, justice should be for the victim not the prisoner...or so it should be...states have guidelines they have to follow in terms of imposing the most/maximum penalty they can give a condemned person, you are asked when you are questioned for jury duty if you could not objectively elect the death penalty if the case can have that sentencing, if you answer that you DONT believe in it, and the sentence can possibly be imposed, you are usually excused from jury duty for that case an someone else is chosen instead, this eliminates people who have emotional problems with sentencing a man/woman to death
speaking of a killer as another faceless nameless statistic works well. But have you ever stopped to look at who is in prison and what for? have you taken things into account as far as race, area they lived in, age or anything about who they were or the life they lived before they were in prison?
jurys are usually advised that none of these things matter, even tho a persons background is usually a result of who they are, in the justice system, its every man/woman for himself, if not, Martha Stewart would have walked too...and Im glad she fried, even if only for a few easy little months...
While I'd like to take the credit, please, I was merely someone who helped with facilitating the program and working with the kids -
Much smarter people than I came up with the idea and did the promotions -
But, I do agree with you - the program worked - and for far more than one kid -
Maybe someday, we can get it back!
As an aside, I did get to know a few of the inmates - some of them were really UGLY dudes But, they knew that they were wrong - that they had choices and they choose the wrong things - they blamed themselves - and not society - there was one, George, who was actually .... "likeable".
thank you anyway, whatever part you had, if it scared them back to the straight and narrow, it was worth it...its better they learn it looking in instead of being inside and looking out...
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