and an x-post with Nora.

I wish we could get more funding for drug treatment vs. prison. Even going through rehab three or four times (it can take many tries to kick addictions) is cheaper than incarcerating someone for possession of drugs. But people who aren't addicted don't see the reasoning behind that. Same with mental illness. Over half of the mentally ill in this country are addicted to drugs or alcohol (self medicating) and that makes them far more likely to end up in the criminal justice system--where there are no exceptions made for their conditions.

It chills my blood to think that the last two serious killings we've had in town (the Freeway Shooter and the man who shot the singer from Pantera) are both men who were diagnosed and being treated for schizophrenia. If they plead guilty, but mentally ill, they still end up in prison where they get no treatment. If they try to take it to court, jurors think they are faking it to get out of a murder rap and convict anyway so they end up in prison where they will get no treatment--or worse, on death row.

At a time when compassion, in general, seems to be at an all-time low, there doesn't seem to be a lot left over for people in prison.

True. I've always found it interesting that one of the categories used to separate the sheep from the goats was "you visited me when I was in prison" (paraphrase).

I guess I'm happy we were in Montana at the time. I never thought about differences in treatment. I used to marvel at how good he had it, but I'd rather that than that he be mistreated.

common sense ought to state that any prisoner who isn't either on death row, or in for life needs serious care in all areas, so that when he comes out, he's going to be better than when he went in.

And it's not just about being humane, which ought to be enough. Infectious disease is becoming a huge problem because we've basically set up a system to incubate things like TB and then release it back into the community.

and multiple x-posts! talk about hivemind.

You may be surprised how many people do not share this philosophy, and advocate the more, "let 'em rot" philosophy. It is horrifying. I once (recently) sat through a discussion while on site at a conference that debated the point that child molesters and murderers should, instead of being in prison, taken out to reserves and hunted by hunters. I felt very alone in my horror.

At a time when compassion, in general, seems to be at an all-time low, there doesn't seem to be a lot left over for people in prison.

I'm not too surprised, and shamefully so, I might add. I am not proud of this, but sometimes it is easy, when I hear of individual cases, to think, "Let 'em rot." Or at least, it's easier for me. I know that's a flaw in me. God forgive me, but when John Geoghan got killed in prison, I couldn't work up much concern. The only real concern I worked up, was over the fact that I was not concerned. In other words, intellectually, I know it should not happen. I should not want my criminal justice system, the one I fund, to work so poorly that it cannot do it's job.

It is when I realize why so many common people are in prison, and what things in their lives led them to that point, that I am able to work up my concern, and my humanity.

There still seems to be a common impression that prisoners are "coddled," thanks to politicians who like to exploit the "we need to get tough on crime" issue.

Meanwhile, in the last ten or twenty years it's become much harder for the media to get access to prisons and prisoners, making it almost impossible to call attention to abuse and neglect of prisoners. For example, there is a widespread effort to cover up the extent of prison rape.

True. I've always found it interesting that one of the categories used to separate the sheep from the goats was "you visited me when I was in prison" (paraphrase).

Yep, that's why I am ashamed. I know when John Geoghan was killed (he was one of the more notorious priest-abusers in the Boston area leg of the scandal), that I should have had way more compassion than I did--I knew it even at the moment.

I know the odds are, that either that man was so sick--organically, or so damaged himself (and damage that would have happened when he was a vulnerable child), that he's precisely one of the kind of people I should want to help. And I feel that way, not just because the Bible says, but because I know it is right.

I should not want my criminal justice system, the one I fund, to work so poorly that it cannot do it's job.

I think that it's natural to have anger and even hatred toward individuals for the pain they've caused or the crimes they've committed.

I also think that the justice system should be concerned with justice and not vengeance.

I think that the way we, as individuals, and society, treat those who have wronged "us" reflects more on us than on them.

I think that forgiveness is one of the most powerful forces in the universe, and not indicative of weakness.

I don't have any answers, these are just things I think.

In other news, I'm hopefully off to the gym to do some swimming! I am also awaiting word from Tom to see how things went with the INS.

You're absolutely right, Nora. Otherwise, we should do away with it, and have a vengeance-based society.