The best way to reduce the cost of prisons is by encouraging inmates to lower the cost of their incarceration
The U.S. is facing a rising problem with its prison system.
The total annual cost of American prisons is $39 billion with an average annual cost of $31,286 per inmate. Source: Vera Institute of Justice - What Incarceration Costs Tax Payers
I'd like to pick your brain on this issue, since I've been thoroughly impressed with some of the writing on this platform.
What if:
- Inmates could be offered the choice to work out using gym equipment that is able to capture the kinetic energy from their workout.
- The energy produced could be fed back into the grid and used to pay for some of the cost of incarcerating the inmates, in this way inmates would voluntarily contribute to lowering the cost to society for their incarceration.
- As an incentive for inmates to participate, their participation could be taken into account when applying for parole and the reduction of sentence.
- As an added benefit the inmates would be able to improve their physical and mental health, as exercise is known to improve both. Source: American Psychological Association
Hear me out on why I think this might be a good idea.
A few months ago my friends and I were talking about ways that we can increase the quality of life for everyone while having to change as few things as possible about the way people live their lives now, given that it seems that most people are reluctant to change.
We all want a better world, but we are reluctant to change
One of the things we discussed is the penal system and how various countries approach the problem in different ways, some focus more on punishment and some more on rehabilitation. People seem more likely to create positive change if they are incentivised to create change. That's the notion that SteemIt is also built on; good content bubbles to the top as more people upvote it as they show their appreciation, which again benefits the entire community.
Another benefit of a platform like SteemIt is that it's great for learning how people feel about some of the larger systemic problems in society, and to test and discuss potential solutions for those problems.
In the Netherlands there is currently a different problem with crime. Crime rate has decreased by such a large amount through
shorter sentences, more electronic tagging, programmes on job skills and re-entering the community
that there are not enough convicts to fill the cells, something they are creatively addressing by leasing out cell space to Belgium and Norway. Source: The Telegraph
"Everyone got their badges but they got noone to apprehend" from Wanted Criminals by the Evens.
What if we would give convicts the choice to live a more comfortable life in prison or reenter in society sooner by incentivising them to financially invest in their own rehabilitation, and physical and mental health?
Which model do you think would be most effective?
Do you think a model like this would work? And if not, why do you think it wouldn't?
And when do you think someone should be given the opportunity to prove they deserve a second chance?
I'd really like to hear your thoughts and learn from you.
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I would say we should first address the use of prison systems as a corporate for-profit. https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/04/28/how-for-profit-prisons-have-become-the-biggest-lobby-no-one-is-talking-about/
Edit: Posted link to be used only as an example.
We only have state run and county run prisons. If we were looking for lowest cost only and warehousing, private prisons are cheaper.
It is really sickening to see a prison system like that. Working in prison to reduce sentence? That sounds like slavery to me, and it can be easily abused by throwing people to prison for every minor offense and then working them as slaves and paying less than minimal wage there. It is a grounds for abuse.
You don't treat the sympthom, you treat the disease. We have to ask ourselves, why are there so many people in prison in the first place?
Thanks for sharing your perspective, @freddy008. I think your concern that the system could be exploited to get cheap labour is valid, yet I think if an inmate has the freedom to choose this option, and if not choosing the option will not result in a greater punishment, that a system like this could work if the incentives and rewards are right for all parties. If implemented in the right way blockchain technology might be able to help with this since it could help make the system transparent, decentralized, immutable and uncensorable. I also agree with you that it's an attempt at a solution to the symptom and not the cause. I don't know why there are more people incarcerated in some parts of the worlds than in others. In some places censorship by governments is surely a key factor, but I think there are other factors at play as well. Do you have any thoughts on which factors are the most decisive ones for the U.S. penal system?
In any regard, thanks for giving push back, you made several fair points! I appreciate it!
I'm afraid the incentive to abuse is greater than the incentive to do the right thing. Most prisoners are in prison injustly. The actual criminals are a very low %. I don't consider a crime to be a crime if there is no victim. Most "criminals" are in jail for victimless crimes. Now if you make the prison system profit based, that will only result in more innocent people going to prison just to work like slaves. Corporations can easily abuse this to get under-minimumwage labour, essentially slave labour.
Prison is an unjust institution, and with a small % of dangerous criminals, the rest of the people can easily can let go free.
I believe the majority of people are good people and I also think that it's better to let ten actual criminals go free than it is to incarcerate one innocent person. I also identify with your views that if there is no victim, there is no crime. One can argue that for many industries corporations already have a very strong influence on wages and the conditions and quality of work life, whether it is inside or outside of prison. What would you find a fairer solution to balancing the evils of impinging on the freedoms of some to protect the freedoms of others, than the current system?
Yes, crime should be de-incentivized ,and not punished. There are many ways to decrease crime, before happening, like improving communities, organizing a local community better. I guarantee you petty crimes like burglary and larceny would rarely happen if a community is united. There are other way for other crimes.
I don't find the impinging of freedoms good at all, non-invasive and peaceful methods are already available to reduce crime, there is absolutely no need for endless survailance and agressive policing. Psychology already has the answers, its just that it's not mainstream.
Great post. It is very expensive to house prisoners. The ideas you mention all have merit. Non violet drug offenders, release or use ankle bracelets to monitor. Encourage self training to earn early release or $ for transition back to society are all ideas we need to try. In our state we house prisoners for ~ $140/day but we could house out of state for $60/day. We keep them instate so we can try and help and prevent recidivism. Our rates may be the lowest in the country, but it cost $ that we take away from others in society, is it fair?
Thanks for contributing, David! It's great to hear that your state prioritises preventing recidivism over reducing short term incarceration costs by outsourcing the problem. My gut tells me that preventing recidivism is more cost effective in the long term, but I'm not informed enough to make a loud statement on that as I've not read any reliable sources on the topic yet. Do you know if inmates in your state feel positive about the type of programs focused at reentering society that you proposed?
Don't have an answer for your question, just don't know. I do know our % of prisoners population has gone up faster than our general population. However, I don't think violent crimes have increased. Sentencing has.
That sounds disturbing.