Should prisons be abolished?

Encyclopedia of Opinion

Question: Should prisons be abolished?
Position1 of 3›: Yes, prisons should be abolished
Argument‹2 of 3›: Prisons do not work

Many offenders have been incarcerated multiple times, proving prisons do not work as an effective punishment or part of society.

The argument

Many people end up in incarceration multiple times because they repeatedly break the law once gaining back their freedom. One study found that 76% of all prisoners will return to prison within five years. This is because most large prisons were designed to punish people instead of working to improve behavior. A lengthy prison sentence and chemically alter a person's mind and personality due to being mistreated for an extended amount of time. If an inmate is used to living within the prison's society, it makes it more difficult to adjust to freedom. Prisons should work to develop programs that help inmates reintegrate into normal life, so there is a smaller chance they will recidivate. The United States' massive incarcerated population has led to higher rates of crime, instead of lowering the number like expected. Often, it is extremely difficult for ex-convicts to find stable employment, so they again turn to crime to earn income. Since prisons are full of criminals and illegal activity, it fosters violent behavior and often hardens people. Gangs control a number of prison populations, so inmates do whatever they can to survive their sentences. The high percentage of felons that are incarcerated multiple times proves that current prison systems are not effective.

Premises

[P1]Most prisons are designed to punish rather than improve behaviour, and 76% of prisoners return to prison within five years. [P2] Lengthy sentences harden people and make it hard to readjust to freedom, while ex-convicts struggle to find work and turn back to crime. [P3] America's mass incarceration has raised crime rather than lowering it, proving the system ineffective. [C] Therefore, because prisons do not work, prisons should be abolished.

Counter-arguments

Even though the current prison system is not effective in lowering crime rates, criminals still need to be separated from the population to protect the safety of others. Some violent criminals will never behave in the free world, so they need to be kept away from the rest of the population. Prisons should not be completely abolished because it would result in more crime and chaos for society.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P5] Criminals need to be separated from the rest of the population.