There is a tremendous amount of hypocrisy when it comes to conservative viewpoints on confinement. When Republicans find themselves exposed to the wrath of the criminal justice system, they instantly find the wisdom of liberalism. Christina West, a criminal justice student, asked whether I thought prison reforms could include some kind of balance to appease conservative views that call for long prison sentences.

I do not think it is wise for American citizens to call for long prison sentences. Instead, they should call for an effective prison system. The conservative system of long-term imprisonment is one that is rife with corruption, and one that does not serve the interests of our enlightened society.

George Monbiot reported on Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan. They were two conservative judges recently convicted of ordering the imprisonment of 2,000 people in Pennsylvania in exchange for bribes from private prison companies. I doubt those conservatives argued for long-term imprisonment in their cases.

As Justice Kennedy stated, America confines too many people and American prisoners serve sentences taht are too long. We need prison reforms that will change the way we measure justice. Rather than the number of years or decades that an individual serves in a cage, we ought to measure justice in terms of an individual’s efforts to reconcile with society through merit. Those who earn freedom should not remain in prison for periods that are longer than necessary.

Statistics from the Pew Report show that Americans waste billions each year on corrections. Yet the longer society exposes an offender to corrections, the less likely that indivudal is to function upon release. The only people punished by long-term imprisonment seem to be the taxpayers who fund the system. The offender adjusts. Yet citizens must cope with lost resources for education, health care, and useful social programs. They must also struggle with the high recidivism that follows the myopic management of policies managed by vengeance.

This system needs reform. Prisons should only confine those who present a threat to society. For other offenders, society ought to demand alternative sanctions.

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While McCain, apparently, clings to the ridiculous assertion that incarcerating more than 2.4 million people somehow keeps our country safer, Obama is in favoring of utilizing prison resources more strategically. Too much prison time does not serve the interests of an enlightened society, and Obama has the courage to confront this problem. Along with Justice Anthony Kennedy, Obama agrees that America needs to rethink its prison policy.

Moore reported that as a state Senator Obama helped sponsor legislation intended to reduce prison sentences that unfairly discriminated against ethnic minorities. As an American of Cuban heritage, who has been incarcerated for a non-violent drug offense since 1987, I was elated to read Obama’s position. According to Moore’s article, Obama has said he would instruct the justice department to change mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenses.

I have been an advocate for prison reform that would encourage offenders to earn freedom through merit since my term began in 1987. Throughout the more than 21 years I have served in prison thus far, I have worked to build a record that would convince taxpayers and legislators that our prison system needs reform. My own journey is thoroughly and indisputably documented on www.MichaelSantos.net, tangible proof of my personal commitment to reentry into society as a law-abiding, contributing citizen.

High recidivism rates show that prisons, as they operate today, waste billions of taxpayer dollars and perpetuate failure. Senator Jim Webb (D-Virginia) held a symposium at George Mason University in October 2008 that called for sensible sentencing and prison reform. Under an Obama administration, and with a liberal Congress, changes may come soon. Prison reform, like federal parole and opportunities to earn freedom may come into law within the first 100 days of the new Presidency. That is one reason I urge all voters to elect democrats. We need a more sensible approach to America’s prison system.

Let freedom ring!

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