The Pennsylvania Department of Imprisonment likes to call itself the Department of "Corrections." Of course, the term "Corrections" is simply another lie. The department is renown for its lying. The Pennsylvania Department of Imprisonment does absolutely nothing that is "corrective." It doesn't "correct" anybody of anything. It makes people worse - far worse. In short, the Department of Imprisonment is an utter failure. Its only accomplishment is to provide overpaying jobs for guards who would otherwise be on welfare. Exemplifying its failure, consider the department's recent announcement. It has reopened the dilapidated, ramshackled state prison in Pittsburgh. The 150 year old dump had been closed for safety reasons and because it violated the laws against cruel and unusual punishment. It was simply so primitive, unsanitary and dangerous that neither the prisoners or the staff were reasonably safe. The Pennsylvania Department of Imprisonment has done such a terrible job of helping, rehabilitating and educating prisoners that more space is needed to warehouse them. Prisoners aren't getting out and the few who do get out are promptly sent back by Pennsylvania's Worst in the Nation Parole Board. The moldering old Western Penitentiary is reopened to "treat" drug and alcohol problems. Drug and alcohol problems shouldn't be reason for imprisonment. That's Republican control-freak nonsense. A drunk or other addict doesn't get "cured" of addiction unless he or she wants to be cured. Even then, there may be very real biological or even genetic factors which cause addictions. In such cases, "treatment" must treat the disease in a physical, medical way, not by intimidation, shame and humiliation. That doesn't work with diabetes and can't work with most kinds of addiction. Pennsylvania's sucker citizens don't seem to care that their tax money is squandered. Puting 750 sick prisoners into a dangerously unsafe prison in order to humiliate them out of their addictions is fraud. The project's real aim is only to make space in order not to release 750 prisoners the department has failed to "correct" and the parole board has failed to help. Rebecca's Bargain Antiques Collectible Vintage Photos Fine Prints - Old Maps Sheet Music - Old Books Elegant Antiques and Collectibles "I became a policeman because I wanted to be in a business where the customer is always wrong" Anonymous, circa 1960 You are welcome to use or republish any of our material. Please give www.prisoners.com credit as the source. Return to the News Items Menu. Return to the Crime Stories Menu. Return to the Main Menu. Go to our site's Search Engine. Send us Your Comments, Questions or Input.