Comments on: Prison Camps Waste Taxpayer Resources

By: Michael Santos

Michael Santos — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 18:39:27 +0000

Dear Alexandra,

Thank you for taking the time to consider my thoughts. My answer to your question is that I certainly do think that taxpayers should demand the closure of all federal prison camps. They do not provide much value. They are like health clubs, and they should be anathema to all hard working Americans.

Any prisoner who is confined in a camp ought to be diverted to a community-based sanction, in my mind. The camps do not serve a purpose because the prisoners who serve time inside of camps have a classification score that allows them to interact with society. If they are not a threat to society, the camp prisoners ought to live in society with electronic surveillance and work at legitimate jobs that will allow them to pay the cost of their confinement. If the prisoner is inappropriate for a community-based sanction, then he ought to serve time in a real prison until he is ready for the community-based sanction.

Life in prison camp is easy, though I don’t see the purpose of using $15,000 per year to confine people under the honor system. This is the type of wasted taxpayer resource that has contributed to so much crisis in our economy.

Of course my perspective comes from my experience of having been locked in prisons of every security level. I prefer serving time in the camp than in higher security, though I think a better use of taxpayer resources would be to divert nonviolent, minimum-security prisoners to community-based sanctions.

I am opposed to the death penalty, as I do not believe it should have a place in an enlightened society.

Best wishes,
Michael Santos

By: Alexandra Geogea

Alexandra Geogea — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:07:36 +0000

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
The Warden said he thought we should get rid of minumum security prisons. Do you think they should get rid of these prisons? And if you agree, where will all the prisoners go? The other question I had was about the whole process of getting a criminal through trials in order to put them to death. Do you think that it would be more expensive to put them through the death penalty/trial etc., or to just keep them in prison till they die on their own. At the same time, you need to think about all the food, medical things they get. Do you even think the death penalty should exist?

By: Carole Santos

Carole Santos — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:35:10 +0000

Hi Jesus,

I’ve mailed your comments to Michael. I will post his reply as soon as I receive it from him.

Best wishes,
Carole Santos

By: Jesus Rosales

Jesus Rosales — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:45:43 +0000

Mr. Santos,
My name is Jesus Rosales and I am one of Dr. Torres’s students at CSULB. I have long felt that the prison system as currently constructed in the United States is failing society and those it serves to “correct”. I find myself in agreement with much of your views on prison reform and the idea of doing away with minimum security camps in particular. I feel that if a person is not deemed a significant threat to society, they should not be incarcerated. Intermediate sanctions and community corrections seem much more logical. However, I read one of your other articles regarding the disparity between sentences of white collar criminals and non-violent drug offenders. I feel that most white collar criminals get off far too easily. It is true that they are also non-violent offenders, but their crimes have far reaching effects. My question concerns the punishment of white collar criminals. Considering that many of them are sent to minimum security camps, how do you propose they be punished if said camps are shut down? Do you feel they should serve their sentences in the community or should they be incarcerated?

Thank You,
Jesus Rosales