Intro

The topic I am considering writing about is about jail and prisons. The topic is related the fact jails and prisons have very few rehabilitation programs available for inmates. The reason being that tax payers do not want to use that money for people who are incarcerated. Honestly, I do understand why people feel that way. I am sure that they think "why waste money on noncontributing members of society?" People do not feel as though tax payers money should be "wasted" on "bad people." Which I can sympathize with in the sense that there are some people who are not looking to better themselves, and do not feel as though the things they have done are bad.

For example there are serial killer and murders in prison right now who feel absolutely no remorse for their actions. These people fall under a the psychopathic inmates, and quite possibly are a lost cause. However, there are people who are willing to make themselves better. People who are in jail are usually the ones who want to improves their life style, but usually have no resources in order to do so. A lot of the people who spend time in jail are in there for less serious crimes. For instance, many of them are in there on drug charges. Obviously, people who continue to go to jail because of drugs need help, and many times they want it but cannot afford it.

A lot of them need counseling but have little access to it in jail. Most jails and prisons have programs available for the inmates. There are not a lot of programs and the people who get to be a part of them are usually just a select group of the ones who are behaving well. I feel that the ones who truly need these programs are both groups, the ones who are behaving well, and the ones who continue to misbehave. If the ones who are misbehaving start the programs then it may change their outlook on life and their situation all together. Jails and prisons were once focused more on rehabilitation but now it feel as if they are more concerned with retribution. I completely believe in punishment and I understand that it is necessary, but why are we giving up on people who continue to make poor decisions.

I think people need to realize that everyone is different and have different mind sets. I grew up in a small town and was never subjected to crime that people who grow up in more urban areas, therefore I never felt compelled to do some of the things that the people in urban areas do. I know people are going to argue, and say that morally they should know the difference between right and wrong but again, we are all different. Some of us fall under temptation easier or feel the need to follow the in crowd and the rest is history. People deserve second chance and half of these inmates are getting chances at all.