> The whole thing is an abomination. It serves no useful purpose to society to subject most criminals to prison
The purpose of prison is not reform. It's not even punishment or deterrence. The purpose of prison in the US is:
1) First and foremost it is a profit center. Caging human beings is a multi billion dollar industry in the US.
2) A storage facility for political dissidents and out groups. We just make up laws to target certain groups we don't like, and use that as pretext to lock them away (you know, that pesky first amendment always getting in the way).
3) To reify the carve out in the 13th Amendment which states:
"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
The purpose of prison is not reform. It's not even punishment or deterrence. The purpose of prison in the US is:
1) First and foremost it is a profit center. Caging human beings is a multi billion dollar industry in the US.
2) A storage facility for political dissidents and out groups. We just make up laws to target certain groups we don't like, and use that as pretext to lock them away (you know, that pesky first amendment always getting in the way).
3) To reify the carve out in the 13th Amendment which states:
"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
Gotta keep slavery alive and well in the USA.