Introduction

Despite being defeated time and time again, Lord Voldemort always seems to come back. Though he is metaphorically imprisoned many times throughout the series, he always returns.

Our current prison systems tend to follow this trend. They are ineffective in reforming the prisoners. 60% of criminals released in 2005 returned to prison and most of those that returned were previously incarcerate for minor charges such as vagrancy, drunkenness, prostitution and disturbing the peace. These seem like they should be easy to cure. Why then is the recidivism rate(the rate at which ex-convicts return to prison) among such individuals so high?

Not only are state prisons ineffective, but they are also expensive. In 2006, the total cost of U.S. prisons reached almost $40 billion. A large portion of this money comes from taxpayers. The money spent on each inmate is 400% more than is spent on the average student.

The purpose of imprisonment is for the protection of society. Many believe that this is best done through punishment. However, we would argue that rehabilitation is far more beneficial to society. Punishment does not foster change, rehabilitation does.

Another issue is that 50% of inmates do not have a high school diploma. In our society, this makes it very difficult for ex-convicts to get jobs. Aside from that, their status as an ex-convict bars them from employment opportunities. They are then driven back to crime because they have little chance of success.

Prisons need to be altered to help the convicts, so that when they are released, they can become a benefit rather than a hindrance to society. Prisons should be teaching the inmates how to become better citizens. This can be done through educational and work opportunities.

In this blog, we hope to address these issues by further discussing the remedies listed above, and therefore encourage you to take action.