by Brian Rooney
But It Doesn’t have To Be “Punishing.”
I get it. One commits a crime, you do the time. The old adage holds true. There seems to be the misconception that prison is some kind of day camp where prisoners eat gourmet meals and live it up. Three hots and a cot, right? Prisoners don’t have a care in the world and they have it made in prison, right? Wrong…
Prison serves its intended purpose. It IS punishment. Prison separates the offender (whatever charge he or she may have) from society and its intended purpose is to make the individuals better than when they came in (myth, but let’s go with that). If prison is so sweet then everyone would go, no bills, no responsibility, etc…sounds good, doesn’t it?
Prison takes its toll on the mind, body, and soul. Study after study shows the negative effects of prison (look it up). It is not to say prisons aren’t necessary. I believe they are, and am not debating whether prisons are a need in our society.
Prison does not have to be “punishing”. We are supposed to be a nation of second chances, right? Prison is there for a reason and it is to rehabilitate and reform each individual who goes through the experience. The unjust treatment. abuse, and disregard are unnecessary. Remember, these are public (paid) servants who hold these positions. Their job is to, well, do their job. Their job is not to inflict any type of punishment…prison already does that my friends. Trust me.
Finally, I can honestly say that prison is f***ed up. Pardon my felon jargon, but it is. I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone, but it is necessary. Mental health, rehabilitative initiatives, and realistic reentry programs should be looked into with high concern. Remember, most of these people are getting out one day and could be your neighbor. If they come out worse than what they did before, well, that is a serious problem and has been for awhile. Punishing someone, on whatever level, is abuse, Plain and simple. We can come up with better ways to correct these issues.
Copyright 2019 Brian Rooney
Prison Reform
Brian Rooney is an ex-prisoner turned prison advocate, blogger, and entrepreneur. As a returning citizen, he has started “Prison Social Network,” a network for inmates. It is not a traditional pen-pal site.http://www.prisonsocialnetwork.com
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