Cathy, you say lots in your,post that I would like to,respond to. Too much for me to do so as I wait to get on a plane in a few minutes. So I'll start with one thought. Perhaps the flaw is in assuming that incarcerating people in a punitive fashion, as we do, (assuming that they survive long enough to actually get to prison without their spine being broken by thug cops) will achieve changes in behavior. After all, what hope does an ex con have of achieving success in our society. Job applications ask if they've been convicted. Yes convicted? No job for you, thank you very much. They can't even vote in some states, to try and change the leadership causing their oppression. What else should they do to express themselves besides rioting? (Not that I think rioting is the answer, merely that I think it's a logical response to their lot in life.)Originally Posted by CathyA
There is a tired old statement that insanity is repeating the same thing twice and expecting different outcomes. We've tried more and more punitive punishment for criminals. That hasn't worked in reducing recidivism. Perhaps we should stop the insanity and try something different. I'll be honest that I'm not sure what that different thing is. But if I had to guess I'd guess it looks something like the Harlem Children's Zone.
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