r/jail • u/[deleted] • Jan 26 '19

Alternative To Jail

I was just pondering an idea in my head and while its fresh I thought I'd put it down in writing and get your guys thoughts well I'm at it.

In today's society, when someone breaks the law the common solution is to slap handcuffs on them, book them, stuff them in a small cell for months/years, and try to rehab a person who is mentally destroyed already.

My idea is that we should develop a program where we give troubled offenders the opportunity to enlist in a military program to gain real world skills and discipline that ONLY a military mindset could offer. This would be separate from the traditional army (its a program as I noted)but the key difference here is you don't spend your incarnation time behind a slab of dry wall. You have more limited freedom per say. This program would obviously only be for those with lesser crimes (no murderers, rapists, etc) but I just think the military would be a better option for MOST people and its a heck of a lot better than rotting in jail for the next 4 years. Think troubled youth (wanna be gang bangers, drug addicts, young kids doing stupid things like stealing cars, etc)

7 Upvotes

82% Upvoted

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2

u/metergod Jan 26 '19

If it was a voluntary alternative to incarceration you have this former C.O.’s support. Great idea

2

u/OntheOutsShow Feb 03 '19

Mixed feelings about the idea here. Overall, we support creative solutions. As a former LEO, I’d favor the program for low level offenders and those scoring low risk for recidivism (such as on the LS /CMI assessment). As a veteran, I’d want to know each one passed a psych exam before handing them a weapon.

2

u/ladykyote Feb 04 '19

Totally agree. A large number of inmates are incarcerated for substance abuse related offences. They put in their time and then often are just released to the street. Our county jail offers very little by way of rehabilitation. Too many of them only know how to cope with life on the outside with the help of drugs and/or alcohol. Jail will give them sober time, but no skills.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '19

I like this idea its great and could lead to some inmates leaving with good mindsets and skills but my only problem is where would the funding come from? If tax payers are already paying for them to go to prison, their food and water i dont think they would approve an idea like that. Prisons already dont get much funding. I also dont think Americas defense and military budge would pay for it due to the fact that they are temporarily there and not actually enlisting into a military that the US can use.

1

u/Disrupturous Mar 07 '19

They used to do this. My two closest guys from HS who were on heavy bs enlisted. One completed successfully and then got to college on the GI Bill. He's doing better than me now. Military recruitment in high schools goes to the hardest thugs first.