This thread is exactly what we've been talking about in my Introduction To Corrections class. My prof in that class has one of the best ideas for punishing criminals I've ever heard of. It's so good, I've taken the time to draw it out for you:
I spelled "until" wrong in my picture, I know.
He calls his idea "Criminal County". In it, he says that every state will dedicate one county in their state to being a prison of sorts. The county will have a wall, or at least a well barbed fence around it. Anyone from anywhere may enter Criminal County at will, but anyone sentenced to Criminal County may never leave until their sentence runs out.
Within Criminal County would be a prison. Any serious violent offenders would be sentenced to prison in Criminal County. If they were serving 25 years, once their 25 years was up, they would be released,
but not from Criminal County, only from Criminal County's Prison, they would have to live out the rest of their life in Criminal County.
More modest offenders, petty shoplifters, etc, would serve out their time somewhere in the realm of Criminal County, but not in the prison.
There's a lot more to it than that, but I don't really want to try to re-cant it all. But you get the idea by now I'm sure.
Giddy-up.
-Ugly Bastard
[ October 08, 2003, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: Ugly Bastard ]