Our Prison System

I don't really understand our prison system. We hear ALL THE TIME that it's costing tons of taxpayer money, and yet there is still lack of proper staffing, facilities, and services for prisoners.

We hear about riots, crimes being committed from behind prison walls (smart criminals ordering hits and such), not to mention the standard violence and corruption between prisoners, guards, and other staff. I'm sure prison is a horrible state of being, where you're trapped with no place to go, nothing much to do, and a lot of regiment to keep you in check. The idea is this setting is supposed to somehow rehabilitate a person from a life of crime. Or in the very least, keep the harm away from society. All the while the government is shelling out taxpayer money to support the system.

This seems like a waste of money. We know the system is not working well, and we know that prisoners often end up back in prison after release, so it seems any efforts of rehabilitation is not also not very effective. And as we all are painfully aware, our nation is drowning in debt. so my natural question is, whatever happened to the chain gang? Why can't we make put our prisoners to work? Hard labor? Clean the sewage? Wouldn't it be good for them to learn the value of hard work? Let them earn their keep in the prison instead of cooping them up all day to get stir-crazy then force them to exercise in the yard where they look for additional ways to vent their stored up anxiety and nerves.

Why do we continue with our ineffective systems? Our insanely bloated healthcare system, our ineffective and dangerous prison system, our government wastes and inefficiencies, our failed mental health system, the list goes on and on.

I'm sure my perspective is inadequate and I lack the full picture view of the situation, but really, we need some smart entrepreneurial people to re-think our systems and come up with better ways to use our resources before our nation self-implodes.

There are too many leeches sucking away, taking advantage of the good will of our nation's systems while regular folks are the ones ponying up to pay for them. I'm tired of hearing about drug addicts checking themselves into hospitals then refusing to leave, taking advantage of our hospitals. I'm sickened by the Madoffs and Phillip Garridos. It is just too ridiculous.