Governments have got it all wrong.
By RobinJ
@RobinJ (2501)
Canada
February 20, 2008 12:26am CST
Good evening everyone On another discussion the prison system came in to play and I thought it would make a great discussion, In stead of paying the current amount that is paid to keep prisoners institutionalized and fed 3 meals a day, medical dental, hearing as eye ware being provided.And to make their stay a bit more comfortable the have cable TV. access to library's and schooling as much as they can take.
My idea is to take the average check an old age pensioner gets from the government, remembering this pension has been paid in to every working day of their working life. I am not including private pensions or benefits because all seniors do not have access not able to use. And to take this amount and spend it on prisoner's per year the same as a pensioner would get per year. That is is not one penny more
I believe that the human right activists would be at the door in no time complaining that the poor prisoners are being treated unfairly and meanly. because I can guarantee you that there would be pitiful meals that may or may not be proper nutrition. that there would be no money for TV. schools, benefits, and very possibly the heat would have to be turned down, as well the prisons would have to take in work and use that money to pay the guards.
They would become in fact what prisons are supposed to be for, and that would be for punishment,I am pretty darn sure that rehabilitation would happen real fast because no one would ever want to have to spend a month, never mind years in such a place
The the government could give the seniors and old age pensioners a decent check for all their help and working every day to make our country one of the greatest in the world.
I would like to hear from every one on their thought on this it sure will be interesting
Thanks Robin
5 people like this
12 responses
@keithstieneke (823)
• Lincoln, Nebraska
20 Feb 08
I know that by what you have written thus far that you are going to agree with what I say in this response.
I do agree that senior citizens and pensioners do not get as much money as they deserve but you forget in writing this about the underlying causes of crime. Working as a psychiatric technician for years I have seen many people in the high security unit who did what they did out of desperation or mental illness.
I had a discussion with a friend who went to work as a mental health therapist at the local prison. She told me that 90% of the inmates are on some type of medication for mental instability. Also many of these people do not have an education and some lack basic skills.
Although this does not excuse these people from committing crimes it shows that punishment is not a deterrent because how can punishment treat mental illness, lack of schooling and lack of basic social skills. Now on the other hand I do not think judges should be so quick to sentence people to prison as people who are dysfunctional learn more dysfunctional behavior from those whom they are housed with.
As for saying punishment is what prisons are for then why are they run by the Department of Corrections. Does correction mean punishment?
@RobinJ (2501)
• Canada
21 Feb 08
Yes you are right there are an awful lot of people that are in prision because they are mentally ill, and that also accounts for a lot of the homeless people. Mental illness is a huge issue that needs to be addressed very quickly as there are more and more people being pushed over that cliff edge.
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
21 Feb 08
Don't get me started on the lifestyle inside a prison! Prisons are holiday camps! all your meals bought and paid for you, tv, stereo, video games, games room, luxuries, no bills, no poll tax, no rent collectors knocking at your door! A roof over your head, lighting, heating and NO bills, Pensioners would be better of in prison that trying to struggle on a pittance and not being able to afford heating. Prison is no deterrant in fact prisoners get more rights than pensioners do. Pensioners are also very safe in prison, no one trying to mug them, 24/7 security provided courtesy of the government inside! Is it any wonder why crime is so high, Prisons are laughed at, prisoners have more rights than pensioners. and besides the guilty are always rewarded and the innocent suffer! Sad, cruel, evil world. Rant over x
2 people like this
@skydancer (2101)
• United States
20 Feb 08
I agree that prison should by no means be a vacation paid for by law-abiding citizens. Prison is supposed to be a punishment for people who have broken the law. I believe that one of the reasons that the crime rate is higher than ever at this day and age is because of this whole "politically correct"/"human rights activism" movement - prior to this, fewer people committed crimes and the population as a whole was a lot more honest and genuine and I believe one of the reasons was because of fear... fear that something was going to happen to them... fear that basically, if they committed a bad enough sin, their life as they knew it would be wrecked. But when the consequences are fewer, and less horrendous, it only motivates this behavior, and having prisons which are set up like a vacation land as you described are counter-productive.
Of course, we want to ensure that all citizens of this country receive fair treatment, but this is assuming they are a genuine, law-abiding citizen, not people who have broken the law... and furthermore, it seems to me that it is a punishment to law-abiding citizens to be required to pay taxes which go towards supporting prisoners in this kind of way. Since when is a criminal supposed to be treated on the same level as us law-abiding people? That to me is very, very extreme.
2 people like this
@Zorrogirl (1502)
• South Africa
20 Feb 08
well, well, what an excelent idea. prison stay has become a paid holiday for most inmates. here in south africa, the homeless do crime for government accommodation. i saw on the news a while back how arnie of california faught for better conditions in prisons. i would much rather have leaders advocate for better conditions for the victims. even though some prisons dont have libraries, it still allows for government funded studies. here in sa the old age pension is R900. thats equal to 100 dollars a month. what a disgrace.
@Zorrogirl (1502)
• South Africa
20 Feb 08
sorry about the double post. darn dial up internet. i have rated you plus for this discussion as its a great suggestion for all countries.
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
20 Feb 08
hmm...not a bad idea. I do think that prisoners are given way to much comfort. I do know people that get themselves in trouble regularly just to go back. For me, lack of freedom would be punishment enough but for too many....the free roof,bed, tv, education,food etc is enough. They are people and I do think they should be fed decent meals but instead of expensive gym equipment....hard labor would be a more appropriate form of excercise. Tv and phone privileges are not necessary. I understand rehab and councelling becuz so many that are in the prison are there because they do have issues. Free education...well, they probably need that too but heck...so do i...can't afford it right now and I have a problem with someone that goes to jail having better access to education than I do. Jail should be even tougher than boot camp.
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
21 Feb 08
Oh Robin, so well stated! I have been ranting about this problem for years. Those who live with me and know me well are probably so very sick of hearing me rant about this issue! I had a friend who worked in a prison in North Carolina. Now this would be the prison which housed a very famous prisoner who attempted the life of a US President. My friend told me how the prisoners are released to the local college to take college courses (which are paid in full by our tax dollars), how the prisoners had steak one night every two weeks, how the prisoners each had a TV in their cell so that there were no fights about what to watch in the dayroom, how the prisoners got to go to a local healthclub weekly (in addition to the exercise and fitness equipment room at the prison)...I could go on and on. My family nor my elderly parents can afford to have steak once every two weeks. My elderly parents often put off medical exams and dental work due to lack of funds. It is deplorable that we take better care of our prisoners than we do the law-abiding citizens who worked hard every day of their lives until retirement! Okay, I'll hush now. Thanks for listening!
1 person likes this
@Zorrogirl (1502)
• South Africa
20 Feb 08
well, well, what an excelent idea. prison stay has become a paid holiday for most inmates. here in south africa, the homeless do crime for government accommodation. i saw on the news a while back how arnie of california faught for better conditions in prisons. i would much rather have leaders advocate for better conditions for the victims. even though some prisons dont have libraries, it still allows for government funded studies. here in sa the old age pension is R900. thats equal to 100 dollars a month. what a disgrace.
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
21 Feb 08
Robin this sounds good on paper but I can tell you it might turn out to be more if you average out those people who made a lot of money. I was making 6K a month before I went on disablity so I make a good amount of social security compaired to a lot of people. It is not near to what I was living on before I got sick.
@whittby (3072)
• United States
20 Feb 08
The only thing I can say about the prison situation is that it would be a good idea to get more into the rehabilitation and getting more industry into the prisons for the prisons to support themselves, maybe get better treatment and self-esteem. The plight of senior citizens in this country will only get worse - recession may be coming, the baby boomers didn't save whether by choice or necessity, health care insurance coverage is inadequate. What is life going to be like for those entering their 60's now? Is this a lesson from the parable "the grasshopper and the ant"? or are we so totally out of whack in this country where our funding is going?
1 person likes this
@ellie333 (21016)
•
21 Feb 08
Yes prison should be a punishment and a deterent, of which it is neither. I even over heard someone say the other day 'I'm not going to pay my council tax so they can send me to prison so I can be well fed for a month before coming back out to living on nothing' Crazy back to fron world we live in eh! Ok they are locked up can't go out, but how many of us who work after paying bills etc. can actually afford to go out of our homes anyway, with the rising costs of transport etc the new going out is staying in. Absolutely agree 100% with you on this. Give the pensioners what is spent on the prisons and vice versa. That would change things eh!
1 person likes this
