So... My little brother is going to prison.

[Atheist.]

I live half way across the country and recently got a call from him in jail. My little brother (19 years old) is facing a 3-5 prison sentence. I know he deserves some jail time, but I think a quarter of his lifetime is a bit much. Sure the kid is a fuck-up, but shouldn't someone so young get some sort of rehabilitation option? As far as American prisons go, I think this will only make him worse off than he was before.

Does anyone with experience with family members going to prison have a decent opinion? I know I'm probably wrong, thinking this way... But this is my little fucking brother. I can't stand the idea that he's going to prison for so long. It crushes me.

Edit : Since most people don't understand the case (Which is completely understandable.)

My little brother has had some issues with drugs. His specific crime was stealing from someone's home (in a non-violent way.)

Bad person? Of course. Unable to be changed? No way. I'm not going to say he's a good kid, because he isn't. But he isn't beyond being helped... I just wish people were more flexible, people like him don't need to spent a decade in prison. They need to be monitored for drug consumption. I'm fairly confident if he was able to kick his habits, he'd be able to be a respectable citizen.

 

[Kathinka]

largely depends on what he did i'd say..

 

[FC Groningen]

I sometimes get to work with inmates and would cooperate with them on their rehabilitation. I'm not familiar with American Criminal law in detail. Over here, it would be possible to request trial and punishment based on the juvenile criminal law depending on the crime. What did he do?

 

[TheMetalGuy]

What is he sentenced for?

 

[Aris Khandr]

What was he doing? My little brother is due to be released from his 9-12 year sentence (drug smuggling) in jail in Spain any day now. He's been in and out of jail for well over half of his life at this point. Sometimes, it's best to lock them up and force them out of whatever they're doing. 3-5 isn't that bad at all.

 

[Rottweiler]

If he got 3-5, that's because of mandatory sentencing. I'd also have to assume this isn't his first Offense, probably not his first offense for this or a related crime.

 

[Snowy Rainbow]

I know he deserves some jail time, but I think a quarter of his lifetime is a bit much. Sure the kid is a fuck-up, but shouldn't someone so young get some sort of rehabilitation option?

That's why prisons are called correctional facilities.

 

[wfpdk]

prison IS a rehibilitation system... sure it doesn't work for shit, but the same can be said about the legal system in general. relize he done fucked up and his true punishment is that when he comes out acting all tough and hard, pick on him for going there in the first place. i don't have experience of this happening to family, but it happend to a very close friend, although it was only for 2 years.

 

[Jesus Phish]

Depends on what he did really. Also, since he's only turning 20 and he might end up in prison for , as you say, 1/4 of his current life, it might narrow him out and put him on the straight.

 

[Korolev]

It's a tough question and it depends on what he did.

Generally, if the offender is young, I would say people should try to rehabilitate. Prisons can be rough, depending on the type and location. If he's going to a Minimum-Security Prison in Delaware or Massachusetts, then I wouldn't be too worried. If he's going to a maximum or medium security prison in, say, Texas or L.A, then that can be really, really rough.

I've never had someone in my family go to prison - the only convict I know was my High School Chemistry assistant teacher - kidnapped his girlfriend and stabbed her 40 times in the back. He was sent to jail and he belongs there.

If your brother was sent to jail for a few pills or drugs, then I agree, that's harsh. It all really depends on what he did - drug use, vandalism or petty theft, for the first offence, shouldn't warrant prison time because once someone goes into the prison system, they usually come out worse than when they went in. They are denied good jobs, they are brutalized and they become even more violent and pick up some really bad habits (plenty of convicts BECOME drug users in prison). So for petty crimes for young offenders, generally, I say, don't put them in jail for a long stretch. 3~5 is pretty harsh.

For violent offenders though - maybe that's where they belong. Justice demands punishment, and you can't avoid punishment just because you feel sorry for someone. If he genuinely did commit a violent act, he's got to be punished. You can't have exceptions. The law must stand firm.

But if it wasn't a violent crime, then maybe give him one chance. Again, depends on what he did.

 

[Atheist.]

If he got 3-5, that's because of mandatory sentencing. I'd also have to assume this isn't his first Offense, probably not his first offense for this or a related crime.

Not true. It was indeed his first offense. I'm not trying to justify his actions, he's a fucking dumb ass. I just wish my own kin was smart enough to not rob his friends step-father. I know I'm wrong in many aspects, it just hurts me so much to see someone I love so much do something so horrible.

 

[klasbo]

The sentence you (non-specific, general "you") get should be proportional not only to the damage you have done to society, but also to the damage you are likely to do in the future if you are kept unchecked.
As long as you can prevent someone from doing a criminal act again by teaching them not to do it and giving them an incentive to follow up on that, then that's a good thing. The whole point of prison is that it should create an incentive to not repeat whatever crime you committed. The problem is that not all minds understand this premise, so they are likely to commit the same (or other) crime when they get out. They just don't understand that prison is some form of punishment. Some places they "overcome" this problem by locking these people up for longer, but the end result is almost always an even more broken person than was initially sentenced.

Prison doesn't work for everyone (though it does for most people). And for those where prison doesn't work, rehabilitation of some sort is usually the best option. You just need to give a punishment suited for each individual mind (psychology, yay!).

As for your brother? If he hates prison and desperately does not want to come back, it will probably work.

 

[Wintermoot]

depends on what he did.
breaking the law is breaking the law no matter how you bend it.

 

[FC Groningen]

If he got 3-5, that's because of mandatory sentencing. I'd also have to assume this isn't his first Offense, probably not his first offense for this or a related crime.

Not true. It was indeed his first offense. I'm not trying to justify his actions, he's a fucking dumb ass. I just wish my own kin was smart enough to not rob his friends step-father. I know I'm wrong in many aspects, it just hurts me so much to see someone I love so much do something so horrible.

Then you said it yourself. Punishment won't be adapted to personal bias, as you should and may expect of any legal system.

That said, I strongly support rehabilitation projects, other than imprisonment. In my country, it reduced the number of redicivists from 32% to about 8%. Imprisonment is not rehabilitation; It mainly serves as punishment and retaliation, but not to help the convict. A lot of former prisoners get out and have no place to go, no means to start over, which pushes them back into crime a lot easier. Some people have the ability to start over from scratch alone; Some don't. The people that don't need the support they can get.

For a population, it could pay off to invest in such projects, just to improve general safety, welfare and to reduce unemployment and damage caused by criminals. The first thing ex convicts need are shelter and food. After, they need assistance in finding a job/future prospect (which is very hard without support) and possible support on whatever it was they were convicted for/was the cause (drugs for example).

 

[JMeganSnow]

How long until he's up for parole? With a 3-5 sentence he may be up for parole in as little as six months.

 

[Atheist.]

If he got 3-5, that's because of mandatory sentencing. I'd also have to assume this isn't his first Offense, probably not his first offense for this or a related crime.

Not true. It was indeed his first offense. I'm not trying to justify his actions, he's a fucking dumb ass. I just wish my own kin was smart enough to not rob his friends step-father. I know I'm wrong in many aspects, it just hurts me so much to see someone I love so much do something so horrible.

Then you said it yourself. Punishment won't be adapted to personal bias, as you should and may expect of any legal system.

That said, I strongly support rehabilitation projects, other than imprisonment. In my country, it reduced the number of redicivists from 32% to about 8%. Imprisonment is not rehabilitation; It mainly serves as punishment and retaliation, but not to help the convict. A lot of former prisoners get out and have no place to go, no means to start over, which pushes them back into crime a lot easier. Some people have the ability to start over from scratch alone; Some don't. The people that don't need the support they can get.

For a population, it could pay off to invest in such projects, just to improve general safety, welfare and to reduce unemployment and damage caused by criminals. The first thing ex convicts need are shelter and food. After, they need assistance in finding a job/future prospect (which is very hard without support) and possible support on whatever it was they were convicted for/was the cause (drugs for example).

Thank you sir. Your reasoning is spot on with mine. I completely agree with you.

 

[CodeOrange]

Ignoring the fact that I couldn't care less, because your brother and I are completely unrelated, same with the rest of the internet, I'm going to assume he deserves the jail time. Shouting to the internet for empathy is like screaming into a crowd of people. They'd feel bad about you, but they still wouldn't care.

OT: How'd he turn bad in the first place? Why did your family lose contact?

 

[ultrachicken]

I think 3-5 years is very harsh for a non-violent theft. However, he needs to get his drug habits straightened up somehow while keeping people safe from future crimes which, let's face it, he's likely to commit. Prison may be a way to do that.

 

[lettucethesallad]

You do the crime, you do the time. Sucks to have it happen to your brother OP, but there has to be a consequence to someone's actions, and being too old for juvie, it's prison. My cousin had pretty much the same issues as your brother and did some time, but he's a much better guy now since he got out and became a father. I think it was a wakeup call for him, and hopefully it'll be for your brother too.