Editor, The News:
Re: Prisoners warehoused like dogs in a kennel (Letters, Jan. 6).
It is obvious that our current system of incarcerating inmates doesn’t work.
From what you describe, there doesn’t seem to be an interest in trying to rehabilitate, but rather just to placate the general public into believing the effort is there.
Our purpose seems to be to remove criminals from society in an effort to protect the innocent.
And, yes, we all need to suffer the consequences of our actions and be held accountable.
However, I’d be interested to see the statistics showing the state of a prisoner after he has served his sentence. How can someone come out of the system as a more honest, forthright member of society?
The rehabilitation programs that you speak of seem to be another way of sweeping a problem under the carpet, that there is no easy way to resolve. Because inmates often come from a less than desirable past, it is a difficult situation to deal with because now we’re talking about counselling and the inexact science of the mind.
You didn’t mention what you are in prison for, Mr. Lukyn. And, you will undoubtedly get some angry comments thrown your way for various reasons.
Many people see our prison system as cushy compared to others around the world. However, regardless of why you’re there, the system simply does not work to rehabilitate and prevent re-offending. If there was a system that would work, it would cost a lot more money than what is currently put forth, so who would pay for that?
And, exactly what kind of system would work?
I can understand why people don’t care about prisoners. Some of them have committed horrific crimes that are unforgivable. But we do need to see others as fellow humans and try to get to the root of the problem in order to prevent more and more people from committing crimes.
Why don’t we prosecute the real offenders, often the parents? Why are they never held accountable?
Any idiot can have a child and raise it by winging it, and if you’ve come from an abusive past yourself, there’s a better chance that you’ll repeat the same patterns when raising your own child. What about the poor children who are abused and left to fend for themselves as broken adults? Especially when society doesn’t have the knowledge or the heart to do the right thing and help them?
When someone is trying to rehabilitate themselves, I think that the most important thing is to have at least one person who cares for them, who believes in them.
Another important, and often missed, factor is that they have to stop hanging around the same people as they did before. If they want a new life, they need new friends and acquaintances.
And, they need to stop feeling sorry for themselves, blaming others for their misfortune, and feeling a need to get whatever they want because people owe them. It’s not the innocent people around them who are to blame. And, the self pity will only keep them in the same state and lead to a guarantee that they’ll never change.
Your article is an attempt to reach out and show us that there are prisoners who want help but can’t get it. It is heart breaking to see that we, as a society, still struggle with how to deal with human pain such as yours.
It seems that your only hope is to take it upon yourself to get the help you need. And, you will succeed if you truly want to.
D. Nelson
Maple Ridge