Incarceration or Corrections: Prison in the U.S. vs. Europe (1 Viewer)

[Risky Thicket]

In another forum prison became a brief topic. In order not to highjack the thread I promised to open a thread for discussion.

Like it or not the U.S. - land of the free - is a huge prison nation with revolving doors. Recidivism rates across the U.S. is approximately 55%! The American prison experience is brutal compared to most countries in Europe where recidivism is only 20%.

Do we need more, more expensive, prisons for profit in the United States? Interestingly DOGE
did not look at the American prison system. To my knowledge cost analysis were never conducted. Meanwhile the President and the GOP want to build more prisons and incarcerate more people while almost guaranteeing most prisoners would return to society only to commit more crimes.

Are El Salvador or San Quinton the answer? Could be. If Americans want to continue to spend more taxpayer money to create for of the same then prison reform may not be an answer. Is the European approach worthy of consideration? Could America reduce crime and reduce costs within the criminal justice system?


Prison Systems in Northern Europe Versus the United States: Differences in Treatment and Success Rates

It may require a bit of reading. Those of you who prefer your information in video format will be disappointed.

How Some European Prisons Are Based on Dignity Instead of Dehumanization.​

 

[Allan]

Our prisons (in Canada and the US) are medieval in design.

We lock far too many people up so can't afford a more humane environment and the resources that would release prisoners as better, more successful citizens.

The solution in my opinion is to avoid incarceration of non violent individuals, especially for a first offence. Find other restorative and punitive measures.

 

[Risky Thicket]

Yes, there must be a better way.

For a while in college I thought about a minor in criminology. As an Air Force security policeman I witnessed the brutality of the military confinement, "rough justice" and all. With next to no rank I was schooled in the system.

One of my classes in criminology involved me and another student taking a full day to go to the state pen for an inside view. I don't know if it was SOP or not but because my classmate was also a former military policemen we received the grand tour. For about 2 hours that day we sat in a small conference room with stacks of prisoner files to read. The corrections officer said, "Coffee's over there. Please use the ash trays. I've provided you reading material that highlights some of our 'finest'. I'll back in a couple hours to discuss questions you'll have."

These guys had been in the system most of their lives. When they were released they quickly returned to violent crime and were soon brought back into the system. It seemed to me half those sumbitches were insane. We had full access and could and did read psych evals.

Most all had begun life at the bottom of humanity and didn't progress much further. Could there have been a time when they could have been turned around? Yes, but that was not the purpose of the system. One guy's life became more violent until once out on parole he murdered his mother.

 

[VanceMack]

Do you suppose European prisons are run by gangs that actually see prison as a proving ground? And it doesnt help that most prisoners that are repeat offenders just get out and return to the rat infested shitholes they grow up in, and where nothing has really changed.

 

[Sweden]

Do you suppose European prisons are run by gangs that actually see prison as a proving ground? And it doesnt help that most prisoners that are repeat offenders just get out and return to the rat infested shitholes they grow up in, and where nothing has really changed.

Gangs exist in UK prisons as well. The US is less of an outlier than is often supposed.

The Rise of Britain's Violent Racist Prison Gangs

Islamophobic gangs like Death Before Dishonour and Piranhas are flourishing in UK prisons, largely due to police cuts and overcrowding.

www.vice.com

In another forum prison became a brief topic. In order not to highjack the thread I promised to open a thread for discussion.

Like it or not the U.S. - land of the free - is a huge prison nation with revolving doors. Recidivism rates across the U.S. is approximately 55%! The American prison experience is brutal compared to most countries in Europe where recidivism is only 20%.

Do we need more, more expensive, prisons for profit in the United States? Interestingly DOGE
did not look at the American prison system. To my knowledge cost analysis were never conducted. Meanwhile the President and the GOP want to build more prisons and incarcerate more people while almost guaranteeing most prisoners would return to society only to commit more crimes.

Are El Salvador or San Quinton the answer? Could be. If Americans want to continue to spend more taxpayer money to create for of the same then prison reform may not be an answer. Is the European approach worthy of consideration? Could America reduce crime and reduce costs within the criminal justice system?


Prison Systems in Northern Europe Versus the United States: Differences in Treatment and Success Rates

It may require a bit of reading. Those of you who prefer your information in video format will be disappointed.

How Some European Prisons Are Based on Dignity Instead of Dehumanization.​

Reoffending rates in many countries are similar to those in the USA and Canada, Take a look at these tables.

Recidivism Rates by Country 2025

worldpopulationreview.com

 

[Risky Thicket]

Thank you.

If anything the data indicates that there is no international standard and as a result no real way to compare or contrast programs.

Somehow the U.S. leads the world in per capita incarceration.

If there is a best or worst system what is it?