The hottest Prison Reform Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top World Politics Topics

Prison And Crime: Much More Than You Wanted To Know

Astral Codex Ten • 35858 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Criminal Justice Policing Prison Reform Public Policy
  1. Long prison sentences don't necessarily lower crime rates. Studies suggest they have a weak effect on deterring future crime and might not be worth the costs.
  2. Incapacitating criminals by keeping them in prison does prevent some crimes, but the number of crimes prevented by an extra year in prison is generally low compared to other crime-fighting methods.
  3. After someone is released from prison, their chance of reoffending can actually increase due to loss of social connections and opportunities, making long sentences sometimes counterproductive.

Highlights From The Comments On Prison

Astral Codex Ten • 15485 implied HN points • 10 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Criminal Justice Prison Reform Policing Public Policy Societal Impact
  1. Many criminals act without thinking of long-term consequences. They might believe they'd get away with risky behavior, such as driving drunk, which can lead to serious problems later on.
  2. Prison can sometimes offer a break from harmful lifestyles, especially for those already struggling with addiction or crime. It might not disrupt a stable life, since some people had a challenging life full of problems even before incarceration.
  3. The effectiveness of longer prison sentences as a deterrent is questionable. Many criminals don't pay attention to the details of potential punishments, but are more influenced by the chance of getting caught while committing a crime.

Ex-Corrections NZ prison officer, Josie, shares her experience of dealing with trans-identifying-males (men) in women’s prisons.

A B’Old Woman • 619 implied HN points • 02 Apr 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Gender Issues Prison Reform Trans rights Policy Debate Workplace Safety
  1. A former prison officer discussed the challenges of working with trans-identifying males in women's prisons. She highlighted the lack of proper training for staff on how to handle such situations.
  2. She mentioned how the system seems to prioritize the needs of trans-identifying males without considering the feelings and safety of the female inmates and staff. This led to uncomfortable situations for female officers.
  3. The officer expressed her personal struggles and discomfort resulting from having to conduct strip searches on these individuals, illustrating the broader impact this type of policy can have on female staff in corrections.

Jails Should Serve Only Vegan Food

Bentham's Newsletter • 471 implied HN points • 04 May 23
🏥 Health Politics Prison Reform Veganism Animal Welfare
  1. Prisons serving only vegan food can help deter crime by making the environment less enjoyable for inmates.
  2. There's a strong animal welfare argument for prisons serving vegan food to prevent the torture and consumption of animals.
  3. The idea of serving vegan food in prisons should be considered despite concerns, as the criminal justice system is inherently harsh and must be addressed realistically.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Eugene Debs ran for U.S. president from prison. Here's how that went.

What's Left • 176 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Socialism Presidential Campaigns Prison Reform Free speech Political History
  1. Eugene Debs ran for U.S. president from prison and got nearly a million votes.
  2. Debs' campaign embraced his prisoner status, parallel to Trump's situation, but their motives and supporters differed.
  3. Debs' imprisonment stemmed from anti-war rhetoric, highlighting free speech issues of the time.

Some Observations on Criminality and Recidivism

Something to Consider • 39 implied HN points • 04 Apr 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Criminal Justice Prison Reform Public Policy Societal Issues
  1. Prisons should focus more on rehabilitation rather than just punishment. Helping prisoners find jobs and complete education can lower the chance of reoffending.
  2. Countries like Norway, which has nicer prisons and a focus on rehabilitation, have lower crime and recidivism rates. This suggests that how we treat prisoners matters.
  3. We might need to change how we sentence people. Young offenders could get longer sentences since they might reoffend more, while older, first-time offenders could get shorter sentences for better chances of reform.