Most of a nation on probation?

[Sandy Sandfort]

Sampo Syreeni wrote:

> Yep, the US does lock a whole lot of
> people up. But what about the constant
> whining about "overflowing prisons",
> then.

Unfortunately, "whining" is just that.  Not much is done about it.

> Or the many instants where prisoners
> are put on parole en masse to cut
> costs and/or to free up prison real
> estate?

That's really a separate problem having to do with our insane mandatory
sentencing laws (primarily for drug-related offenses).  When they do release
folks, they are usually the ones convicted of really vicious crimes.

> There would be ways to control this
> too. One way is to make it possible
> for inmates to sue for damage due
> to overcrowding and the violence it
> causes. This would make for a
> superlinear increase in cost, and
> eventual balancing in the density
> of inmates.

Well that would be nice, but why not focus in on the real problem, too many
laws?  Forget suing, leave parole alone, just get rid of the myriad of laws.

> From the standpoint of individual
> freedom, one might argue that more
> people are now hurting.

Than what, Utopia?  That isn't the choice now.  It's between getting out or
staying in a hell-hole prison.  Nobody is hurt by parole.  Get rid of the
laws and the parole issue goes away by itself.

> ...the cost of putting people away
> should be high enough to become
> prohibitive for anything but the
> most serious of crimes.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda.  It's not, so why fantasize?  Nobody is hurt by
parole, itself.  Eliminate the bad laws, they are the real problem.


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