The state penitentiary system of Arizona has absolutely convinced me of the unenlightened state of this nation. I am sure that this will be regarded as unpatriotic or worse by many, but I believe that we have an obligation to make things better in any capacity that we can.
I can speak with an intimate knowledge of only the state of Arizona. While it's possible that other states may well be trying to accomplish something positive in their own penal systems, I suspect that their policies are also dictated by the same ignorance and greed the is the motivation behind Arizona's System. Economics governs the prison system far more than any desire to promote rehabilitation or provide justice. This is understandable in these days of economic uncertainty and budget nightmares, but the concept is fundamentally flawed.
Prisons are viewed as a money generating institution (at least in Arizona) rather than the drain on taxes and loss of commerce that they truly are. The jobs, funds, and micro-economies created by a penal institutions require a constant flow of prisoners, so there is no economic desire to deter inmates from returning. The oftentimes ridiculous restrictions on parolees, ex-felons, and sex offenders are more a reflection of economics than any desire to protect society.
In my situation here in Arizona, top bunks have been added in all of the dorms designed for single occupancy, effectively doubling the capacity. And the few programs that are offered for addiction, anger management, cognitive reshaping, and skill-based education seem to be more about the funds they generate from state and federal coffers than about any real attempt to create rehab or learning opportunity for inmates.
The lifetime probations -- an almost certain sentence in any sex offense -- require monthly fees and restrictions that make it nearly impossible for ex-cons and to survive, creating a revolving door of inmates that keep the finances coming. This is evidenced by the fact that while actual crime rates have remained constant and have even have declined in the past 10 to 20 years, sentences and recidivism rates continue to increase.
What governmental policy makers and legislators fail to realize, or more likely refuse to acknowledge, is that the system is an incredible drain on the financial structure as well as on societal growth as a whole. Whether intentional or not, (I think we all know which is the case) any alternative would require drastic change of policy, and there's nothing that those with power fear more than change.
Is not our entire nation's existence supposed to be about "liberty and justice for all"? Should not life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness be the underlying principle that guides policy and decisions? It seems that, as a nation and a people, we have strayed so far from what is really important. But I, for one, refuse to give up that belief. Is not our entire nation's existence supposed to be about "liberty and justice for all"? Should not life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness be the underlying principle that guides policy and decisions? It seems that, as a nation and a people, we have strayed so far from what is really important. But I, for one, refuse to give up that belief.
No comments:
Post a Comment