To Read:
A Pennsylvania prison gets a Scandinavian-style makeover, and shows how the US penal system could become more humane
"In Norway, less than half of people released from prison are rearrested after three years. In Pennsylvania, that figure is closer to 70%. The implications for correctional systems are profound."
By Jordan Hyatt, Synøve Nygaard Andersen
there's a couple of things at play that would resist this, i think:
1) many 🇺🇸 prisons are privately owned. they are investments & receive higher profits, the more they incarcerate. think sardines = more $$. why would they want to reduce recidivism?
2) many peeps live a high quality of life in scandinavia w/ a generous safety net. but in the 🇺🇸, many peeps live below the poverty line. to know criminals would live better than they do on taxpayer dime? hard sell.
Absolutely true.
This model can’t be exactly duplicated in the US. For those and other reasons.
Yet any small step in humanizing incarceration, is beneficial.
@corlin oh, i agree. prison reform is so needed. in 🇨🇦, too. & promising work has been done, particularly w/ young male offenders. but to get the taxpayers to agree is challenging. even tho it will save $$ in the long run, focus on rehab over punishment, we are still a punishing/retributive society.
honestly, better mental health supports would also reduce recidivism in a significant way but that's not coming either...b/c we won't provide adequate mh to the law abiding pop.
sigh.
I did a little work inside a state prison. Bringing meditation to a few inmates.
The very first thing that hits you, is the normalization of horrific brutality, by everyone, prisoners, guards, administrators.
No not just bloody prisoner on prisoner violence, but in the total acceptance, of punishment as a result of said violence. The second thing you notice, is total lack of any personal agency by both the staff and the inmates. Everybody is playing a role.
If you want an even more informative response, ask me in a few days, as some of *my* government training (State, DHMH) overlapped with theirs (those training to be prison guards).
If reminded in a few days, will fully disclose interactions.
FTR, was *not* Federal government training. State only.
THAT would horrify you into a collective coma, so will keep it light.
OK, as I've an important appointment today...gonna spill just a *few* beans; we all gotta go sometime, right...?
Me (the first time, obviously bored): “I’m here because they wouldn’t do an inservice, so...I had to drive a couple hours to spend a few weeks here.”
That First Time:
Them (upon learning I was working with children): "So, are you allowed to hit them?"
Me (Initally so appalled I didn't have a better response): "Uhm...no."
Them: "Well, that's why *I* wanna be a prison guard."
Fast forward a few years for the mandatory training for my position:
The other (totally different training course. Different year, different outservice, different person):
Them "Are you allowed to hit them?"
"Me: "Absolutely not."
They looked at me like *I* was the idiot, and said:
Them: "Well what's the point? Why didn’t you just go with the DOC? That's why *I'm* training to be a guard!"
The only correlation (besides the obvious desire to punch down without consequence) was how eager they were to inflict violence on others they had power over: they *longed* for it, and it was clear why the went into the business.
Now: did I work with other DOC types who weren't sadists/were only there for a paycheck?
Absolutely. Not ALL of them are there for purely sadistic motives – one (1) was an actual therapist who wanted to do good, and assist in rehabilitation.
1
ONE.
So…not *all* are. But even ONE SINGLE PERSON WITH SUCH A MOTIVE IS TOO MANY (much less the majority). And even anecdotally, shoulda been more than ONE.
That's really all you need to know
Their Psych Screening is little better than it is for the police, sadly. And I say this with a wee tiny huge bit of CJ education under my belt.
You wanna fight about it? Browse my posts under the #books tag. Then, with at LEAST a two-year CJ degree...maybe we can talk.
Active LEOs with appropriate accreditations are also welcome.
Oh, and just FYI: obvious #sealioning will earn you a block.
Let's see how many followers THIS loses me 🙄😔
don't laugh but i had to look up what #sealioning was.
yes, i'm as old as the cryptkeeper as my son likes to say.
i can't speak from exp. like you apparently can. however, the evidence i've read amounts to:
1) prison guard pay is shit
2) screening isn't great b/c they need to fill positions
3) training is inadequate for the types of situations guards may encounter
4) shortstaffing & mental strain on guards is an issue
5) like cops, high potential for abuse of authority
does any of that ring true from your experience?
Yes.
Not counting the aforementioned ones, I've known a few prison guards IRL, and yes, the above is all essentially correct.