At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements ;)
My questions have gotten a bit simpler of late. In my imagination, each of these questions has so many sub-questions that I want to leave open to your interpretation. Like this one...
What if we had no prisons?
We would have to do something to keep the peace, so to speak. Rehabilitation programs, halfway houses, things closely monitored. I think there are some crimes that "deserve" prison sentences. It would be an interesting concept, but I don't think it would work.
ReplyDeletebetty
But it's an interesting ponder, don't you think?
DeleteIt would be like that movie that came out where no crime was illegal for a night. I watch a lot of Dateline...there are a LOT of people in jail now that we wouldn't want to have on the streets, for sure!
ReplyDeleteHave the prisoners sent to deserted islands, create societies of sorts, let them build something there to pay for their own survival -- give them something to live for, I suppose. But definitely keep them away, especially those who'd committed murders. We had a shooting not far from my house over the weekend -- a guy released early from prison came back, shot his wife, then shot himself. All around bad situation.
ReplyDeleteYikes, a shooting? That's scary.
DeleteTalk about running riot! In the day and age of all the positive reinforcement blah blahs having no prisons would not work because human beings are ...human beings. There would have to be such strict rules that most people would be afraid to do anything and then that would not be good (think Russian Gulag). Then again...look at Australia and they are not too bad:)
ReplyDeleteI'm really thankful to the prison system for keeping all these animals who pose as humans locked up.
ReplyDeleteAHH! If we had no prisons, I fear felons would rule military-style and if we didn't join them, we'd be the victims of their cruelty. i completely appreciate the brave men and women who protect us from the evil-doers of society. Scary thought!
ReplyDeleteThat might make an interesting story, though.
DeleteI'm on board with this idea. Despite what some people think, most crimes are committed because of desperation, not cruelty. Start creating systems where people who sell drugs or something are given jobs that pay a decent wage and they wouldn't need to be part of the drug trade. Or get an addict treatment.
ReplyDeleteI think prisons are necessary for certain people, but I also think there's better ways to rehabilitate people. The Island might not be a bad idea. Put all the murderers on one island, rapists on another, pedophiles on a third, and so on. But then what happens if someone innocent gets sent to one of those islands? That would suck.
ReplyDeleteIf there were other more applicable punishments it might be viable. Like chemical castrations for rapists. Personally I feel a lot safer knowing violent offenders are locked up though.
ReplyDeleteThat seems to be the consensus.
DeleteGuess I don't have much imagination. I can't picture a world without prisons. There are a fair number of dangerous people who need to be segregated from society. We'd have to have an alternative to prisons or we'd end up with total anarchy and chaos.
ReplyDeleteThat said, the prison/justice system could certainly use a wholesale overhaul.
VR Barkowski