>Rehabilitation is a total failure - until the person who needs rehabing finally makes the decision to change their ways. I think a sentencing matrix should be enacted so people could clearly see the road ahead. People who have been convicted 10 times or more (convicted, not arrested) should become property of the state. We have thousands who have been arrested and convicted more than 20 times. I call them "urban terrorists" because that's what they are. They think those of us who work are suckers, and I think they are criminals worthy of a license plate press.

I strongly disagree with most of that. Rehabilitation is not a total failure as the place I described has proven. A decision by the offender is nice but if they grew up around gangs and thugs the thought process does not exist - put them in a place where these thinking patterns can change at the beginning then you stand a chance. If that doesn't work and hey the guy commits 20 more serious crimes or violent acts then sure that's what prison is for. But why let it get to that point? These "get tough on crime" people that think it's a good idea to take a 19 or 20 year old pot smoking kid and toss them in a prison with a bunch of gang member criminals are very short-sighted. of course that is just part of the problem. The 400,000 people that were arrested last year for simple pot possession that are otherwise law abiding citizens that now have a criminal record is just an example of how out-of-control this lock-up everyone attitude has gotten with American society. You add all these things up and its a huge waste of resources.

>>I like the idea of rehabilitation as opposed to jails...or putting actual criminals in the jails instead of the 19 year old kid who got caught with a joint. How many people were put in jail last year for victimless crimes? Take a kid that is borderline and toss him in jail and it's like college for criminals - so you started out with a dumb stoner kid and end up with a violent thug.
>>I know there is some facility in Texas that's actually figured that out (I think it might be Ft. Worth?? - I will have to check) and it's turned out to be such a huge success that other cities are modeling after them. You have to keep in mind John that almost all of these criminals will eventually be released - so coming up with a plan to keep them out or keep them from ever entering is important - otherwise you're stuck with a very bitter and violent person where at the start you didn't have that...basically creating a career criminal where there wasn't one to start with.