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coyote-1 t1_j2o1r7k wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in Teaching philosophy in a children’s prison has shown me the meaning of anger | The arguments against imprisoning children are well established, yet still we lock up those who have been failed by Va3Victis

I love that, in an ideal world

However. The existence of these unfortunate young people tells us we do not live in an ideal world. And at a certain point, protecting society from these people has to trump their rehabilitation if it’s been demonstrated that such rehabilitation is not working in the present moment.

Crappy choices all around. No right answer.

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LazerPlatypus91 t1_j2p1fj1 wrote

In the real world, real prisons do real harm by real metrics. There is a right answer. Just about anyone can be fixed. Even then, even if we agree that some people are just hurricanes, we can allow them to live sequestered but humanely in comfort.

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Mustelafan t1_j2ptbaj wrote

What do we call a facility where these 'hurricanes' can be sequestered? 'Hurricane sequestration facility' seems a mouthful. Is there a shorter word we can use? Something about six letters long, perhaps?

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logan2043099 t1_j2p6jk4 wrote

What rehabilitation do you think is happening in prisons?

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coyote-1 t1_j2ppgzf wrote

None. But refer back to my “protecting society“ comment… if a 15 year old has demonstrated antisocial behavior that is clearly dangerous to others, along with an abject refusal to learn anything different, there has to be a point at which that 15 year old, at least in the present moment, has to be locked up to protect society. Dunno about you, but I’m not willing to sacrifice multiple lives in the slim hope of rehabbing that one life.

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logan2043099 t1_j2proz6 wrote

So fear then that's why you're okay with it. How many mass murdering teenagers do you think are locked up? You demand personal growth from these kids and then give them no chance at it by locking them up. Purely because you fear that they will commit more crime and have decided to write their entire life off as a failure because of it. You won't even give them the chance at rehabilitation since you admit that prison is not where you find it.

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coyote-1 t1_j2pyf9l wrote

Not ok with it. Just unclear on the possibilities here. I leave it to you to come up with an alternative that works, given what our society - and that includes you - is willing to devote in terms of human & financial resources.

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rottentomatopi t1_j2q178m wrote

The thing that is possible (because it has been done in other countries with success) is reform our prison system to actually BE rehabilitative. We already know how to make them so, but the prison industrial complex does not want that change to happen. Doesn’t mean we should give up fighting for reform now.

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PaxNova t1_j2pca28 wrote

Rehabilitation is unfortunately but one reason to send someone to prison. I firmly believe that everyone can be saved, but that doesn't mean we have the capability to save them right now. Sequestration is another reason for prison, since there's nothing we can do for them but stop them from harming others.

It feels like giving up, because it is, but sometimes there isn't a better option.

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