(06-28-2011, 08:52 AM)Touchstone Wrote: As galling as it may be to watch our taxpayer dollars being spent on helping people who have harmed society, it is far more effective in the long run both in cost terms and in 'net societal good' terms to treat jail not as a punishment but as a chance to rehabilitate people.Yes, that's why there are sentences of differing lengths for a whole range of offences, and why a custodial sentence is imposed only on those who are deemed to require one -- in order to deter them from reoffending, since they initially had little regard for consequence. It is true that many who find themselves imprisoned deserve all possible opportunities to better themselves and be released as productive members of society.
Before you go calling people hypocrites, you might just like to learn to read properly. I have not advocated any inhumane measures, nor have I once complained about the expense of properly running a prison system.
We are discussing a single case here -- unless you truly believe that all prisoners are not individuals who deserve to be treated as their unique circumstances, histories, personalities and prospects require.
It could be worse