I spent 29 years in solitary confinement (2010)
Honestly, I find the US prison system absolutely horrifying in all respects. As satisfying as it may be for victims to feel the person that did something to them is &#x27;gone&#x27; they will eventually be let out, and when they do I want them to be ready to integrate with society.<p>Recidivism rates in the US show it is objectively not working, with state prisons leaving inmates to re-offend 76% of the time. [1] In Norway, much derided for their lavish prisons, it&#x27;s 20%. [2]<p>Throwing people away and treating them like animals is an abject failure, compounded by the mandatory fill rates in private prison contracts. [3] It&#x27;s time to revisit the whole system, top down, and make it less about punishment and more about making sure it doesn&#x27;t happen again. And it should be done with data.<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.huffingtonpost.com&#x2F;christopher-zoukis&#x2F;report-documents-us-recid_b_9542312.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.huffingtonpost.com&#x2F;christopher-zoukis&#x2F;report-docu...</a><p>[2] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.businessinsider.com&#x2F;why-norways-prison-system-is-so-successful-2014-12" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.businessinsider.com&#x2F;why-norways-prison-system-is-...</a><p>[3] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.prisonlegalnews.org&#x2F;news&#x2F;2015&#x2F;jul&#x2F;31&#x2F;report-finds-two-thirds-private-prison-contracts-include-lockup-quotas&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.prisonlegalnews.org&#x2F;news&#x2F;2015&#x2F;jul&#x2F;31&#x2F;report-find...</a>