Naturally, given the embarrassing reality of the Prison Age, we hide our prisons, mentally and physically. Almost everything we know about prison conditions is anecdotal-information relayed by prisoners, their families, their attorneys, and prisoner advocates. Haney, chairman of the University of California at Santa Cruz psychology department, said he saw inmates smeared with feces, urine puddles in cells and hallways, and inmates who appeared to have psychological disorders screaming and banging their heads against walls. Outside of the obvious benefits of incapacitating violent criminals so that they cannot commit violent crimes in the future, most of the balance of prisonthe inhumane reality - serves no constructive purpose. The victim gains nothing.
Society gains nothing.
And the offender is severely degraded. Some would argue that the harsh reality of prison serves as a deterrent. Plus, the criminal justice system doesn't really deter drug-related crimes because there is too much potential benefit. In truth, all punishment in excess of limiting a prisoner's ability to commit future crimes is sadistic, satisfying and enriching no one, only gratifying our basest instincts to inflict pain on others. And even the fundamental goal of limiting a prisoner's access to society should not be viewed as punishment, but as an unfortunate necessity in the cases of violent and habitual offenders.