It is jail time!

Last week we watched a movie about this guy who stayed 30 days in jail.  He didn’t do anything wrong.  He didn’t break the law.  He did his time to see how jails worked in the United States.  Throughout the movie, we met many different people who were in jail for different reasons.  A lot of them are there because of drugs issues and some because of mental issues.  It seemed like these people shouldn’t be in jail, but they should be in hospitals or in recovery center.  Society gave up on them long ago.  Instead of sending them for help, they sent them to a locked room and kept them there for the rest of their lives.  No second chance.  No nothing.  They were forced there.  As a result, many other people with same issues were getting in trouble because they were troubled themselves.  They didn’t know any better and did the things they did because they got no help from anyone. As a result a lot of jails are overcrowding over the years.  In my opinion I think real criminals should be in jail.  Not people whom we should be helping.  Another problem with jails in America is the system itself.  It is clearly a politic manipulation and it is not working.  2/3 of the people who get out of jail return to jail.  You have a higher chance of going back in there than staying clean and out of trouble.  That ties back to the social problem we have.  A lot of the people were sent there because of mental or drug problems.  They spend a long part of their lives locked up and once they get out, they don’t know how to live any other place.  They get in trouble and go right back in again.  Also, very little jails have an after jail programs that help ex-cons stay out of trouble.  I think, the way of salving the system problem is by starting a whole new system.  With less corruption and maybe helping those who are being punished now.