It doesn't make better persons and it doesn't embellish our culture. The prison system actually injures us all and injures our society. The supposed cure for crime is worse than the crime itself. The truth is that, unlike most of the world, we are a savage, mongrel breed of people. We think with our chemicals instead of our reason.
Feelings make very poor judges.
Savages don't think, they react. Few places in the world are as hostile to personal freedom as Pennsyvlania. One would think that in a developed society, the people and their government could tolerate some freedom for the citizens. Conformity is for ants and religious bigots. And, in Pennsyvlania, it's also the code of the Ridge Reich.