Quote:
Originally Posted by Glinda
Well, you know, jail isn't supposed to be pleasant. I'd be pretty pissed off to learn that criminals were eating better than millions of poor families across the country.  |
Surely the answer to that is to improve the lot of poor families rather than reduce the lot of prisoners?
The horrifying thing there is not that criminals might eat better than poor families, but that poor families may be eating as badly as prisoners.
Many of the people who end up in prison for any real length of time are young men who already place a very low value on themselves and others. Done right, prison can teach two very important lessons: first, what you did makes you unwelcome in society and second, that you as an individual can become valuable.
Many of those in prison also suffer mental health problems - probably most. If that aspect is not dealt with then why would they not return to criminal behaviour when they are released? You can't tackle mental health without basic stuff like decent nutrition and a way to build a healthier sense of self-worth