Prison Reform
Did you know that America has the largest number of prisoners in the world? Nearly 1 in 3 Americans will have been arrested at least once by age 23. In fact, there are nearly as many people with arrest records in this country as there are citizens with a Bachelor's Degree. This isn't because so many of us are criminals -- it's because the Justice System is, inherently, unjust.
Meaningful Prison Reform
American politicians seem to have an obsession with war: the war on poverty, the war on drugs, war in general. Nothing stirs up a crowd quite like associating policy changes with state-sanctioned slaughter. These policies and decisions by law makers often come with a cost - a human one. We pay the price for their ambition in ways that can never be made whole. The loss of one's freedom is nearly unimaginable, yet millions of America are stripped of theirs every day.
Law & Order
No sensible person protests maintaining peace and tranquility in society is important. However, it should go without saying that the methods of doing so should not worse than the offense itself. Unfortunately, this is happening all across the United States in metro and rural alike. Police abuse their power, citizens' lives are permanently damaged for even minor offenses, and the entire thing seems like a dystopian novel instead of the promise of notion we deserve.
The courts are disorganized, laws scattered across decades, and a profit-motive exists in nearly every corner of the US's "criminal justice system".
This has to stop.
Crime & Punishment
An Englishman by the name of William Gilbert is credited with coining the phrase "Let the punishment fit the crime". While this axiom is believed to be well ingrained into the US Justice system by those that have never been in it, the people that have know this is very far from the true. America has one of the worst legal systems in the modern world, stripping years of life from it's people even if they never actually committed a crime. This isn't to say most defendants are innocent, but even those guilty of minor offenses are subjected to months, or in many cases, years of injustice through countless courtdates, probation, fines & legal fees. The inability to afford a lawyer means you will receive a public defender that cannot possibly give each client the time and attention needed to surmount the complex legal process. This leaves innocent people in jail, people whose rights have been violated no recourse, and often those without tens of thousands of dollars to buy legal defense convicted more often and punished more severely.
Little about this situation is "right".
Recidivism
Recidivism is the rate or likelihood that a person convicted of a crime will reoffend (or a relapse in criminal behavior). In the US within 3 years of their release, 2 out of 3 people will be arrested again - and more than 50% of them will be reincarcerated. These numbers serve as evidence that the penal system in this country fails to rehabilitate prisoners into productive members of society. In addition to failing to redress criminal activities, post-incarceration penalties make it extremely more difficult for individuals that have served their sentence to reintegrate into mainstream society. Restrictions on travel, strict curfews, and ......
Policy Changes
The Prometheus Project contends that the only way to bring about sufficient change is a complete overhaul of the justice system. Specifically, the following:
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All detainment centers must be state-owned and operated.
For-profit prisons have an inherent conflict of interest with fair treatment. -
Ending forced labor nationwide.
This is slavery and provides motive to incarcerate more people. -
Improving court speed and transparency.
The courts are painfully slow and secretive about practices. -
A point-based punishment system.
This helps prevent discriminatory sentencing and promotes fairness. -
Access to rehabilitation programs for everyone incarcerated.
Incarcerated people can better their lives with resources available. -
Remove discriminatory practices from the legal system.
This demands everyone gets treated the same – no better, no worse. -
Strictly limit the losses of freedom before trial.
Restrictions are based on charges and evidence quickly evaluated. -
Make available material for pro se litigants.
Individuals may prefer to prepare their own defense in lieu of a public defender or lawyer. -
Publication of current rules and procedures for each facility.
As a function of goverment these should be public and accurate.
To learn more about the problems with for-profit punishment and remedies to injustices present in our judicial system, check out our writings on The Legal System.
This is our last goal.
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