Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Tastes richer, less filling.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


                       

3 way prison

Punishment, Banishment, or Blame Society.
  (+1, -2)
(+1, -2)
  [vote for,
against]

This might require a deal with a welfare-state like Sweden, though with +180 countries to choose from, this might not be a problem.

Perhaps our problem with crime and prison is that we haven't figured out what we want to do with convicts. Are they evil-doers to be punished? Are they the product of environment? Are they just plain incorrigible?

Let's find out.

Let's say we have 900 convicted armed robbers.

The first 300 will have to account for their crimes. Now these can be subdivided.

The first 100 will get the typical prison sentence--though more punishing--let's say breaking rocks or doing some other hard, largely useless, activity at a loss of +$25 000 per year to the taxpayer.

100 will have their right arms chopped off--with anesthesia and anteseptic. They are then fitted with plastic arms, set free, maybe with some welfare and their ability to hurt again diminished.

100 will have to restitute their victims. Refusal will mean they lose a kidney to be sold in the open markets to restitute victims. Then they are set free.

Recidivism rates will be analyzed

For the next 300, there will be a district. It will be 20 km wide and 20 km long, with a +30 meter wall with towers etc.

Costs should be lower due to low perimeter-to-surface ratio (It's easier to watch over 10 000 in one place than groups of 100, each in 100 places).

Within this district, convicts rule. Anyone can enter, but only-non-convicts can exit. Each convict will be given a small allowance to live on. If he wants more, he can work, deal, etc.

As with migration, convicts can buy what they want--supplies, food, cigarettes, booze, carpets, furniture, records, etc. Goods can also leave the district.

As for the last 300 convicts, they can go to a country where the environmental theory of crime holds sway. With some subsidies, they will be rehibilitated and released. Mind you, it will be in a society where there is no TV violence, fat-taxes, rap music in some Scandanavian language extolling good behaviour, high tariffs on American cars, etc.

Again, recidivism rates are to be analyzed.

Great Satan, Jun 07 2003

[link]






       [Great Satan]: I say we send the last 300 to live with you. Still got a lot of room down there? (-)   

       P.S.: I'm not saying what I thought this idea was going to be.
Cedar Park, Jun 07 2003
  

       //rap music in some Scandanavian language extolling good behavior//
-that's funny as hell! There are surely some studies on the effects of punishment already?
Zimmy, Jun 07 2003
  

       I'm croissanting this one because it sounds like an earnest solution to an actual problem. The details are completely fishbonable, but Im grading this on the curve, a curve that bottoms out at "Repeal Women's Suffrage"...
dbsousa, Jun 12 2003
  

       I looked at this today, without seeing my annotation, and thought "Why the hell did I give this a croissant?"   

       I fishboned it, and then read my annotation, and decided my two reactions cancel each other out.
dbsousa, Jul 05 2003
  

       I actually like this one, to some extent.
RayfordSteele, Jul 17 2003
  

       I like the part about cutting the arms off.
DeathNinja, Jul 18 2003
  

       Basically this proposes a controlled randomized study to see which type of punishment results in less recidivism. I wonder if such a thing has ever been done? [Sate Gratin'], you get a bun if you find me a little light reading on the topic.
bungston, Jul 18 2003
  

       would this be like, escape from LA or escape from NY the movies ???
SystemAdmin, Jul 18 2003
  

       In the case of the amputations and restitution, escape would be an irrelevancy. In the case of Sweden, why would they wish to escape the generous welfare programs? As for the district, one might not wish to leave if one is powerful. One might also prevent escapes as snitching on escapes would likely be rewarded with money.
Great Satan, Jul 18 2003
  

       What prison idea here couldn't be taken as a rant? Where do I, let's say, sound like Rush or Charlton?
Great Satan, Aug 08 2003
  

       I somehow don't think Sweden will agree to accept 300 convicts into their system while receiving nothing in return. For all their generosity.
kinemojo, Sep 01 2007
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle