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| The Dream of Transformative Prisons |
| By /jjie.org/ - John Lash |
| Published: 10/02/2013 |
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Prisons are some of the least pleasant places imaginable. The imagery conjured by the word prison is heavily influenced by Hollywood portrayals: razor wire, guard towers, bars, dank concrete cells, loud clanging and dangerous people. Surprisingly, Hollywood’s version is, at least visually, relatively accurate. On top of the oppressive look of the place is a layer of hopelessness, fear, anger and dehumanization. This is true even in prisons that look like college campuses, and even in facilities that warehouse youth. Even the “sweetest” (as prisoners say) of prisons is still a hellhole, at least in the United States. This is acceptable to most people. In fact, many believe that such an environment has a deterrent effect, and that if prisons were cleaner, safer, or more supportive of growth their purpose would be subverted. This stems from two interrelated ideas. The first idea is that punishment works to alter behavior, which in my experience is usually untrue over time. It needs constant threats to work, and people will work to get around it whenever possible. The second idea is that some people deserve this punishment. There is a strain of moral righteousness that we learn from an early age, and its realization is often violent. We are taught that this is justice. Read More. |
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