zlacker

I just randomly came across this very relevant TED talk given by a prison inmate yesterday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F89eycANUrQ

I definitely feel that American prison policy leans way too far on the side of moral judgement and retribution than rehabilitation. In my personal opinion, anyone who has served their term has already paid for their mistakes and we, as a society, should be more concerned with helping them get back on their feet than with further punishing them for their mistakes.

I also think the practice of denying former felons the right to vote is completely ridiculous. So if you commit a felony at 18, you can't vote even when you're a 100? What kind of sense does that make?

>>rweba+(OP)
<So if you commit a felony at 18, you can't vote even when you're a 100?

I can tell you with 100% certainty that there are felons that vote. I believe the system in our county is not perfect and thus mails out a voter registration to a convicted murderer that served his time and is now free.

>>rweba+(OP)
The idea is that a felony is so egregious that you permanently lose some of the rights of civil society. Another right taken away forever is the right to own a firearm. The problem is that everything is a felony now.

>>lostev+Mg
It also depends on the state.

>>rweba+(OP)
I think much of the American sentiment is prejudicial -- if you broke the law once, you can't be trusted not to do it again. We love to grab our pitchforks and burn an 'evil-doing criminal' at the stake. It doesn't matter that they 'paid for what they did' -- they might do it again, so why ever let them see the light of the day? Inhumane? Yea sure, we can be nice to 'them' if you want, just NIMBY! I have CHILDREN for heavens sake!

Just look at the comments on any news article of anyone being arrested. As far as the general public is concerned, they're already guilty and are lucky we even let them keep breathing. Rarely will you read an article about the charges being dropped later, or the person acquitted. Nobody cares at that point.

>>mobile+Dh
Florida has a process for felons convicted of certain crimes to have their civil rights restored -- right to vote, own a gun, etc...

>>rweba+(OP)
Well that’s what happens when you have a prison-industrial complex!