You’ve undoubtedly heard stories about judges who don’t prosecute felons, giving the impression that anything and everything goes these days. There are instances of this happening, but for the most part that’s not the case, and here’s the proof: At the end of 2023 the U.S. had the highest number of prisoners in the world, and that number has increased since then. There are more than 1.8 million Americans behind bars now – approximately 100,000 more than there are in China, whose population is three times ours.
And, according to a report on the Committee to Unleash Prosperity’s website, a related statistic adds credibility to that. To make matters worse, the U.S. also has an exceptionally high recidivism rate. “Roughly two of three people released from prison in 24 different states are rearrested within three years, and 80% after five years,” it states. These stats almost make prison sound like a place people want to be. But in fact, the opposite is true.
Fun It’s Not
Many people have the impression that prison life is not so terrible – after all, inmates have time to read and write, study, exercise, and even watch color TV – kind of like a country club atmosphere. Actually, prison life is a lot more like gehinnom.
Numerous inmates have become desensitized from their experiences, and in some cases have become violent and ruthless. They feel they’ve been wronged by the system, and will not tolerate being “dissed” in even the slightest manner. And they feel there’s nothing to lose by striking out at perceived enemies. Rather, they believe there’s no gain in containing their rage.
Incarcerated inmates generally have minimal or no contact with family and the friends they were once close with. This leaves them essentially on their own, and that’s difficult because sometimes they need protection from violent and bullying inmates, prison gangs, or because they haven’t followed unwritten rules of prison culture.
The humiliation they suffer on a daily basis is beyond description, and that can happen even at seemingly secure times such as at meals, while exercising in the recreation area, and using rest rooms. “Life in prison is harsh, traumatizing and isolating for the people forced to endure it,” states the Vera Institute of Justice, a nonprofit organization focused on criminal justice reform.
In general, inmates avoid confrontation - but that’s not always possible. There are times they must stand up to an attacker.
Even under “normal” circumstances, conditions are so bad that any sane person would do anything possible to be released and avoid being sent back there. And yet, based on the statistics, many inmates who are released end up going back. How can we understand this?
Here’s how the Committee to Unleash Prosperity, an organization that identifies and supports policies that have led to increased prosperity, describes this situation. “If one of the goals of prison is to serve as a deterrent to committing future crimes, that strategy is a clear and tragic failure. Prison isn’t deterring crime and it isn’t rehabilitating young criminals. It’s creating a professional class of criminals.”
Loads Of Reasons
Ex-cons go back to prison for any one of a variety of reasons, and sometimes for a combination of them. As a group, they show how complex this issue is.
Ex-cons have great difficulty adjusting to life outside of prison, and one reason is because they have poor decision-making skills. What most people take for granted has become very challenging for them. For example, even simply choosing a product to purchase at the supermarket can be frustrating/perplexing.
There are many other reasons, according to AI Overview. The support system for released cons is insufficient to enable them to readjust to society. Also, their employment opportunities are limited due to inadequate job skills. They usually have to deal with severe financial pressures and untreated mental health issues that hamper their efforts.
Unfortunately, even individuals who sincerely want to live an honest lifestyle often cannot overcome these challenges and will slip back into criminal behavior. “Many prisons lack effective rehabilitation programs that address the root causes of criminal behavior and equip individuals with the skills needed to live crime-free,” says AI Overview.
When Trump is sworn in on January 20, he will have to deal with an incredibly long list of issues that need immediate attention, ranging from the national debt and the deficit to high interest rates and inflation, illegal migrants, and so many others. Hopefully, at some point, he will find the time to deal with prison reform because it, too, is very important – even though it doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
Everyone Loses
The current situation is a lose-lose situation. Helping cities and states are on Trump’s to-do list. Although the cost of keeping a prisoner in jail varies, the price is hefty everywhere. In New York State in 2019, the cost of incarcerating someone in a state prison was $115,000 per year. And in 2021, in New York City, it was $556,539. A great deal of desperately-needed resources is used to pay for prison programs that usually are ineffective. The issue of crime and punishment needs new and effective solutions because the ones in place are not working, and society simply can’t function when crime rages out of control.
The biggest losers: the victims. I and immediate family members have been touched by violent crime and, in my case, the experience was terrifying, humiliating, and infuriating. I’m certain many others have had these same reactions.
When Rudy Giuliani was first elected mayor in 1993, New York City was close to being at its all-time high in crime. Rudy was intolerant of crime – even minor offenses – to the extent that even people who wanted a safer city felt he was going too far. But his approach worked. The crime rate plummeted and he turned the city around. That’s something for Trump and his team to bear in mind in dealing with the issue of rampant crime across the country.
Sources: AI Overview; committeetounleaseprosperity.com; vera.org; zerohedge.com
Gerald Harris is a financial and feature writer. Gerald can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
