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The concept of prison as a reformatory for criminals is one that has long been inaccurate. In truth, modern prisons are more training grounds for career criminals and gang members, and the overwhelming majority of convicts who are released from prison return within two years and usually for more severe crimes and longer sentences, perpetuating the cycle.

The most vital contributor to the disappearance of any hope for reform is the control that violent gangs have taken in most American prisons. In fact, the senior membership of many of the most dangerous gangs are serving long terms in prison, and it is estimated that as much as 80% of the prison populations in the United States are active gang members, though many were not members until they began serving their sentences.

In truth, the inmates truly do run the asylum of the modern American prison. To survive without gang affiliations is nearly impossible, but once a criminal is embraced by the protection of a gang, he is conscripted to perform violent acts to cement his status. So if the inmate was wrongly convicted and had not performed the crime, prison actually teaches him to BECOME a criminal. If the convict had only committed a relatively minor crime, chances are very strong that he will have committed a capital crime by the time he is released. Modern prison is truly a kill or be killed environment, and inmates must go to extreme lengths to survive.

But if by some miracle an inmate manages to escape being forced or cajoled into committing more crime while in jail, what does he have to look forward to? Upon release, it is nearly impossible to find a good job with a felony conviction on your record and the experience and contacts you make in prison make working with or for them when you are released extremely tempting. Essentially it is more profitable for a felon to turn to crime full-time and take the risk of being arrested again and returning to jail, which is usually the case. The fear of prison as a punishment has largely been removed by surviving the previous sentence.

There are indeed some success stories of convicts who find God or get their diploma/degree (or both) and manage to make something useful out of themselves, but it requires tremendous character and a lot of support, something that convicted felons rarely have in great supply. Systemically, American prisons have little to no incentive to reform criminals, no budget for programs to educate them or improve their futures, and no mandate to even try to do these things.

The reality of the modern prison is that it is far more likely to develop the criminal to a greater degree of hostility toward the outside world and provide him experience and contacts that improve his ability to commit more crime than it is to help him become a good citizen. It is far better at developing criminals than reforming them.

Learn more about this author, Benjamin Lomax.
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