Niiice.

I agree with you 100%.

I think our jail system is very inhuman on so many levels. The argument seems to be that the criminals have "given up their privilege" to be a part of humanity, but I think that is not logical and I think it is hypocritical. The human condition entails things such as suffering and repeating cycles, and humanity in part means having the capability to overcome these things, learn from our mistakes, grow and give back. I have faith that we are always able to reconnect and even to relate to those who can't... connect to us, if we ourselves have learned better and have the empathy. This means that while some people may never "rejoin" human community because they are very mentally ill and not capable of it, they suffer from conditions we can sympathize and empathize with if we search ourselves deeply... for if we value love, etc, then seeing someone else incapable of experiencing it the way we do or of growing significantly, then we can feel badly for that person. Atleast I do, since I believe love is unconditional and everyone deserves it.

Anyway, that's just a bit of a tangent because I always end up arguing with people about people who "can't" relate to humanity anymore. In those rare cases, it doesn't mean WE can't relate to humanity anymore!

And in most cases, like with the people in the article, it IS possible to heal and grow. Someone making a mistake or doing something inhumane is not an excuse to throw away our own.

Anyway, I think our jail system is very inefficient, ignorant, and perpetuated by the power-privilege cycle (much like sexism and racism are). A difference is that to go to jail one usually actually commits a crime, whereas being female or of a certain ethnicity aren't a crime. But it is still based on the idea that somehow people can do or be something to make one inferior. The reasons why people hate anyone probably has to do with a misconception, and hate means not giving the person a chance to change (whether or not they even need to, but it's the mindset) because somehow they believe that some people are just not born with or have just chosen not to be "worth as much."

I think people do not want to give up their power privilege.

Anyway, in the case of prison, I think some argue that "Well I've been hurt and I don't commit arson, those people had a chance to get help or deal with their issues otherwise but they made the wrong choice." But the thing is that everyone has a different circumstance, everyone is on a different place in ones journey and not everyone has had the same options to get help or the right mindset.

A person who has hurt others and is sent to jail is someone who does not value oneself as it is. Obviously having that belief about oneself was part of why one acted out in the first place, so reinforcing it is not even logical.

Negative reinforcement DOES NOT work, atleast not nearly as well as positive reinforcement. When we acknowledge others as human beings, and good people, show them we are thankful for them or see something in them, those people become much more willing to cooperate because they now have someone who sees something in them. And they now have new hope, and they have a sense of bonding they do not want to lose. People who already feel like they have nothing more to lose are those who are most likely to commit such crimes.