Alternative & Humane Prisons

 Alternative Prisons

Humane Prisons

Life Without Hope?

Is it possible to thrive without hope? Many would agree that hope is a viable premise needed for living a productive life, yet this is what the prison system in Montana denies those it incarcerates. Instead of a place where people can gain a perspective on their moral condition and be offered stimulus for change, the current system has become a means of exploitation, a money making scheme designed to promote big business. The infrastructure has become so huge that there appears to be a vested interest in keeping this abusive system bloated and immune to accountability. The real prison story in this state is being revealed, thankfully, through the internet: www.montanacorruption.org; www.kcrw.com/news/programs/tp/tp120601plea_bargaining

The truth is, there are many miscarriages of justice in Montana’s prisons, not only the high profile cases, but many others who were coerced into taking plea bargains that did not reflect the nature of the crime. There is racial profiling in our courts; there are inept attorneys who do not take their job seriously; and there are public defenders that collaborate with prosecutors and judges to promote their own agenda instead of fairly representing the client. Going before the BOPP means nothing for those who have served their time with integrity. The parole system is so flawed that many choose to serve out their whole term and avoid the corrupt BOPP system all together. Our justice system does not know how to own their mistakes nor do they make any effort to correct them when they occur. Citizens of Montana take notice – the prison system is hungry for more bodies-you could be next!

Prison Alternatives

Prisons for profit are run much like an animal shelter would be. Costs are kept to a minimum by only providing for the very basic food needs of the inmates, and health care costs are kept to a minimum by neglecting inmates medical needs to the point of inhumane treatment. This keeps the shareholders happy as expenses are minimized and profits are made by the company. Montana has been known to torture inmates by medical neglect and other means.

So what are the alternatives to this dead end treatment of our prison inmates? Can we rehabilitate people with neglect and torture? There must be another way! We have compiled a few lists of articles regarding alternative and humane prison concepts that are being implemented around the world in an attempt to find a more balanced approach to punishment and rehabilitation.

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If you would like to share additional articles regarding prison alternatives to be posted in these libraries please email us: clivew2020@gmail.com