Where I grew up many get into it because it is one of the few good jobs around. This was in way upstate NY.
Was never a CO, but worked as a civilian in several maximum security Correctional Facilities for five years in upstate NY. The jobs I had were not in the front office, they were "in population", so I was in daily contact with both inmates and COs. Darby pretty much nailed it as to "why" people became COs, at least in NY. Starting salary was about double that of any other state job that required only a high school diploma and the benefits were better than most other state jobs.
Not everyone could take it, for a variety of reasons, but from my observations, there were two types of personalities that got in trouble; bullies and wannabe social workers.
Not everyone could take it, for a variety of reasons, but from my observations, there were two types of personalities that got in trouble; bullies and wannabe social workers.
Yep, you are right Paul. If you act tough then get scared when something happens you lose all respect. I'll add another category of behavior that inmates despise. Crooked guards. Whether it's bringing contraband in or plotting with inmates because you were both in the same gang growing up the word will get around to other inmates. Typically when you see a staff member that inmates go out of their way to disrespect you are looking at one who is doing something illegal. Word gets around and it's just a matter of time before the staff member is fired and charged with a felony if caught in the act. Inmates love burning crooked guards.
Would that even work? I shudder to think. In a more evolved fantasy world perhaps.
Yep. In the real world, the only way you could abolish incarceration would be to replace it to purely physical punishment administered immediately upon conviction. Caning for minor offenses, loss of an ear, hand, foot, or eye for more serious ones, capital punishment for the most serious. Not likely to happen but, say what you will, it would definitely be cost effective.
I can see the argument against excessive incarceration. There are many people doing time for nonviolent crimes, specifically petty drug charges.
This topic has many layers including the discussion of rehabilitation vs punishment/deterrence. Justice as a philosophical topic is fascinating.
That said, anybody who thinks we can do away with prisons must have grown up in a safe and privileged area. I live in one myself at the moment but I have lived in many places. There are clearly dangerous people in this world that need to be locked up.
-Darby
sal wrote:Knife afi's are pretty far out, steel junky's more so, but "edge junky's" are just nuts. :p
SpyderEdgeForever wrote:
Also, do you think a kangaroo would eat a bowl of spagetti with sauce if someone offered it to them?
There are clearly dangerous people in this world that need to be locked up.
Quite. We should appreciate the existence of our correctional facilities and their staff.
The village I grew up in still had it’s medieval stocks on the village green! Fun to play with as kids, but must have been humiliating, particularly in a small rural community.