Should Prisons be Abolished?

[LiberNovusAmericae]

It is no secret that prison reform in the United States is needed. That being said in our current year there are an increasing number of predominately left-wing organizations calling for the complete abolition of prisons. Not prison reform, but complete abolition. Politico has an article about it, and so does some other news sites. Prison Abolitionists view the very concept of imprisoning evil people is a transgression comparable to slavery.

As for abolitionism, however, Mohamed Shehk, the communications director of Critical Resistance, the organization that grew out of the conference 20 years ago, tells me that he is absolutely sure the movement has become more popular in academic spheres, activist arenas and elsewhere and is continuing to resonate with more and more people. In 2015, the National Lawyers Guild adopted a resolution in support of prison abolition, and today, the abolition of police and prisons is one of the platform tenets of the Democratic Socialists of America—the growing leftist group that fiercely backed Ocasio-Cortez.

Many involved in this modern-day abolition movement, Georgetown law professor Allegra McLeod tells me, understand their work as a continuation of the earlier movement to abolish slavery.

I get that prisons should be reformed, but complete abolition is absolutely ridiculous. We need a prison system to imprison people who are completely unredemable, such as serial murderers, and rapists. There are some people who deserve to be punished, or at least locked away so they can't continue to hurt others. Anyway, what are your thoughts NSG?

[Icadias]

Abolition of prisons eh?Not supporting it fully but if you take it from a really conservative side, abolishing prisons are better in exchange for public sentences, so yeah...

[Hammer Britannia]

Prisons should be abolished and replaced with giant movie theaters playing nothing but shitty Netflix originals

[Ifreann]

Hmm. Well on the face of it prisons are pretty useful for keeping dangerous people who would otherwise hurt other people. But it would be silly to assume that we couldn't possibly have a functional society without prisons.

Presumably these prison abolitionists have ideas about what to do about criminal and dangerous behaviour other than imprisoning people, yes? I do hope you aren't disingenuously trying to create the impression that they just want to throw open all prisons and then do nothing.

[Luziyca]

Reformed? Yes. Abolished? Not really.

[Phoenicaea]

I can t approve a ban at stake; they should be reduced, instead of beeing built continously. there is room for other form of condems.

*obviously, that is philosophically not a matter, it is simple, ban prohibition, it would be drastical outcome even without other deeds of sort

[Valrifell]

Prisons should be abolished and replaced with giant movie theaters playing nothing but shitty Netflix originals

I think this violates the Geneva Conventions.

[The Burke Islands]

Prisons should be abolished and replaced with giant movie theaters playing nothing but shitty Netflix originals

“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” - The Eighth Amendment

[Toaslandia]

Reform the jail system, but don't get rid of it.

[SD_Film Artists]

Prisons should be abolished and replaced with giant movie theaters playing nothing but shitty Netflix originals

And at the start of each programme season they have to do an 'ice breaker' session with their fellow audience members.

[Hammer Britannia]

Prisons should be abolished and replaced with giant movie theaters playing nothing but shitty Netflix originals

I think this violates the Geneva Conventions.

Prisons should be abolished and replaced with giant movie theaters playing nothing but shitty Netflix originals

“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” - The Eighth Amendment

I don't care, that guy who forgot to pay his parking ticket needs to suffer

[Ifreann]

Having read the article, this sounds like some good stuff. I would recommend that people take the time to read it.

[LiberNovusAmericae]

Having read the article, this sounds like some good stuff. I would recommend that people take the time to read it.

The article might be good, but I strongly disagree with completely abolishing prisons. No amount of money to education will completely eliminate crime, and their solution to pacify serial killers and the like is way too vague.

[Luziyca]

Prisons should be abolished and replaced with giant movie theaters playing nothing but shitty Netflix originals

The only way I will support that is if they play nothing but the Star Wars Holiday Special on repeat for six months.

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My answer is dependent on whether we are talking about what can be done immediately or a more ideal future.

In both cases, abolish drug crimes and all victimless crimes. Possession and use would be made legal in all circumstances, selling would be legal in any case that doesn't cause harm to another person. Meaning, it would not be tolerated to get an 8 year old hooked on meth, or sell a dangerous research chemical to someone but representing it as another drug. But in any case, victimless crimes are abolished.

Now, in an ideal future, we would have autonomous, stateless communities that distribute universal basic income. Drug crimes don't exist, most property crime stops due to everyone's basic needs being cared for, violent crime is greatly reduced. In the case of a very sick or sociopathic person like a child molester or serial killer, we must protect ourselves from them but should only do what is necessary to pacify the threat. For the most sadistic people, I would support exile, (and making it known to other communities who was exiled and why so they can prevent entry). Perhaps it would be best to reserve some land for exiles, so that they have enough resources to survive. If an exile comes back then they would forcibly removed and if they are an immediate danger to the community, necessary force would be used, lethal force if there is no other means.

As for crimes that result from a sick mind, a person should be detained in the least intrusive way possible and treated. If regular treatment is unsuccessful, they should either be permanently pacified by drugs or exiled. Maybe the offender should be given the choice.

As for the system we have now, if I could change it today I would release every nonviolent person, and from then on focus justice on reparations for victims and behavioral therapy. I would still abolish victimless crimes and unconditionally pardon everyone convicted of a victimless crime. As for violent and dangerous people, imprisonment might be necessary but it should resemble Norway's system.

[Cetacea]

While I'm not an abolishnist, I entirely support efforts to reduce incarceration rates by preventing people from getting in to the Justice system in the first place. Building family resilience, keeping people socially engaged, and diverting misbehaviour is far more beneficial to society than 'reforming criminals in prisons and in the long run would save a whole lot of tax funds (which could then be reinvested in better health and education outcomes for communities)

70 per cent of prisoners are there for non-violent crimes mainly theft or drug offences which are symptomic of poverty and often addictions and other mental problems. A quarter of prisoners have been through state care and over 50% have been involved in domestic violence

The answer then isn't prison but rather supporting families, improving mental health care and reducing poverty

[Alamka]

No. They are completely necessary in our goal for a stable crimeless authoritarian state. Stupid anarchist states don't know what they are doing to themselves.

[Ifreann]

Having read the article, this sounds like some good stuff. I would recommend that people take the time to read it.

The article might be good, but I strongly disagree with completely abolishing prisons. No amount of money to education will completely eliminate crime,

Maybe not, but supposing that is true, why does that mean we need to keep prisons?

and their solution to pacify serial killers and the like is way too vague.

I don't think they said anything about pacifying serial killers.

[LiberNovusAmericae]

The article might be good, but I strongly disagree with completely abolishing prisons. No amount of money to education will completely eliminate crime,

Maybe not, but supposing that is true, why does that mean we need to keep prisons?

and their solution to pacify serial killers and the like is way too vague.

I don't think they said anything about pacifying serial killers.

And that's my point. A stable society is going to have to do that, and prison abolitionists offer up no solutions.

[Dooom35796821595]

It seems nice in theory, but I don’t see any practicality to just shutting down prisons without putting all the other ideas in place first and seeing if that makes a difference. Then once the prisons start emptying, you can shut them down with more confidence.

Also de-privatise them, and stop sending minor offenders to prison. But that’s probably more under reform.

[Potato]

Get rid of the 'for profit' prisons.

[Page]

No. They are completely necessary in our goal for a stable crimeless authoritarian state. Stupid anarchist states don't know what they are doing to themselves.

You mean like being free and not licking the boots of gangsters who call themselves the state? No thanks, I am sovereign over my own life.

[Ifreann]

Maybe not, but supposing that is true, why does that mean we need to keep prisons?

I don't think they said anything about pacifying serial killers.

And that's my point. A stable society is going to have to do that, and prison abolitionists offer up no solutions.

This seems to presume that some people just are serial killers no matter what and there is nothing to be done but to incarcerate them.

[Page]

Maybe not, but supposing that is true, why does that mean we need to keep prisons?

I don't think they said anything about pacifying serial killers.

And that's my point. A stable society is going to have to do that, and prison abolitionists offer up no solutions.

As I said, permanent exile or pacify them with drugs.

[United Muscovite Nations]

No, but they should be significantly reformed.