>>>>>>>Captial punishment is not a deterrent because the criminals sit on death row for 20+ years, at taxpayer expense, with all the
>>>>>>>amenities of a modern 5 start hotel. Why would a career criminal care if they were put on death row? They're going to die of old
>>>>>>>age anyhow. Most prisons rival health clubs with TV's, weight rooms, handball and basketball courts, etc. Prison is most certainly
>>>>>>>not a deterrent when life in the inside is better than life on the outside.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Have you visited a prison? I have, and if you think it's anything like a 5-star hotel, you're sorely mistaken.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Tamar
>>>>>
>>>>>Yes, on the nightly news every night. haven't you seen the inmates watching tv, playing ping poing, basketball, handball, and lifting weights?
>>>>>
>>>>>It's practically club med.
>>>>
>>>>You have no idea what you're talking and I dare to go visit one. Tamar said she has visited one and so have I (had a girlfriend who's brother had gotten in some trouble). Anyone who's actually been inside one of these facilities knows the truth - which apparently you do not.
>>>
>>>
>>>I repeat my question - haven't you seen the inmates watching tv, playing ping poing, basketball, handball, and lifting weights? I see this on TV all the time. I have. I can point you to mnay vids on Google showing this.
>>>
>>>So, if you havn't see this, then maybe I'm not the one who has no idea what he's talking about?
>>>
>>>I'm sure prison is not picnic, but at the same time, why inmates are allowed these things doesn't sound like punishment to em.
>>
>>Of course I've seen these things on TV. I've also seen riots, rapes, and murders in prisons reported on the news too. I'm not going to try to have a debate with you about it because you're argument is that "you saw it on tv so it's club med" and it's not possible for you to have a clue about the reality of what USA prisons are like based on a few choice new clips that the department of corrections allowed the media to have. Like I said (and Tamar indicated) - go visit one and get back with me.
>
>I've been to a couple actually. I disagree with you both. While it is certainly not clubmed, it is also not as harsh as I think it should be either. Life is prison is dangerous and hard because of other prisoners, not because of facilities or treatment. It is too nice because of the gyms, libraries, education, tv, etc that are afforded prisoners. The question is: are prisons meant to be a punishment or a rehabilation facility? If the former, then they are too good and if the latter, then they are not up to par and failing miserably. Should they be both? Do we need separate prisons for each type of crime so the punishment or rehabilitation is appropriately administered? For some areas, the rehabilitation portion is done in a step-down facility and not at the prison.

The concept of rehabilitations seems to be on the ropes. The mood now is for punishment, the harsher the better. Some of these prisoners are animals who are probably beyond rehabilitation. But as a general philosophy it doesn't seem very constructive.

Richard Pryor, not exactly a right wing extermist, had a good line in one of his concert films about visiting a prison. "Thank GOD for penitentiaries." ;-)