You have to be violent to be violent though. putting the non violent in a situation of constant violent threat is not a 'punishment' that fits the crime.

And something that my daughter was curious about.

They don't.
There are different levels of prisons and jails. Maximum security, minimum security.
In prisons and jails the people are segregated too.
e.g. 17 year olds, kids tried as adults, aren't sent in with psycho child rapists.
Other than that, I think in the more dangerous prisons the general population or inmate interaction tends to be supervised and controlled.

This might help:
http://www.federalprisonauthority.com/inmate-classification-bop-designation/


Gets kinda tricky when you go into the minutia of relevant details.
I mean someone that sold millions of dollars of crack cocaine to schoolchildren, well that's not a violent offense, but the guy who killed his wife for giving him AIDS? Or cheated on him? But never thought of harming anyone else? Maybe kind of a sissy? Violent murderer.

Also, how do you handle people like Charles Manson? He never technically killed anyone. He was held responsible for "leading" others to kill people.


A lot if you want to completely remove the current system and replace it with what's in the OP.


What about those that killed and raped, but there just wasn't enough evidence in the trial to prove they raped someone?
Or if they were arrested for DUI but they are rapists that just haven't ever been caught, but are suspected.

Do you segregate solely by what they are convicted for?
Do you base it on their history? Like they spent a night in jail or 10 years in prison for murder or aggravated assault or date rape in high school, got out, lived 20 years free, then got picked up for selling drugs but aren't violent now?
Do you hire a bunch of psychologists or something and force the inmates through a series of tests to determine their propensity or predispositions and then segregate them based on that?
What about violent offenders that change into non violent people?

And what happens when the prison is segregated into sections and one section becomes extremely crowded, whereas another section is underutilized? Like the violent section has 4 inmates to a cell, whereas the nonviolent section only has 3 people to a cell.


Anyone can become violent at any time under the right circumstances.
Some nonviolent people become violent in prison. They're locked up, ostracized from their known life, the prison staff may be apathetic to conflict resolution among inmates.

Other than that, how is that any different than real life?
People get beat up all the time.
Kids in grade school, high school.
Drunk bar brawls. Car accidents or road rage.
Black Friday after Thanksgiving.

I read this thing on the Pew research website which noted half of all violent crimes are not reported. And half of those that are reported don't get solved.
It's suspected only 1/3 of all rapes are reported. And of those that are reported, about 1/3 are actually solved (and not all of those lead to convictions).

It's a violent world.

I understand MS, and actually commend your daughter for the insight. But in reality these people in prison have a serious character flaw that can turn violent at any time... And I have seen that happen. and not just once.

It is really a surreal place ( prison), and one that not many see and certainly do not understand.. unless you have lived it.

Just don't be sent there...the problem can't be fixed

Actually your daughter has a great idea one that they already actually have in place...


They do have prisons that are for those that did not commit a violent crime..

As well a those on death row that are housed in their own sections... They don't let pedophiles out in the main yard due to the actions that will happen.. Which in my book might make them think twice due to they might go to prison.. Same with those that are trans ect

Sure there are those that have committed robbery that are with the hard criminals which will either make them think twice or make them a harden criminal...

When it all comes down to the nitty gritty the softer we make if for them, the more crimes they will do..

I'm all for bringing back the chain gang back then if those guys got out, they did what they had to in order to never go back..

Why make it easy for criminals..

Think about it if a man went after your daughter would you want his life to be easy after or get what ever he deserves? Even tho your daughter asked this question, ask her what she would truly want if it was you that person harmed? It might even make her think beyond how she thinks now..

Not sure how old your daughter is but Reality hits hardest when it is one you love instead...

I do have someone I know that went down for dealing drugs she served two years and it was like living in a hotel... her words..

So if I go out and make millions not only making it but distributing it...Living the high life what is two years... Hell most would go right back to doing it again that is a slap on the wrist~~

I think everyone needs to remember that most prisons are privatised now, which means everything they do (or don't) is about money.... So they aren't going to spend one dime extra to put rapists with other rapists...plus, when you put the like types together, they just learn from each other to be better criminals, rather than better citizens...

We transported many convicted of federal crimes to a federal prison in Jersey, a army base.. nice place .. we called it " club fed".. it never seemed right to me.

But I agree, prison should be a place where you NEVER want to go back to.

And if you make it " nice and fluffy"... what is the point

I remember one guy in particular.. he would pour his heart and story out to anyone who would listen. He sold meth, coke and Acid in large qualities and street level ( thru dealers) to whoever wanted it.. kids too. he got caught dealing it in a school zone.

Now did he physically hurt anyone.. hit them.. shoot them.. nope. Did he do harm to God only knows how many.. yep.. did he harm kids.. yes he did.

My stock answer to him was.. F U.. get in line.

I have no sympathy.

As someone who has survived attempted rape twice, I am not stranger at all to having someone 'go after' me. I consider that violent.

however, for those who have not committed violence against others, I dont feel that what they 'deserve' rises to a level of daily threat of violence. I dont think that means they have it 'easy' however, just that the punishment is more fitting of the actual crime.

I think there is a LARGE amount of space between having it 'easy' or 'comfy' and not being subjected to daily threat of rape or violence. I mean, ALOT OF SPACE.

they are already with like AND unlike types, so if they are trying to become better criminals they will.

but if they are trying to serve their time and become 'better citizens' it probably wont happen by putting them through constant victimization, they just become better 'survivors' and those are two different things.

life's rough all over, I guess... But like others have said, the way others act in prison is a deterant to keep from going back... Prison is prison, people not supposed to want to go back, but plenty of people do for a number of reasons... Mostly the gangsters tho, they have protection from their homies...

Msharmony ... I saw once a judge decides on small crimes ...
trying to keep some from going to jail ... and his program worked...
I don't think they even had to wear a ankle bracelet ...


I know one state they keep prisoners like in their own small city ...
and if they leave this space... they go to jail... I do think they where peds ... been so long not sure ... I remember everything ... know some people did not like it ... and that is not a surprise...

the prisoners are the prisons responsibility ... unless they escape then it becomes the state police to come in ... which that eats cash from their budgets ...that they don't have ...

but most prisons they do separate prisoners from floors to even different buildings ... an of course like they said different crimes sometimes different prisons ... once they had states with different death penalty's ...from hangings to shootings to lethal injections...
and electrocution ... some prisoners could even choose what they wanted and how ... I am only for the death penalty with out parole...
other wise just give life with out parole... I also think they should use the ankle bracelets for some that have not committed a serious affiance ... the other option can always be jail ... if they break that commitment ... some would be surprised who owns some of these persons... that is why they are over crowded and some in for hardly committed a crime ... more $ in their pockets ... so I heard ...

yes, prison is a business, unfortunately.

I thought what your daughter suggested/ asked is already the case?
I wasn't under the impression they put petty criminals with the more serious criminals. From what I've understood, there are different sections for those.

didn't know prisons were privatized? That is ridiculous.

Apparently Jail is for misdemeanors or 'petty crime' but Prison is for felonies, and there are violent AND non violent felonies.

They all go to prison but from what I read here there may be some places that keep certain populations separate, which is the humane thing.

And yes, it is ridiculous that prisons are permitted to be privatized.

I follow a lot of science fiction and there is a lot of science fiction that tackles penal systems. Some are pure fantasy but some are very ingenious.

A common thing in science fiction prison is isolation from law abiding populations.
The fiction in the science is usually the technology used to isolate.
- prison planet
- cryogenics
- deep ocean
- extreme cold
Basically, something keeps the convicts from escaping.

Another common idea is changing the mind of the offender so they no longer can break the laws.
- mind wipe
- new memories implanted
- shock collars
- internal explosive

There are a few stories that explore validity of the laws that over populated their prisons in the first place.
- social reform
- power base restructure
- changing judicial standards
These stories tend to look at the social implications and validity of the laws instead of the criminal's behavior.

Then you have the stories that handle crime lethally on the spot.

There's no one system that works perfectly.
Perhaps using certain aspects of many systems would be more effective.

most prisons are NOT privatized...

of the 1.6 million inmates in the USA...8% are in
private prisons the other 92% are in public prisons..

public prisons do contract out some work such as
health and food services, but by no measure are they
run by private companies, and are still required to
make reports to the tax paying public such as, info
regarding the use of isolation/solitary confinement
statistics among other general info on how the prison
is being operated...

I think a lot has to do with what region ( here in the U.S.) that you are in. I live in the greater NYC area and it is very very populated. And here, you are going to whatever prison has a bed for you not where you would fit in best.

As a matter of fact many people convicted of felonies have actually a year or more in county jails waiting for a permanent prison location due to overcrowding

I suppose it is different in less populated regions

There are minimum security prisions, medium security and maximum security prisions! They are set up due to the severity of the crimes committed.

Who is funding it? Yes some are privatized but bot all

They have gen pop, maximum security, solitary. Jails/prison. White collar/blue collar, etc

not every one inside is a criminal. sometimes itS just plotted and too strict in there country but it doesn't help to control those real criminal . maybe show some mercy and help them change and improve their life draw them to Gid while inside the jail not let them be more hideous and frustrated in life. no one change thru merciless ..

I think an issue with our culture is that the punishment too often far EXCEEDS the actual crime, we have vengeance and punishment much more on our minds that improvement and growth

I actually think thats a problem throughout the culture, in the justice system, the educational system, the political system, you name it.

We are more concerned with reactive punishment and demonizing than with proactive education and reactive improvement

people talk about 'transparency' but they crucify people for mistakes and errors and hold them 'accountable' in the most extreme ways that really dont do much to allow for improvement, instead causing a culture where everyone wants only to find someone else to disparage, and terrified to admit mistake or wrong doing of their own.

IMHO