The grandparents often end up homeless, a burden to their families and many become very depressed and ill over the injustice. When a young person in particular is over-punished by a cruel prison sentence, the entire family falls into a state of grief and dysfunction. It almost always destroys the mental and physical health of everyone connected to the prisoner, especially their family. It drains the family financial resources. The destruction of the family unit is so great that there is no possible way to justify stealing the lives of people for minor offenses.
Imprisonment offers no rehabilitation, training, or future.
It simply wastes lives. This will cost us a great deal when hurt people are set free among us. Prison is a training ground where simple offenders become criminals. It is full of people who should be in hospitals for substance abuse and mental illness. Prisoners come back to society in worse shape than when they were originally put away.