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Comment by mijkal | Hacker News Reader

Innocent, accused, or even found guilty — the conditions in American jails and prisons are barbaric and anathema to the proclaimed values we claim to hold.

Our media and politicians are quick to portray deplorable conditions in Russia et al, but it happens right here all the time.

I've had a couple family members and friend experience such treatment, including losing employment while it was getting sorted out. It's awful and needs more attention to change this.

(Scandinavia is as close to an ideal that I can imagine, though I know American society is so focused on antiquated notions of revenge and punishment that it's going to be a long time coming to view these as places of rehabilitation and reintegration than of violent, dehumanizing retribution. The state has a duty to ensure humane and dignified treatment for everyone in its care.)

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Yes it might be more humane and better conditions for inmates but the problem is that it's too far to the other side.

Instead of having the threat of jail time in a harsh environment, prisoners see it as a resort and a break from the criminal life they are living with full access to almost anything and they even have leave(!?) multiple times during their stay.

Inmates have access to Playstation, Xbox, Netflix etc and better food than the schools serve to our children.

Jail time is a joke as well, armed robbery 2 months, rape 3 months, assault 2-4 months, murder 4 years (with good behavior) and if they commit multiple crimes they get a discount(!?).

I would prefer the harsher variant because now we have an influx of criminals from other places in the world where they have real punishments and they probably just laugh when they get sentenced here.

Why would you prefer it the US way? Doesnt the data show that the humane approach is actually reducing recidivism?

Many people in the US actively want harmful punishment. They approach crime as "getting back" at the criminal, instead of thinking "how can we encourage this person to take healthy part in society, or keep them safely away from society otherwise"

Someone who cannot safely be in normal society still deserves basic dignity

This might be true, but here it has gone so far that the prisoners complain when they don't get enough candy when they watch "Let's dance".

A prisoner doing time for assault and kidnapping has the audacity to complain about things like this. It is a mockery to the victims that have had their lives ruined by this individual.

Punishment must have a deterring factor to it, imprisonment is just a joke in Sweden right now.

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