Advice for President Obama on Prisons

Max grew up as the son of a man who knew 'ALL' the answers to the problems of the world. Max's father said so! Many times, his father let everyone know that anyone who didn't know that he had the answers was a turkey or a knucklehead.

The famous Ma Bell, the second most powerful force in the world (next to God of course), thought so much of Max's father's opinions, that she made him 'Supervisor of Troubles'. This is true!

The advice Max promised you, Mr. President.

Take a look at our prisons!

Max realizes that career criminals often need to be removed from the public in order to make the world a safer place for the rest of us.

At the same time how is it that we, who love freedom, now imprison more people per capita than the most despotic regimes.

There is something wrong with the picture of an America that locks up such large numbers. It is apparent that the solution to the criminal activity currently eludes us. If the reports by the Pew Center are correct, more than one percent of our adult population is behind bars every day.

This condition makes the United States the leading prison nation in the world. Max doesn't think this is something we want to brag about.

One possible solution is to place more people convicted of minor non-violent crimes under some form of house arrest. Then they, instead of the hard-working public, can pay for their own incarceration.

Under any circumstance the reason for this increase and possible ways to mitigate this should be on your agenda.

We should as a nation look toward the possibility of building fewer prisons and making it possible to have a decent life without resorting to criminal behavior.

Max, as much as anyone, likes to see the crooks locked up and the key thrown away. He doesn't like this so well when the bill comes due at tax time. At church this attitude strikes him as being out of sorts with his belief system.

What Max doesn't know, and perhaps no one knows, is whether more dangerous criminal types are being removed from society or are relatively harmless individuals being incarcerated at the public's expense. That is why the people need to know if we really have the most criminal minds per capita or if we are locking up people who could be rehabilitated better in other ways.

Max understands the need to lock up violent felons who use every opportunity to try to hurt someone. He also understands the need to incarcerate the criminally insane, though it should be as humane as possible.

People who act using bad judgment and are unlikely to repeat the behavior are another matter. Almost everyone deserves a second chance, although not necessarily a third chance.

There was a time when young men in particular might be offered the chance to do some time in military service in lieu of burdening the state. Completion of military service without a repeat of bad behavior could be a ticket to the record being expunged.

Things may have changed through the years and forms of clemency may or may not be in order. It could use a good looking at to determine if this might be a rational way of reducing the rate or not.

Max wishes you well in all your desire to strengthen the nation.

Max writes about greenways, rare diseases, timely topics, places to eat, travel and other issues of interest. He encourages you to add your comments.

Link one shows number in prison.

Link two is to a "women in prison" organization.

Link three is about HIV in prisons.