Why are so many nonviolent people going to prison--can't they just do Community Service?
138703
I agree with you that there should be more creative forms of punishment.  We mix non-violent and violent prisoners together and we have horrible overcrowding of prisons. However, I was once on a jury during the trial of a man who defrauded dozens of elderly people out of their life savings.  Many lost their homes.  While he didn't physically assault them, his crime against them was extremely harmful and cruel, and we need to protect society against such people.
741820
The problem is our judicial system is very flawed.  There are many innocent people in jail, and guilty ones in the street.  I agree some people are given lighter sentences than what they deserve and others harsher than they deserve.  But our system is what it is, if you don't plan on getting out there and trying to make a change then there is no point in complaining about it.  I am back and forth on the issue of the death penalty,  but to answer your question, yes there should be certain criteria for sending someone to deathrow.   There should be certain regulations.  But every crime is different, and until it happens to you or someone in your family it is hard to say.  and that goes for being the defendant or the victim.  it is hard on both families.
573418
Having worked in a half-way house for ex-offenders, I learned that long sentences don't always discourage illegal behavior.  Especially in drug dealing.  Many of them consider it just a "cost of doing business."  Also, the "King Pins" quiet often use young children to do the dirty work while I DON'T justify dealers, just the opposite, many times the authorities will make a plea agreement with the lower echelons to get further up the ladder.  The real solution is EDUCATING the public so as to eliminate the demand for the drugs in the first place.  How many questions come through here seeking ways to obtain, use or get out from under charges of drug use?  As long as people are unwilling to face life, as is, then there will be dealers and "King Pins."  There are always predators seeking to take advantage of the weak.
91062
When will reformed felons of any kind get a break? You serve your time, your punishment is supposed to be over. But it's not. You get out and they tell you to be a good citizen. But you're not a citizen, they force you to be part of a class that's lower then a citizen.\n\n A citizen can vote, a citizen doesn't have to tell every potential employer about some bad thing (that will automatically disqualify you for the job) they may have done years before. A citizen has rights. If police harass a citizen, people care. Your punishment was supposed to have been completed, but it's just begun.\n\nThey expect you to have all the responsibilities of a citizen with none of the benefits. Drug crimes suck even worse, like you said, you can't even get some help to get an education and become a decent citizen. I guess somehow a reformed felon getting an education is a threat. Lord knows, you don't want to give them any HOPE! \n\nThen they wonder why so many people get out of prison and commit crimes again.
259591
Which problem?  Community corrections does a lot to help rehabilitate offenders and generally runs at a lot cheaper cost per offender than institutions do.
991502
No But I do think that overcrowding in prisons is related to the pervasive attitudes of "do whatever you want" and "as long as it's what you want to do".\n\nOf course those things are taught by all kinds of religions like Christianity...  oh no, wait a minute, that's not right...  those attitudes are taught by the religions of atheists and agnostics....  hmmm.....
947674
If someone wants to sign up to serve our great nation then let them! They are more brave than I am! Why should you have to have a clean record to fight for the safety and security of your country? It's a better option than letting them sit in a jail cell at the taxpayers expense or, more often than not, go back home and get on wellfare (also at the taxpayers...MY...expense). Freedom isn't free and neither is paying for the "less fortunate". I say let them make something of themselves!
683268
Yes! The idea of "corrections" is "correcting" bad behavior. Rehabilitation programs are going to have a lot more success at correcting behavior than simply imprisoning them.
95559
more than likely you will have to go to jail and serve the rest of your time there. unless you get a lawyer and have them work something out with you to where u do work/community service program. but it really depends on your state and county. i know that some smaller counties are more strict then some larger counties and some smaller counties are less strict unlike some larger counties
454325
Back in the 60's and 70's, there were many court cases on the State's right to hold people who were not a danger to themselves or others, and as a result a lot of people were let out of the institutions, which were really more like jails.  Community care was then needed, because although these people might not have been violent, they could not easily take care of themselves, either.  Also, money talks.  Funding the mental institutions was expensive and this gave the states an excuse to cut expenses.
391746
What difference would there be? Violent career criminals will continue to be released back into society to make room for nonviolent first-time offenders like deadbeat dads (how do you pay child support in prison?), drunk drivers with multiple misdemeanor convictions (but no accidents), recreational marijuana users caught with a single joint in their possession, scam artists who prey on the wealthy, etc. Whoever builds them, prisons should be for the long-term incarceration of major drug dealers, robbers, rapists, and murderers in order to protect society from these violent sociopaths.
663775
NO, it's not. It's absurdly expensive as the sentences are so long. There's barely any rehabilitation going on, and for the most part too many ppl are admitted for very long sentences who have not done serious crimes. Once you go through hell that most jails are you won't come out the same! And usually you won't come out a better person either! On top of that recidivism rates are extremely high when compared to other countries, i.e. in Europe. Some state prisons have recidivism rates as high as 20-30%. So no, too many do not become productive members of society again. I think there's a problem how the system works in itself, it might be successful at punishing, but not rehabilitation, in either case it should focus in prevention, and not be just a reactionary system. Some states, I think Florida and California will be soon among them if not yet, are spending more, or at least the same for education as prison systems. Now, doesn't anyone think there's something wrong with that? Right now US is jailing more than 2 million individuals... That's equivalent to a small country! There's clearly problems with the system, as well as the the way that society sees it and how they regard crime itself. EDIT: Now that I read some of the responses that makes what I said before even true, putting someone in jail as long as possible is not going to change anything! It's what he does in that jail that matters, not how long he stays there. So, if you think it's a good idea to fill the jails up with criminals, - fill them up, then build more max security prisons at 10 grand a cell, and fill those up as well, just don't come to me when it's time to pay taxes. And pray that once those criminals get out they don't come to you for anything, cause they'll be pissed. It's something to think about when you see the next politician boasting how he'll be tough on crime just cause it's an easy way to get votes, and felons can't vote, so he got nothing to loose, it's the society that does.
300166
I think you meant to ask " Why are there more African-Americans in jail than any other race?". I believe that there must be more African-Americans committing crimes than any other race. I would guess that the percentage of who gets caught is close to equal across all races. Therefore, the more crimes, the more caught. We all know what's illegal, so those that choose to break the law might just have to suffer the consequences of their actions. I hope this has been helpful.
713259
All excellent points - and the simple truth is that people **DO** afford criminals more rights than victims. It isn't politically correct to do otherwise.\n\nHowever in the US, a very interesting project has been set up. In short although people cannot be FORCED to submit to corporal punishment - some criminals can VOLUNTEER to be treated in that way under some conditions - and perhaps get reduced jail time in return.\n\nLots of details here http://www.okplus.com/fedup/index.html \n\nVery interestingly, they presently have a ZERO recidivism level for people that have been through their system.\n\nDo not be thrown by the site, the program is still running BUT the website is badly in need of some updating (or was when I last looked)\n\nI think one hangup people have about corporal punishment, is the perceived severity of it. The old UK / USA way of flogging across the back in fact left little more than "shaving nicks" - if it cut at all.\n\nAnyone who has seen too many "Mutiny on the bounty" style films and wishes to disagree should try to remember that the make-up department tends to get more than a little carried away.\n\nWet rope is not sharp enough or dense enough to "lay a mans back open to the bone" Something does not need to cut to be felt ;)\n\nThe scheme mentioned above in fact uses low-voltage cable as a cheap disposable lash material. Like the rope, little or no cutting at all - but apparently the welts are quite tender at the time.\n\nI just wish we had a system like this in the UK too, I think it could be a valuable tool to help people stay out of prison and to reduce the prison population. Nanny-state in the UK though at the moment so not much chance for a while yet.
446237
If somebody wants to commit a crime, The punishment is a detterent to prevent such a move. I agree with you that there is no guarantee that after serving the required sentence, s/he will be a reformed person.Definitely, s/he feels isolated socially but we can,t let him go scot free otherwise more and more people feel inclined to indulge in such activities.
729702
Because of the handouts.  They can go there, commit crimes, walk out the door of the courtroom across the street to a welfare office, get their check, buy some drugs, rob a store, get busted, get released again, go have some babies at the hospital and not pay for them, get some other benifit extended to agg felons, get some free cheese, sell it, buy drugs, rob a store, rape a woman, get arrested, get slapped, get it caught on camera, get immunity to prosecution so a good cop dealing some street justice will go to jail, walk out of court, collect unemployment, buy drugs............
115387
Often, there are "Halfway Houses" available to help released inmates make the transition back into the "free world" and there are many community groups like "Friends Outside" that are devoted to helping inmates and their families during and after incarceration and the Parole Office can usually assist with housing information... they can be difficult to find, but there are resources available.\nPart of the reason so many return to prison is attitudes like the one above that no transitional help should be available... I say dumping released convicts on the street with no recourse or succor is counterproductive.