Prison is a failure. It improves nothing and it harms society.
For the unfortunates locked away within prison, life is grim and
hopeless. It's a university of crime where prisoners are schooled
to be "better" criminals. The taxpayers pay the tuition. It
costs more than a Harvard education. Prison is the breeding ground
for the worst social evils.
There must be a better way.
Prison is simply a foolish idea. It doesn't benefit anybody,
inside or out. It harms our society. A technically developed
culture should find a better way to deal with persons it doesn't
like. The United States is technically advanced, but socially
retarded - cave men with cellphones!
Prison is expensive. Its primary function is to provide easy,
high-paying employment for rural rednecks. Most would otherwise
be on welfare. The prison system is a subsidy ensuring a base
of yokels to vote Republican. Conservatives love prisons
until they end up there.
Pennsylvania has 26 adult prisons and countless others for
children. About 43,000 adults and several thousand children are
locked away because, as a culture, we aren't bright enough to
work out another solution. And that accounts for only the state
prisons. There are also hundreds of local, county and federal
lock-ups in Pennsylvania. Imprisonment is the Commonwealth's
only growing industry.
In this department, we offer a glimpse into a few aspects of
Pennsylvania prison life. We refer you to our
Public Enemies Department for articles
about guards, cops and the "justice" industry. Our
Prison Rape and Sex Department features
stories on those sensitive topics.