Should we imprison non-violent criminals?
457608
your not out of line, you are entitled to your opinion\n\nbank robbers arent violent, fraudsters arent violent, fraud is on the increase especially with the internet, and recently i got my bank details swiped.\n\nThese people arent violent, but are the scurge of society, and stil need to be imprisoned for some amount of time, AND THEN SHOULD BE TAGGED PERHAPS. or need a slap....\n\nI am sure some non-violent criminals who are serving shorter sentence could be let out earlier with tagging. However Tagging doesn't stop their need for drugs once they're back outside. And crime is how they fund a daily habit. As for drug dealers many just see prison as an occupational hazard.\n \nKeeping people in prison must be costing us as tax payers an awful lot of money\n\nThe prison system would not be as critical as it is now if the law was harsher on criminals. Some sentences are too lenient and to not deter people from re-offending. Also prisons are too easy once you are in there.\n\nAll those in prison are there for a reason - ie they've done something that incurs their loss of liberty. Prison should be hard, real hard. Sentences should be served in full. Many people have been affected by crime and deserve Justice.\n\nI do not think more prison should be built, because more prison will make more prisoners, Prison often serves as a school for criminals, especially first time offenders. Build more prisons, generate more prisoners.\n\nUnless we plan to lock criminals away permanently we need to devise a more long term strategy to prevent re-offending. The government needs to use its brains rather than brawn here.
627875
It's probably not fair to lump all people into one group but the current system is not working.  Depending on the crime some convicts should be counseled and educated;  some should never again see the light of day; and others deserve the death penalty.
420721
I agree with DBK.  Prisons should be a punishment for what the criminals did.  How is it really punishing them to give them free food, free clothing, free cable, free Internet, a free gym, free medical and dental care, etc?  And to not require them to work?  How are they punished when they spend their days lounging around, or playing football in the yard, working out in the gym, or kicking back watching movies?  Sounds more like a vacation to me.\n\nBut back to the question.  Criminals are able to do this because liberal in society have set it up so they can. They set it up so that people can claim they are not responsible for their own actions. As for the poor excuse about criminals being abused, my mother's father was abusive to her, and to her brothers and sisters, and not one of them became criminals.  I was physically, mentally and emotionally abused in catholic school and did not turn out to be a criminal.  So that is just another lame excuse.
103381
of course not. they have a hard enough time with the current system of punishment.\n\nand do you really want someone else deciding what you get merits and demerits for? if so, look into Christianity, particular Catholicism
914533
If we are going forward as a country with the notion that punishment should be heaped on punishment, and crime should be heaped on crime, then yes.  \n\nMy true belief is that we should just stick to the original crime and enforce the laws that are already on the books.  Yes it is horrible if a homosexual man is assaulted because he is homosexual, but when you boil it down, is it any more terrible than the little old lady that is assaulted because someone wants to take her purse?\n\nMy belief is our courts only need to enforce the laws on the books, but our politicians believe that more laws (justifying the politicians job) equal better life.  It is so not true, I doubt one victim has been saved because a criminal thought, "man, if I kick this guys a**, I'll get a year in jail, but if this guy is (insert race/gender/sexuality/religion) I'll get another year so I won't do it. \n\nThat just doesn't happen.
981295
First thing I can see ,is that none of these people no anything about what they are talking about .Have any of them been to prison (no ) .So how do they no what its like (they dont).I have been there and its not like a country club . 75 percent of the people in our prison system are there for nonviolent offenses .That means offenses where there was no victem . Mainly drug offenses . They dont know that these people do workfor state and federal governments who sell products they make and are paid differant amounts from $5 an hour to $10 an hour in some places and pay prisoners 20 to 50 cents an hour . (slave labor) the federal prison system sold the defense dept billions of dollars in work and products made by prisoners and put american companies out of busness that can't compete with some one with no labor costs .They also don't tell you they robbed these people that are sent to prison ,for offenses where there was no victem of thier moneyand poperty before sent there .(billions of dollars) or that they pay rent and fines out of the 20 cents ph  paid and the phone calls are charged inflated rates knowing they will call family .Or that they put these nonviolent offenders in space made for 1 person they will have 4 people .Or that these nonviolent offenders are then victemized by violent preditors that prisons were designed for .Or that felons are not able to get any kind of funds to go to college to better thier lifes.Or that government hasd now made about 1 in 3 people in our society felons by legislators voiolating our bill of rights .Or that felons still have to pay taxes but are not alowed to vote (taxation without representation)They say it costs $30,000 a year to keep a person in prison a year .You can go to school at the best university for $10,000 a year .Robbing these people for offenses where they haven't hurt anyone and putting them in prison for years is one level; above Hitler .Governments have been able to justify victemizing people for financial gain to any extent since time began .(indians ,jews,slaves )ou believe the propaganda our government puts out .Is there anything about government that is true anymore .
325072
Yes! Now the rest of us that aren't christian Think that convicts should be held accountable...
821980
It should be reduced to a misdemeanor offense. By doing this we could cut prison populations in half.\nUS has the highest prison population per capita of any nation on earth
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.
123938
I think jails are too soft. The only ones they prevent from re-offending are the lifers.\n\nIf jail meant solitary confinement, 2 cold meals a day & exercise being limited to push-ups in the cell, I bet re-offenders would be practically non existent.\n\nOh sure, it would breach the prisoners' human rights - BOO F**KING HOO - What about the human rights of the victims of criminals? What about the rest of us? Shouldn't the right to live in a safe society be classed as a human right?
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.
669385
make the punishments more severe so that lesse people do crime so less cases..faster the cases move in court
217306
circumstances dictate how this question is answered. But I do believe that road gangs and hard labor should be used to help pay for the cost of keeping them in prison.  I also think that if they are in prison then they should only have the necessities provided not any luxuries after all it is supposed to be punishment.
770968
I.D. cards are irrelevant. Successful deterrents will lower crimes rates. We have to stop this "You naughty naughty felon, don't do that again" attitude to criminals
838802
Yes for the death penalty.!!!\nMurder,Rape,Kidnapping.!!!\nHang them all, that way criminals can learn to respect the rights of others.!!!
564291
That's a tough one. I think it is better to keep innocent people out of jail at all costs. Although frightening to let criminals walk I suspect most of them will be caught again.
1016493
Even though I think you sound a little scary- I love it! I think we'd have a lot fewer criminals if we went your route! I think one beheading could "scare straight" a few!!!