Capital Punishment

**Unchained** · April 19th, 2006, 03:33 PM

Before I became employed with the Department Of Corrections, I was staunchly for capital punishment, but if you break it down to just making someone pay for their crime (not getting into how much us taxpayers have to pay for it), then life in prison is MUCH, MUCH worse than death. Believe me guys, I know

**jtw61194** · April 19th, 2006, 05:07 PM

My little brother works for the Federal Bureau of Prisons and was at USP Lee before he moved to a different prison.We have had this same discussion before. I would agree with you that the quality of life that inmates face is pretty grim. But, and you would know more than me obviously, the predator vs. prey thing really takes hold in a place where normal social situations don't exist. What happens to some of these guys when they get out? Several of the defendants in the Aryan Brotherhood trial, including one of the top leaders, could be released in as little as three years.And these guys are stone-cold killers. With the opening of Wallens Ridge and Red Onion in VA and some of the federal supermax prisons, haven't we gone away from the corrections point of view and steered toward the punishment of crimes? I would never use the death penalty as liberally as some others, but to give a person four life sentences without parole, I mean, what kind of inmate is that guy going to become? I would really like to hear more from someone who works in the prison system. Most of us don't get to know the prison subculure as well as a corrections officer. Too many people incarcerated for nonviolent crimes and too many people still breathing for very violent crimes.

**Unchained** · April 19th, 2006, 07:59 PM

Good post. The inmates that I deal with at ROSP are well beyond the point of rehabilitation, and these guys aren't looking at a release date, but in the case of inmates who are set for release, especially after spending considerable time down, sometimes you wonder how the adjustment back into a society that is ever-changing is going to take place. Inmates truly do become "institutionalized", and I've often said that perhaps the use of a transitional facility would be the solution if you are going to release, say a level 4-5 inmate back into the population -begin the steady process of reintroduction, so that when release does occur, he will know what to expect. I also agree with the last point that you made. We have way too many folks doing 20 years for dealing dope locked up, while a man who commits a single murder gets 8 sometimes.

April 19th, 2006, 08:12 PM

eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Im all for it, yes there are always exceptions but anoyone who would willingly take another persons life deserves the same in return

April 19th, 2006, 08:16 PM

Having some knowledge of the system and seeing it. Good point Indian_Dad. Having some contact with inmates myself. I took one who was at a level 4 VADOC facility to the bus station.
First time in 14 yrs this man had been outside of a controlled environment. He was all to pieces.
He was totally instituionalized.
I finally got him talking to some other people at the bus station and some that would be on the bus with him.
This man was in a state of anxiety to the point, he ask me once to take him back to the prison.
I finally had to tell him hey your free. I was heading this way that is the only reason, i brought you. I was doing the institution a favor.
Finally, i told him i couldnt' do that. He did his time he was a free man.
I can see capital punishment in some cases. But you put a man behind bars for years, yes it's costly but it also takes away their life.
Capital punishment for straight out acts of murder and against kids or the elderly or just to have fun. I have no problem with.
But in other cases. A person who is at the point described above has done lost most of their life, and will probably never succeed in society again.
So they will do something to get back to the only life they know. Prison.

**jtw61194** · April 19th, 2006, 08:42 PM

I visited my brother in SC last weekend and we had a long discussion on the AB thing and the whole supermax mentality. He serves at a lower level facility (he equated it to medim/high). I asked him what would happen if just one AB member, a full-blown, made member was housed in his facility. He flat out said it would not happen, but that if it did, that one person could really screw up the whole structure of how things are supposed to happen. I would have a hard time believing that some of these guys could handle anything other than what they have been used to for so long. I understand the gang thing really bumps it up a notch, but it has got to be a kick in the pants going from prison/correctional center to normal society, even through a trickle down process of release.

**fleenor22** · April 19th, 2006, 08:54 PM

I have a uncle who works for a prison. I think that some of these folks that go to prison take it as a party & a stay at the comfort inn. They go in do there time & come out and repeatadly commit the crime again.. Those are the punks that get me. You get that one guy per say in there & he decides he's better than what he's done & it wasnt worth it and he gets well, crapped on. I think that if you done the crime & your going to be a punk about it im 100% for it. But if your willing to make peace with your fellow citzens.. your doing the right thing you've been there long enough.. give a second chance.. i'm a firm beliver in second, third & fourth chances.

**jtw61194** · April 19th, 2006, 09:07 PM

100% agree with that. But, there is correction and there is punishment. A lot of times the two seem to get entwined and bad things happen. Imagine getting drunk and punching a cop. Could be your first offense, but you could do a few years with people who will die while incarcerated. I imagine that people who change for the better are scared straight rather than seeing the err of their ways. Again, I hope I never have to find out for myself.