In the US jails are for-profit. Justice is secondary - never mind rehabilitation.
So while costs come out of taxes, those tax revenues are paid to benefit prison shareholders and managers.
Bow does the public benefit from this arrangement? It doesn't exist to prevent crime. In fact it increases it by labelling low-impact activities like marijuana possession as serious crimes deserving of jail time.
Jail vs not-jail is a false dichotomy, because reality-tested alternatives do exist. See e.g.
So while costs come out of taxes, those tax revenues are paid to benefit prison shareholders and managers.
Bow does the public benefit from this arrangement? It doesn't exist to prevent crime. In fact it increases it by labelling low-impact activities like marijuana possession as serious crimes deserving of jail time.
Jail vs not-jail is a false dichotomy, because reality-tested alternatives do exist. See e.g.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/apr/06/glasgow-murde...