Jake10

When we look at the overcrowded prisons of the US and UK, and wonder how many people are being rehabilitated, is it too unethical to consider drugs that manipulate our sense of morals as an alternative?

Personally, I think some people would be far happier, more productive to society, and might even enjoy using these drugs.

Manipulating morals: scientists target drugs that improve behaviour | Science | The Guardian

halomanuk

In the long term drugs cost more than the prison sentence i would think,if it was a mind control drug or sedatives.
If someone commits a crime then they deserve to be punished,and i dont think this would be a punishment.
In fact some desperate people out there might actually WANT to be in this state,away from the world.

flaxman

A lot of our youngsters are already on behaviour altering medications such as Ritalin, so why not criminals?

Jake10

I understand what you mean about punishing for justice purposes, but I also have to ask what we're gaining? I mean, it almost seems as if people with mild problems go into prisons only to alter their lives forever.

What if, along with the drugs, they were made to pay heavy fines?

PADDYBOY

From my own perspective, the only valid reason for sending people to prison, is to protect the law abiding citizens of our societies from the criminal acts committed by these felons...
I don't believe that rehabilitation works ? Send a shop-lifter to prison for three or so months and it's like sending him on a crime-apprenticeship ?? As for punishment, maybe there is a deterrent value in having a penal system, tho I think it works more in preventing law abiding citizens from crossing the line, rather than deterring hardened criminals. Who probably believe they wont be caught or think the risk of being caught is worth the rewards ?

Having said that, I think that sending someone to jail in this day and age is ridiculous, to say the least.. Locking another human being up like a beast is no less than barbaric imo.
If anyone can come up with an alternative to the penal system that protects the public from acts of crime. I'm all for it.
Tho I should point out here. My main concern is that the public are protected...

Vladd

There was a TV series back in the late seventies with Edward Woodward called 1990. It featured an idea that prisoners were given the choice of having their sentences halved if they served their time taking misery pills. Loyal citizens of the state were rewarded with happy pills.

unclefred

it's been pretty well presented in the US that rehabilitation is a no-win in prison. Most states require a certain amount of education on drug abuse etc and perhaps sex offender groups. Certain political groups are fond of claiming we should be spending our money 'treating' criminals rather than locking them up. Experience all through the 70's and 80's proved a result that rehabilitation doesn't work and is far too costly for the meager results.
Rehab and education is something tht needs to happen before prison. Unfortunately, the majority of prisoners are continuing a culture they were raised in, most of the rest are drug addicts. The result is a whole lot of people get locked up.

DreamWeaver

ask Alex from 'A Clockwork Orange'

Jake10

Actually, we've reached a point where some people prefer being in prison than being on parole, because they don't have to worry about paying bills, finding work, and they have what they need including drugs.

40,000 prisoners snub chance of early release because jails are so 'cushy' | Mail Online

So, clearly we need to look for an alternative to prison. I don't know if drugs are the answer, but they're a step away from prison. Creating a society of addicts would not work in the long term either, but it could help us educate people more. Like Unclefred said, the key is to teach society. The question then becomes how we should do that?

Earl_of_Rochester

I think all life prisoners should be given a line of cocaine, an sa80 and a 30 round magazine and then be let loose in the Afghan wilderness. It could do wonders for society.

In a few years they'll have adopted funny accents and be beating us at cricket.

EoR