Today was spent at the doctor, eating lunch (Dick, D and me), buying ink cartridges for my HP, picking up meds at pharmacy, singing for only two hours, eating dinner (Dick, D and me), having fun conversation at dinner, feeding the pets, trying to figure out what's wrong with the other blogs that I setup, and going through my email. I read parts of the NY Times and there were articles on the growing Korean conflict that are disquieting.

Finnish Penal System

There was an article on the Finnish penal system. Their prisons do not have gates, walls or guards. In one prison, there were 10 guns (all locked in the top guy's safe). Apparently, Finland has the most lenient and forgiving penal system in Europe. They also have the lowest incarceration rates in Europe. They have 52 prisoners for every 100,000 population. The USA has 702 prisoners per every 100,000 population. The article left the impression that there was less crime in Finland. I wonder if that is totally accurate. Perhaps, the Finnish system does not prosecute their criminals so they remain free (somewhat distorting the view that there is less crime in Finland).

However, Finland is a country with fewer of the pressures faced by America. Its people tend to be less cynical and more forgiving than Americans or Russians (who were right up there in the prisoners per 100,000 population stats). Thirty years ago, Finland had a more oppressive penal system (also had more violence and criminal activity in their prisons). Then, the swing from a repressive to a forgiving penal system was adopted and crime rates dropped, etc. I still believe that part of the low crime rate is due to the fact that Finland does not prosecute or incarcerate many of their criminals. However, it does seem accurate to say that Finland's crime rate is probably a lot lower than America.

There is a trend that may change this, though. Gangster-types from Russia (and somewhere else) are showing up in Finland trying to create a mafia-type organization. Also, there is an increase in the drug problem (with all of its attendant problems).

Changes Needed in US Treatment of Nonviolent Prisoners?

I wonder if America adopted this approach toward the non-violent offenders, what would be the outcome? Would we see less recidivism? Would returning prisoners merge back into mainstream and become "normal" productive citizens? Is it time for us to take another look at our retribution stance for non-violent offenders? Our prisons are bankrupting the country.

According to Camp, Camille Graham, and George M. Camp, 1997. The Corrections Yearbook, 1997, The Criminal Justice Institute, South Salem, New York., In 1978, the combined budgets for prisons and jails amounted to $5 billion. By 1997, that figure had grown to $31 billion.

America's One Million Nonviolent Prisoners
http://www.llcc.cc.il.us/gtruitt/SCJ210spring2002/non%20violent%20prisoners.htm#1
By Vincent Schiraldi, Jason Ziedenberg and John Irwin, PhD

This report is a fascinating read on this situation:
"States around the country are now spending more to build prisons than colleges, and the combined prison and jail budgets for 1.2 million nonviolent prisoners exceeded the entire federal welfare budget for 8.5 million poor people last year.

This report will analyze the growth in the nonviolent prisoner population. We will explore some of the implications of the increase in nonviolent prisoners in terms of cost and public safety, and suggest some approaches that local, state, and federal governments should consider to address the incarceration of one million nonviolent prisoners."

I found the above information because I was trying to determine how much our current penal policies were costing the country. I am sure not many people would argue that our current penal system works. I believe that sweeping changes need to be made regarding the handling of non-violent prisoners.

The difference between genius and stupidity is that even genius has its limits.
Rita Mae Brown, Bingo, 1988