If one seriously examines both the American prison and military systems, he or she should immediately notice similarities, as well as some differences. The two systems share an operational strategy: hierarchical structure and security, both implemented through command and control, oftentimes in the form of discipline and force. Yet, while the American military has remained generally successful for years, American prisons fall into deeper turmoil each year, despite billions of dollars in funding and brand-new, state-of-the art correctional facilities.
The success of America’s military lies in its internal composition. In the upper-echelon and leadership of the US military one can find some of the most educated and brilliant minds, whose experience and knowledge go far beyond how to operate weaponry or release tear gas. The prison system, on the other hand, exists as a kind of rogue entity, which operates under its own rules and regulations, oftentimes under the supervision of an individual, or individuals, with a narrow, self-serving view. Due to this organizational structure, the prison system becomes an isolated and self-regulated entity; a monster that grows bigger and even less receptive to criticism or new ways of thinking as it evolves (or perhaps devolves). Rather than serving as a rehabilitative facility, the American prison turns into a game-ground for the ruling powers, where perfecting the art of control and dehumanization takes central focus. The idea is not to mentally or psychologically strengthen inmates’ moral character, but to further degrade them, forcing them to partake in even more reckless behavior under the guise of survival. No example illustrates this better than the treatment of prisoners upon arrival, where they are immediately stripped, searched, and dumped into the harshest conditions possible.
We are not implying that the prison system should be abolished altogether. Rather, we are committed to critically examining the prison system so that it might serve its intended purpose, for not only the benefit of those incarcerated, but indeed for the benefit of society as a whole. In their current state, prisons act as transient warehousing facilities that only produce more skillful, resentful, and hardened criminals while providing employment to the otherwise unemployable. It is true that many prisoners have serious moral, social, and economic issues, however this necessitates a whole-hearted reexamination of the Department of Corrections.
Our parent foundation, The Center for Civil Liberties and Justice (CCLJ) complements the PA DOC Monitor by examining the other side of the equation: the justice system. The justice system, through its inability to deal swiftly and decisively with heinous crimes, voids any deterrent effect of the prison system. One goal of the CCLJ is to search for means to balance both the prison and justice systems.
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