I recently read an article about Jerry Sandusky and his upcoming sentencing. It mainly focused on what our correctional facilities allow offenders. Being that Sandusky will wind up in a low-security prison for sexual offenders, he will be able to purchase and own a numerous amount of “luxuries” while he’s in prison. He can buy musical instruments, books, movies, and even cable.
I had mixed feelings when I first learned about this. The things that he did were worthy of death in my opinion. Spending his life in prison would be an appropriate alternative sentence, however, I feel that his prison term should be anything but pleasant. Although inmates are required to work for their money for less than a dollar an hour, they can also receive money from outside sources like family, friends, or whoever, and use the money to buy prison amenities, some of them being comparable to those in a hotel.
For what this man did, and for people who do things like him, I feel his rights as a human being should be stripped away for the rest of his life. Granted he will serve out the rest of his days in prison, I feel there should be no way that for the rest of his days left on this Earth that he should be comfortable, especially considering he’ll be incarcerated.
Prison should be used as a deterrent for crimes, as a place where no one wants to end up due to the unpleasant environment. This is also applicable to convicted offenders and recidivism rates. When people who have spent time in prison realize it’s not that bad, and in some circumstances, it’s even better and easier to live in prison than the outside world, there is no repercussion for their actions. This perpetuates repeat offending because the consequences are so miniscule.