Should Prison Offer Reform or Just Punishment?

Question by D’jango’s Woman: Should prison offer reform or just punishment?
I enjoy watching the prison programs where these men and women become better individuals by training dogs, taking in feral cats, becoming chefs or getting some sort of trade…now others believe that this should not be part of the felons’ treatment and protest on economic reasons.
BQ: Do you feel taxpayers should not fund these programs?
BQ: Can prisoners be reformed..or once a criminal, always a criminal?

Best answer:

Answer by Mike K
Hello Dejango’s gal,

I agree that these reform programs are a good investment should be offered for our sake in the long run. Without them the prisoners would only learn to become nastier and without any future they’d have no choice but to go back to crime in order to survive when they got out.

Cheers,

Michael Kelly

Answer by Sci-Fi
Murderers and violent criminals should just be kept away from society. But light offenders should definitely be reformed. It pays off when they learn dignity an find meaning in their life, and get in touch with their emotional side (working with animals etc). Yes taxpayers should pay for this but ultimately the prisons should run programs whereby they become self sufficient. One of the best prisons in Europe runs a successful hand-made business (hand-made accessories and display items) which is both a source of pride for the inmates and a good source of money for the prison.