What do the free owe to the imprisoned?

Jimmy B

I think the free owe the imprisoned some degree of understanding and empathy because social difference has placed them in the position they are, and not by their own choices. The free must recognize that the imprisoned are victims of a criminal justice system that enforces laws and policies made by the elites that control the America society and the Criminal Justice system particularly. I will not be far from the truth if I said most of the people behind bars are the poor- lower class minorities who did not willingly choose to be nuisance to society, but are victims of a partial criminal justice system and a relatively small group of rich people who make laws and policies whereby “Those who commit corporate and political crime with a pen have little to fear the justice system.”(Prentice Hall).
The imprisoned are also victims of a society that provides little or no opportunity for the advancement of the lower class, but creates environments and conditions that lack opportunities for self- improvement due to the limited resources provided them. As a result, most minorities resort to crime in order to support themselves and their families. This does not mean I am condoning crimes or defending those that commit them, I am only trying to point out that the society and the environmental we live in usually determines who we are or who we become.
Having said that, I think we (the free) owe the imprisoned our advocacy for changes in the legislative and the criminal justice system so that the phrase “Justice for all” will be a reality and not just a meaningless rhetoric. I also think the free owe the imprisoned some degree of understanding because the free refuses to recognize the role society plays the lives of the imprisoned, as a result, they have the tendency to stigmatize them. The free must also advocate improvement in the prison system so that its curriculum will base on rehabilitation and not punishment. By doing so would help the imprisoned learn a new way of life so that when released their chances of going back to prison becomes slim. The free owe them that much.

I completely agree with Jimmy. I believe that generally speaking we should operate from a rehabilitative framework in dealing with criminality. This includes allowing full fledged religious services. Prison is hard enough in and of itself, and if we don’t give these people at least something positive to work with, then their chances of recidivating upon release become that much greater. Rehabilitation goes further than just religious services, but that is a great place to start. Considering the fact that often times individuals are put into prison because they were essentially forced to commit crime being disadvantaged. Prison can definitely be considered inherently racist and otherwise a house for “degenerate” low income individuals. It’s not that priveleged whites don’t commit crime, but they often times get treated more leniently anyway, in addition to having better resources and representation. What we “owe” to those who can be saved, is a chance for them to be successful. Ultimately the goal is for them to contribute and not being a burden on society. To do this we must eliminate all forms of discrimination and give them proper access to the skills and education they need to succeed (NOT VIA AFFIRMATIVE ACTION WHICH INVITES REVERSE DISCRIMINATION, SYSTEM RELIANCE AND UNFAIR ADVANTAGES!!!). Prisons need more educational and vocational services. And it needs to not be as much of a “black mark” to leave prison. Once a sentence is served the slate should be wiped clean. With their disadvantage it was hard enough to get meaningful employment, but throwing them back in the same situation with a “ex-con” on their record just makes it that much harder for them.