Future Left Podcast Ep. 28: Prisons as Punishment
What is the point of prison? Is it merely to punish? Looking at the data generated by America's criminal justice system indicates clearly that the US system of incarceration--over-bloated as it is--has a grossly inadequate effect on recidivism. If the objective of America's prisons is rehabilitation, it is an abject failure. We look at recent work done by the Marshall Project on how the German prison system functions, comparing it America's concept of incarceration.
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Our reading list:
"There is no rehabilitation": http://www.denverpost.com/2016/08/09/denver-man-24-years-sex-trafficking-15-year-old-girl-historic-conviction/
Our Prisons aren’t helping (according to victims of violent crime): https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/08/05/even-violent-crime-victims-say-our-prisons-are-making-crime-worse/
Restorative Justice (aka Damn Dirty Hippies) http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/states-consider-restorative-justice-alternative-mass-incarceration/
Arpaio’s tent city: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/05/america-10-worst-prisons-rikers-island-new-york-city
Marshall Project on Zee Germans: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2015/09/25/prison-without-punishment#.u6AGyn9TB
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