Oh, where do you start with this topic? Maybe the flawed “three strikes” law….or those who are wrongly accused and sentenced… or the person who can’t afford the slick attorney… or the “deals” made behind closed doors… resulting in prison sentences.
Why NOT encourage the incarcerated to attend school, college, learn a trade… who loses? We judge all as one… throwaways. There are violent people who need to be kept separate from society. And many more who are not a threat and with skills learned in prison can re-enter society prepared to make a life and a living. How can we deprive those who have paid for their crimes the right to survive.
After the time served, the person then enters the probation/parole phase. First, he/she needs a place to stay. The home can have no guns (even if the person did not commit a gun related offense), and no one in the home can have a criminal record of any kind. The parolee must find a job that works around the curfew imposed by the system.
Will we never learn. Change is not a sign of weakness, we need change in the prison system.