Re-offending

Too often people being released from prison end up re-offending because the prison system in the United States doesn't teach the inmates to be better citizens, in fact, in a lot of cases it is an environment that encourages and breeds violence. A lot of inmates come from backgrounds where violence was all they knew and it was their way of life, then they end up going to jail for a violent crime or if they're lucky, they can plea to a lesser charge. When they eventually get to prison, it is often run by guards and wardens that are usually very dictator-ish and are condescending, aggressive, and overall just plain old rude. The inmates act similarly because the environment encourages it; most people respond to violence with violence. If they screw up and assault a guard or an inmate, they can then be held for longer. In a lot of cases, this is what the guards are hoping for; they see the inmates as criminals, which they might be, but they don't see them as people anymore. They don't want to help these people, they want to keep them locked up because they believe they are beyond help and will never change. Chris Wilson is a perfect example of how someone can change; he came into prison traumatized and with a bad mindset, but ended up being helped by a counselor and became determined to become a better person. If our prisons actually cared about helping the people inside instead of just "keeping them off the streets" or punishing them, maybe we would have fewer people who re-offend.