My daughter had an idea and Im wondering how much more effort or money it would take, if any.

She asked why they put everyone that breaks the law in the same place? Especially alongside those who have murdered or raped?

She suggested that prisons have sections (like her public school did for different grades) for different types or levels of crime.

Those who committed non violent offenses, (specifically did not kill, try to kill, rape, or try to rape anyone) in one section

while those with propensity towards violence (rape, assault, murder) together in another.

It is easy for non violent offenders to be subject to the violence of others who easily target them, so why not let violent people deal with the threat of violence upon them, but non violent people have an opportunity to be in a less violently threatening environment?

I think its a grand idea, if it only involves 'sectioning' what is already there.

I think your daughter has a good idea, but I would have her research this because in fact this already is in practice to a certain degree.
There are Maximum security prisons where violent and repeat offenders are sent and minimum security prisons for non-violent and first time offenders are sent.
Within these prisons, there is further separations where the real violent or trouble making prisoners are segregated from the general population.
Of course these guidelines and how they are implemented are hindered by over crowding and unfortunately non-violent do get mixed with the violent and repeat offenders.

Here is a little more info on the break down of how prisoners are segregated based upon levels of crime and risk.

Supermax Prison facilities provide the highest level of prison security. These units hold those considered the most dangerous inmates, as well as inmates that have been deemed too high-profile or too great a national security risk for a normal prison. These include inmates who have committed assaults, murders, or other serious violations in less secure facilities, and inmates known to be or accused of being prison gang members. Most states have either a supermax section of a prison facility or an entire prison facility designated as a supermax. The United States Federal Bureau of Prisons operates a federal supermax, A.D.X. Florence, located in Florence, Colorado, also known as the "Alcatraz of the Rockies" and widely considered to be perhaps the most secure prison in the United States. A.D.X. Florence has a standard supermax section where assaultive, violent, and gang-related inmates are kept under normal supermax conditions of 23-hour confinement and abridged amenities. A.D.X. Florence is considered to be of a security level above that of all other prisons in the United States, at least in the "ideological" ultramax part of it, which features permanent, 24-hour solitary confinement with rare human contacts or opportunity to earn better conditions through good behavior.

In a maximum security prison or area (called high security in the federal system), all prisoners have individual cells[106] with sliding doors controlled from a secure remote control station. Prisoners are allowed out of their cells one out of twenty four hours (one hour and 30 minutes for prisoners in California). When out of their cells, prisoners remain in the cell block or an exterior cage. Movement out of the cell block or "pod" is tightly restricted using restraints and escorts by correctional officers.

Under close security, prisoners usually have one- or two-person cells operated from a remote control station. Each cell has its own toilet and sink. Inmates may leave their cells for work assignments or correctional programs and otherwise may be allowed in a common area in the cellblock or an exercise yard. The fences are generally double fences with watchtowers housing armed guards, plus often a third, lethal-current electric fence in the middle.

Prisoners that fall into the medium security group may sleep in cells, but share them two and two, and use bunk beds[106] with lockers to store their possessions. The cell may have showers, toilets and sinks, but it's not a strictly enforced rule.[107] Cells are locked at night with one or more correctional officers supervising. There is less supervision over the internal movements of prisoners. The perimeter is generally double fenced and regularly patrolled.

Prisoners in minimum security facilities are considered to pose little physical risk to the public and are mainly non-violent "white collar criminals". Minimum security prisoners live in less-secure dormitories,[106] which are regularly patrolled by correctional officers. As in medium security facilities, they have communal showers, toilets, and sinks. A minimum-security facility generally has a single fence that is watched, but not patrolled, by armed guards. At facilities in very remote and rural areas, there may be no fence at all. Prisoners may often work on community projects, such as roadside litter cleanup with the state department of transportation or wilderness conservation. Many minimum security facilities are small camps located in or near military bases, larger prisons (outside the security perimeter) or other government institutions to provide a convenient supply of convict labor to the institution. Many states allow persons in minimum-security facilities access to the Internet.

I was gonna say I think they mostly do... If your a bad person, they give you a nice 10x10 cell that you stay on 23 hours a day, without any inmate contact... The better they act, the more freedoms they get...

Yes, and lets have the ice cream truck stop by every day at 4PM...with well deserved treats for the inmates.

isn't the possibility of getting your *** kicked every week in prison part of the deterrent not to be sent there?

Anyway, if you are sent to PRISON you most likely committed a felony, otherwise you would be in the local lock up. And in prison they do segregate, especially gang members and the most violent of prisoners

Its prison... don't go there... that's the best segregation method.

I'm not a particularly vindictive or sadistic person, but there is something very poetic about how I've heard rapists are treated in general population.

Sounds almost OK.
Let the pedo's and sex offenders entertain each other.
Let the cons, swindlers, and ex politicians lie and steal from each other.
Let the bullies pound each other.


And let the parking fine, jay walkers, and other minor offenders have peace, not pain and STD's.

The parking fine, jaywalkers and minor infraction people who get in trouble with the law are not in Prison. Mostly likely then never see a jail cell.

Yes, lets rehabilitate the ones in prison, teach them a trade let them do their time and become good citizens.

In theory that sounds great. in reality.. doesn't work.

Nobody is rehabilitated in prison. They are locked up until their time is done. And nobody who does real time comes out the same.
Then they get out.. with that felony still tagged on. Try to get good job.. not happening. Try to fit back in.. not happening.

Most every company these days does a background check and I can tell you first hand with the company I work for , if you did time you are not getting a job with us. Don't care what your skill level is. And that is the standard in most every industry.

Too many people with no criminal record looking for jobs, why hire a ex con?.. Is that fair?.. nope.. reality?.. yep

So in reality their " quality of life" in prison is just the start of their problems

Don't do something that will send you to prison.. jaywalk, tickets, petty things.. o.k... town Judge stuff.. just don't get a felony... they don't go away.

When I was just starting out I worked for few years at Rahway State Prison in N.J. as a corrections officer ( its now Northern state Prison)

The first thing the inmates would do is get tattoos.. black ink tattoos ( the ink made from stuff they clipped here and there.. but always black). Arms, face, hands, neck, head.. tattoos everywhere

Try getting a job on the outside with that all over you... worked in prison.. but that is the only place it worked.

A prison tattoo can be identified a mile away.

And did I and the other corrections officers ( or anyone there) try to rehabilitate them?... nope.. not at all. we just wanted to get the hell out of there in one piece every day.

They already segregate prisoners. Poor folks go to the state or federal pen.
Rich folks like Bernie Madoff go to country clubs.

That's true.. its not right.. but its true.
I remember we had " white collar" prisoners for a short period of time. We would hold them until there final transfer to a federal prison took place. One of the federal prisons we would transport them to was Fort Dix ( in Jersey)

It was like a country club.

Federal prisons and state prisons.. are not equal... not even close

I think the concern is having non violent people at constant risk of violence from violent people. Felonies are not all of a nature where someone brutalized anyone. Let the punishment fit the crime kind of deal. Allowing the non violent to 'serve time' with other non violent offenders, and violent offenders to 'serve time' with other violent offenders.

I hear you.. and in theory it sounds great, but is reality once those doors close .. nobody cares.

When you are committing a felony.. you know it..be it violent or not.. you know you are committing a crime that could put you in prison. And everyone knows what happens in prison.

You rolled the dice.. you get away with it.. or you lose.

that could kind of excuse any inhumane consequence though, couldnt it?

You knew adultery was a crime worthy of stoning or beheading, so ,, you rolled the dice ...

You knew that joining the service could get you sent to an extremist area where you would be tortured so,,, you rolled the dice.

The reality of what is never should stop us from working on the reality that could (or should) be.

O.K., Well then your daughter has a great idea. And you are right, somebody has to take the lead.. start things.. take it from concept to reality.

So, how about .. you? What???.. what did you say?..

oh, you don't have the time... right?

Me?.. not me.. I have been on the inside of those places.. and frankly, no one is going to change anything

The stark reality. Out of sight. Out of mind.. no one on the outside cares what is happening in there.

Have we delegated topics only to things we have some personal authority in?

Because noone told me.

I'm just saying the thought, while it may sound nice would never work. You really have to spend a little time on those sides of the wall to understand why. Have you?

And nobody is going to take up that cause.

And personally I would prefer to spend the money on the people on the outside, helping them better their lives.

When I was a CO. we had a T.V. program that was shot at Rahway Prison. I was one of the unseen C.O's there to make sure things didn't get out of hand, which at times it did

School teachers and high school kids would come in once a month and they would then meet some of the inmates.

The program was called " scared straight" and it was about as brutally honest as it could be. they were humiliated, threatened and bullied.. normal prison stuff.

The kids and teachers left the prison... horrified. reduced to a shell of who they are.

Now that is a deterrent.

Well, according to others on the thread, there is something 'like' my daughters suggestion in place already.

IM glad to hear that breaking a rule or a law which has nothing to do with violence against others doesnt necessarily condemn one to a life of violent victimization.

It does condemn them to their sentence.. not a life. And as discussed.. if you are in Prison.. you didn't break a " rule" you committed a felony... most of the time as a repeat offender. kinda big deal. Jaywalking is breaking a local rule. robbing a bank is a felony.. cheating people out of their nest egg.. not violent.. but a felony.. selling drugs.. not violent.. but a felony. ( how many lives were ruined there?)

you see you don't have to physically hurt people.. to hurt people. They are no different then the one who physically hurt.

And yes, segregation is done.. to a certain point.. but in the overall scheme.. no

But like any idea.. you really have to see the problem.. I mean really see it.. to understand it. Its a world unto itself in there. Spend a few weeks in a prison....I guarantee your view will change.

Can't do the time.. don't do the crime..