Remember Me
forgot your password?

Philosophy of Politics - We Do not Need Prisons

Millions of people in the world currently rot in jails or prisons. People think of jails and prisons as an essential part of society, but do we really need them? Do prisons really protect people from violence and victimization, or do prisons just make matters worse? Let's look at the different types of criminals that governments throw in prison.

Non-violent non-victimizers - Governments have a tendency to criminalize behaviors that do not hurt anyone. The governments create victimless crimes by creating authoritarian laws. When people break these laws, they have not hurt anyone in any major way. These laws can include any laws outlawing victimless behaviors, such as drug possession, prostitution, peacefully practicing a religion, and so on and so forth. For example, the United States currently has over 1 million people behind bars for victimless crimes, which only limits freedom and does not protect others. Instead of putting these non-violent people in jail or prison, we can just let them go and legalize all victimless behaviors. It makes more sense to let people have freedom than to waste resources enforcing authoritarian laws.

Incidental Criminals – Some people may commit an illegal act of violence or victimization due to external conditions. We can refer to these people as incidental criminals. These 'incidental criminals' do not have any more of a tendency to hurt others than the average person. For example, consider someone who has to steal to feed his family one day. Almost anyone would do that, so it does not mean we need to throw the person in jail or prison. If we can change the conditions that cause a normal person to a commit a crime, then we can do that rather than brutally lock a person in a cell. We have no need to throw a person in jail or prison if they pose no more danger than the average person but committed a one-time crime due to external circumstances.

Mentally Sick People - Finally, we have sick people. These people have some sort of mental defect that makes them a danger to other people. If we do not restrain these people, they will victimize other people. So we must restrain them. But why put them in jail or prison? They need treatment, and prison will not cure them; it will just torture them. If we put them in jail or prison, then we can never let them out because jail or prison will not cure them. If we put them into a treatment facility, then we may successfully treat or cure some of them, at which point we can safely release those ones back into society. We will protect more people by putting mentally sick people into treatment centers (including insane asylums), then by throwing them in jail or prison. These people need professional care in a medical establishment, not the punishment of prison.

I think most people feel like me in that I would prefer to protect people and to do it in as least brutal a way as possible. I have no interest in using the force of government to pointlessly get vengeance or inflict punishment using prisons. Thus, I see no need for prisons. We can release people who have no psychological defect that makes them dangerous, and we can put the ones with psychological defects in treatment. Let's base our policies on sympathy, understanding, and a desire to protect people. Let's not base policy on a wasteful indulgence in state-sanctioned vengeance.

Scott Hughes

Scott Hughes manages the Philosophy Forums, which contain a Philosophy of Politics Forum. You can use the forums to discuss topics such as this and more.

Rate this Article: 1 / 5 stars - 1 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish

Add new Comment



Captcha

  • Latest Politics Articles
  • More from Scott Hughes

The Right to Vote, a Patriotic Gift

By: Steven E Coffman | 14/11/2009
How much do you appreciate your right to vote? Did you know that there are no laws for "the right to vote" in our United States Constitution? Throughout American history, many average citizens like you and me fought for this right, and in some cases, even died for the right to vote!

Cigna Health Insurance Industry Whistle Blower Perseveres

By: Kate Loving Shenk | 14/11/2009
What do we do about the Employer Based Healthcare system? Certainly reforming the Health Insurance Companies is a joke. Single Payer is the only answer! This article was originally published in Op-Ed News, 10/21/09

U.S., Japan 'equal partners,' Obama says

By: alabi ayodeji | 13/11/2009
Obama said. "Throughout my trip and throughout my presidency, I intend to make clear that the United States is a Pacific nation, and we will be deepening our engagement in this part of the world. As I said to Prime Minister Hatoyama, the United States will strengthen our alliances, build new partnerships, and we will be part of multilateral efforts and regional institutions that advance regional security and prosperity,"

Human Rights Watch condemns gay death sentences in Iran

By: Gary Cosby | 13/11/2009
Iran flouts international law to execute three men for gay offences

INDIAN DEMOCRACY IN PERIL…?

By: K.R.SURENDRAN | 13/11/2009
But it seems we are not going to learn from our lessons. Good.

The Miracle of Computer Technology

By: Keith Brandon | 12/11/2009
Computers are a tremendous labor saving invention, but can't cure inefficiencies in entities not controlled by fair competition. Corruption in government,giant corporations and other agencies, distroy productivity that should be enhanced by computer technology.

The Miracle of Computer Technology

By: Keith Brandon | 12/11/2009
Computers are a tremendous labor saving invention, but can't cure inefficiencies in entities not controlled by fair competition. Corruption in government,giant corporations and other agencies, distroy productivity that should be enhanced by computer technology.

Public Service

By: Keith Brandon | 12/11/2009
Most politicians seek national office for economic gain, power, and prestige; but they would like the voters, who sent them to washington, to think they are sacrificing for them. It's a misuse of the word.

Ethical Philosophy: Altruism and Selfishness

By: Scott Hughes | 23/04/2008 | Philosophy
The self-interestedness supported by pro-selfishness philosophers does not necessarily conflict with the kindness supported by pro-selflessness philosophers.

Why Do People Fear Sex?

By: Scott Hughes | 31/03/2008 | Sexuality
Why do the people in our society tend to have such negative feelings towards sexuality? Why do so many cultures throughout the globe fear and hate sex?

Personal Attacks in Philosophical Discussions

By: Scott Hughes | 18/03/2008 | Psychology
An ad hominem argument consists of replying to a person's argument by merely attacking the character of the person making the argument.

What it Means for an Action to be Immoral

By: Scott Hughes | 07/03/2008 | Philosophy
What does it mean to call an action morally good or morally bad? Different people use those terms to mean very different things.

Philosophy of Politics - We Do not Need Prisons

By: Scott Hughes | 29/02/2008 | Politics
Do prisons really protect people from violence and victimization, or do prisons just make matters worse?

Political Philosophy - Why Governments Overspend

By: Scott Hughes | 21/02/2008 | Politics
Governments engage in many expensive endeavors that have little use or little effectiveness. Unfortunately, taxpayers have to foot the bill.

Corporate Crime Needs More Attention

By: Scott Hughes | 19/02/2008 | Politics
Corporations perform the most major forms of criminal victimization. Corporate crime inflicts far more damage on society than street crime.

Philosophy - Can Humans be Perfectly Happy?

By: Scott Hughes | 13/02/2008 | Psychology
Most people can probably tell you whether or not they feel happy. Nonetheless, the idea of happiness becomes very complex and interesting when we look at it from a philosophical perspective.

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup
Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.33, 6, w1)