Morality Behind Incarceration

[seventeethdecember2016]

I have always been against imprisonment of all kinds, and I've viewed it as morally wrong, so I would like to see other opinions on this matter.

I would really like some philosophical elements if you could offer any.

In my opinion, it is a degenerate form of punishment which denies the receiver their existential rights(Camus' The Stranger influenced this.)

[DividedandUnited]

Being from the united states my viewpoint of how the prison is being used is a wasted opportunity of educating/bettering people. If the prison system itself was redesigned to educate those who have actually committed very serious crimes.


My viewpoint is that it can be used to, not in a sense of indoctrination, educate in knowledge and of perceptions. The legal system itself is not enough to punish a man if they believe what they did is not wrong or simply will not or do not understand the ripples of their actions. I would use the prison system for those who would have no respect for individual liberty, thought, or sense of self reliance/responsibility.

I do not give the notion that if a person is sent to prison that he is a criminal who has no hope of making it in current social system established. I look at them at an opportunity as to how the current social system has failed them. These are people; fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, cousins etc. Simply labeling someone as a criminal or any other word to describe a human in a negative connotation to justify imprisonment in the prison system, as it currently stands, is ethically wrong.

[MotherCossack]

dont want to be critical.... but strikes me that this is a hugely simplistic question......
there are different reasons for keeping a person....
different ways of keeping a person.......
different objectives for keeping a person.....

We have to be able to sustain a reasonable, fair, equal, healthy and positive community for everybody.... no really though....
sometimes that may involve keeping people.... for the good of the whole.... including the detained person....
sometimes help is needed.... if a person is ill in certain ways... it is for the rest of us to deliver that... somehow...
We are not all perfect.... and the world is certainly full of strife.... things do go amiss.... pain is inflicted... often by bullies.... on the most innocent..... as intelligent social animals we have the capacity to protect, keep order, maintain civilisation..... for the good of us all ....only us all.
So i think we have to be prepared to do certain things that in paradise would not be desirable... sa long as our reasons are considered and right for all.

[Sea]

Hmm..

Well, I admit I'm the one that voted yes. Was going to make a big post with examples of people that belong in jail and ones who don't. One of the examples (here we go again) was a man who shot two cops and went all smartass with the judge. It's clear that rehabilitation would be hard if not impossible in this case. His motivations weren't political, at least not in a way to justify defending him. Seemed like pretty good fash material.

Another one was a man who got 15 years for spitting at a few cops. I don't think I need to detail why that's simple bullshit.


I don't support incarceration as it exists today in my home country. As a means of punishment it's inefficient and does absolutely nothing to help those involved become productive members of society.

I'm really not sure what option I'd pick now if I did the poll over again. I still maintain that there are some situations where jailing is justified.

[Manic Impressive]

I'm against basing judgements on the basis of a morality which has been created by a private property society.

In other words Fuck Morals

[blake 3:17]

I'm generally against it, but a small number of jails and prisons are socially necessary. The laws which people end up in jail or prison for are usually unjust laws and should be abolished. Very very few people should be in prison or jail.

For those who do need to be there, the facilities should be as humane and decent as possible.

[Ocean Seal]

What a stupid question. Morality is abstract and certainly has nothing to do with incarceration.

[blake 3:17]

What a stupid question. Morality is abstract and certainly has nothing to do with incarceration.

What does "morality is abstract" mean?

I don't think the question is stupid, but I do think it too vague.

[Revolution starts with U]

A lot of my friends have been incarcerated (luckily never me :D ) and I learned 2 things from it:

1) Prison is really just a kind of "school for being a better criminal."

2) Prison just demoralizes a person and makes them think they are scum in the 1st place, not worthy of bettering themselves.

Usually things that 1) Don't work and 2) are counter-effective, I find to be lulzworthy and to be abandoned.

[The Young Pioneer]

...I'd kind of like to go to prison someday, briefly. Work with me, here. I just think of all the famous folks who've spent time in jail and gone on to move mountains, so...Maybe it'd be good for me. I know that sounds naive and petty but I think it'd be a great time for self-discovery, reflection, and humility.


As to serving its "moral purpose" or whatever, it obviously doesn't, what with the high rate of recidivism and all.

[Revolution starts with U]

Prison, or long self-induced journeys or exiles. I think the point is to withdraw one's self from society for a time so as to better appreciate it. "You never know how great something is until you don't have it anymore."

[Pretty Flaco]

...I'd kind of like to go to prison someday, briefly. Work with me, here. I just think of all the famous folks who've spent time in jail and gone on to move mountains, so...Maybe it'd be good for me. I know that sounds naive and petty but I think it'd be a great time for self-discovery, reflection, and humility.


As to serving its "moral purpose" or whatever, it obviously doesn't, what with the high rate of recidivism and all.

yeah you can go to prison.

i want to wind up homeless on the side of the road and get addicted to crack. cus all of the people who got out of that were great! all 4 of them

[Rafiq]

What a disgusting thread and poll. I do have an opinion, it just isn't in concurance with the two shit options you've given us.

For one, I give fuck all whether someone wants to deem it "Right" or "Wrong", if it's necessary, so be it.

You've just got to understand that imprisonment in general and imprisonment within the context of Bourgeois society (To feed capital) are divorced in nature.

[leftistman]

Incarceration is both inefficient and psychologically damaging to the prisoner. It's no coincidence that the majority of those arrested leave prison more likely to commit violent crimes than before; the alienation of the detainee compels them to behave aggressively. I believe that in most cases a more appropriate alternative would be to guide and teach those who act destructively towards society to be make a contribution. They should be made to do community service(under strict supervision, however). Most importantly of all, I believe that psychologist should search for the cause of their erroneous behavior.