JUST A THOUGHT - ARE PRISONS A SYMBOL OF A PUNITIVE SOCIETY? PART 3.

In terms of the harm they have done and/or could do to members of the public and/or the State.

Over thousands of years, societies have evolved advanced systems of justice. 
Beginning with that where matters of injustice have been resolved by agreement between the families directly affected.  

To ones between the different clans or tribes being affected.  To that in which the nation state has becomes the legitimate arbiter of what constitutes lawful and unlawful behaviours, and to being the primary dispenser of 'justice'. 

There is now even an International Court of Justice.

Yet, notwithstanding this evolution of systems of justice, much of the state's system is still mired in decadent principles and practices of the past. 

As we can see from the state resorting to imprisoning high and very high percentages of its citizens, as a normalised method of dispensing justice and punishment.

With the rate of recidivism being very high, it is clear that the use of mass incarceration of citizens who have been convicted of crimes. 

Crimes which, in many instances, are infringement against the codified believes and views of the political elites, who are the 'law-makers'. 

It is clear that this oftentimes inhumane system of justice is neither reducing the offending rate. 

Or is achieving the 'rehabilitation' goal which is, apparently, one of the main principles underlying the criminal justice system. 

In fact, with the increasing 'privatisation' or contracting out of the prison industry to companies in the private sector.  

The industry has come to have a vested interest in generating more, and not less 'prisoners.' 


It now looks to the 'law-makers', with their party political interests, to ensure that their 'crime and punishment industry', remains solvent and profitable.

To be continued!