Politics: Punishment Versus Rehabilitation

[kjc]

If you talk to me for more than... oh... 30 seconds, you can probably figure out that I'm a bleeding heart liberal. My favorite causes are helping the homeless, human rights, alleviating poverty (as well as its wretched side effects), and protecting the environment (which includes rare slugs and specialized insects in addition to baby bunnies and

Comments

[rmd]

a member of my extended family is a guard out in the western part of the state. he describes it as being substantially like wrangling high schoolers. a lot of "he's picking on me!"

[kjc]

Given the absence of maturity in the decision to perform a criminal act, this doesn't really surprise me all that much.

[rmd]

also, speaking of mountain lions:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cairpaverl/2562899151/in/pool-52241664802@N01

check the notes on the picture. they're the best part.

[kjc]

Ha! That's some funny shit right there.

[kjc]

On the surface, it costs a lot more to rehabilitate someone.

I've seen a lot of statistics that, in essence, it costs the most to feed and house prisoners above almost any other program we might name.

The problem is that the costs of feeding and housing prisoners are spread out over time, whereas programs generally require money up front and some amount of infrastructure to support them. So it LOOKS bigger.

Also, rehab doesn't play into the fantasy of justice (versus punishment). E.g., he did a bad thing, he must suffer and rehab interferes with his suffering; therefore it interferes with the victim's justice.

[kjc]

don't tease me. i wanna hear the story behind the boots. :p*snort

[drwex]

Platt can be a raving arsehole when he chooses. Also, he can be very thoughtful and interesting. I've just started reading the linked story. Thanks for the pointer!

[kjc]

I think this is the first Platt story I've read, at least that I can recall. I liked it.