(ThyBlackMan.com) Crime must have consequences; I’m sure we can all agree on this point. How we go about creating those consequences has a lasting effect on our nation and community. We are human beings, and as humans we were never meant to be caged. The prison system portion of our justice department wants us to believe that we should invest more into prisons that we do education. They feel their prison slave labor is justified and necessary for the protection of the public, and rehabilitation of the inmate. None of this could be further from the truth. Prison is its own world governed by a different code, and different ethics per se. It is not a structure that you want to see on the street as is it promotes segregation, racism, manipulation, and violence.
In too many situations different kinds of “protected” criminals are given authority over the criminals society chooses to openly rebuke. Truth be told we do not care how they came to that end…all we know is they need to be locked away like animals. Even if this is not what is openly said, it is what is openly supported at town halls and during election season. Being “tough” on crime usually equates to the violation of someone’s human rights. The Eight Amendment of the United States Constitution addresses cruel & unusual punishment; if we are honest about the state of our prison system, we may find that it easily meets the definition.
We will never make our society safe torturing citizens. This is a hard reality to embrace if you have ever been the victim of, or know someone, a crime be it property or violent. There is an inherent desire to see someone suffer in a cruel way for many when we are harmed. The problem is cruel and unusual doesn’t start at the prison gates. It starts with our country’s blatant disregard for our youth. More money is spent on prisons than on making sure our children have the best educational environment. Within the Black community we have every right to feel this slight is deeper in regard to our children because we see it with the lack of funding for books, but they can go to school with bars and metal detectors. Not giving our citizens the tools they need to circumvent criminal activity as much as possible is terrible; to make the matter worse we are in a society that says I won’t let you succeed and will put you in a cage when you can’t handle the environment.
A Black Americans we know this narrative far too well. We also understand that every crime won’t be prevented; we know there has to be consequences…but the consequences should not be inhumane. It is important to realize the person going to prison for theft may be going to the same place as the one that committed murder meaning the prison environment can create a murderer out of a non-violent offender. In that same vain there are instances where minors can be placed in facilities with adult criminals. This doesn’t guarantee rehabilitation…it can create a criminal worse than what entered. Due to their young age there is a better chance of them getting out and committing worser crimes.
Unfortunately, too many prisons in America can be deemed as a “Battle Royal”; it is a survival of the fittest battle to physically and mentally stay alive. Institutionalization is more than simply not being able to cope outside of the deeply ingrained prison routine. It is a caging of the mind that too many don’t stand a chance to rehabilitate. The mental health issues that are attached to our prison system are astounding, and heartbreaking. It has to be addressed when it is been proven in so many cases where the innocent have been sent to prison, and even worse some have been placed on death row and executed by the state. All of these issues can go back to the concept of cruel and unusual; the cruelest part of all of this is core of our prison system issues is money. Private prisons and the revenue they generate is not a new concept or subject. They must fill every bunk in said prison for the facility to be profitable. How does this profit the general public?
It does not, our society is governed in a manner that would allow it, at some point, to create slaves of its citizens. Yes, slaves per the Thirteenth Amendment. This should not have to exist in a nation like America. We would be a more prosperous and powerful nation if we took the prison resources and channel it into building stronger citizens. Granted that would mean the population would not be easy to control, and they really would be able to think for themselves properly verse being mass manipulated. Understand the powers that be never want to see this kind of positive revolution happen amongst American citizens. Two things can exist in the same space and both function relevantly. This means we can have a system that punishes crime effectively and justly without being cruel and unusual. We can protect citizens and find more positive ways to generate revenue in our society…one that does not enslave the people of said society.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
May connect with this sister over at Facebook; C. Starr and also Twitter; MrzZeta.
Also via email at; CStarr@ThyBlackMan.com.
