Why do some people think prison is the answer to every crime?

With all the controversey today about the suggestion that people who view child porn shouldn't always be sent to prison I'm thinking about this again.

Isn't the best thing to try and make sure that whatever crime people do they don't do it again. If things can be sorted out without sending somebody to prison wouldn't that be better and save money.

When I was there (just for ABH after a fight went too far) I saw loads of people break up with their girls or wives and this means they end up much worse when they get out with nobody there for them.

I think most sentences should be suspended so that if you stay out of trouble from them on you should just get fined or have to do community service or something like that (Not in the case of murder or rape or something like that but most other things).

I have kept out of most trouble since getting out as I don't want to go back but it's not easy and I know why people end up going back.
the problem is that people have fought for 'RIGHTS' in the prison cell, everyone shud be equal and what not. ur child porn thing well if u fill ur head with bad things its gonna think nothing but bad things and dealing with porn sooner or later ull become desensitized and wanna experience it yourself. The current prison system is retarded and should adopt mexicos prison techniques: put em in and throw away the key. forget bout food and what not. sheesh these people nowadays are monsters AND THERES UNDERSTANDING FOR SUCH ACTS?? OF RAPE AND KILLING HELLO IN THE BIBLE IT CLEARLY SAYS AN EYE FOR AN EYE

jeez cmon man PRison GOTTA make do with what you got u dont want a psychopath living nxt to u or as a roomate wud you??
It isn't?


Answers:
Everyone has an oppertunity to go to trial. If you are found guilty, you have to go to jail...that is it.

If you do not want to go to jail, be a responsible adult and abide by the law.
Prison ISN'T the answer to crime control. Someday, there won't be prisons, instead people will have microchips implanted to tell police where they are all the time. In fact, that is being tested as I write.
Should be. You break the law, you should have your liberty taken away. I don't want criminals on the streets.
I think...that if...the punishment for every crime...no matter how small, was death...that we'd have a LOT less crime.

Of course no one would ever go for that, but it's true.
Because it is! Scumbags human rights stop at the instant they infringe on to somebody elses rights. They need to be locked up so that innocent people can be protected.

If you don't want to go to prison, don't get into fights, the rest of us manage to abide by the law, so why can't you?
Your right prison isnt the only answer hanging is quite good too. Perhaps beatings aswell. If you assualt someone they get to assault you. If you mug someone they get to beat you up and go to your home if you have one take what they want and burn the rest. If you steal a car and kill someone you should get dragged along behind one. If you rape someone you should get a serated dildo hammered up your **** and then get it pulled out. If you are a paedo you should be beaten, castrated then put in a prison where your gonna get raped constantly. Bet crime would fall if these laws were in place
Oh boy what a can of worms you have opened

No not ALL crimes need to be punished by incarceration but many crimes of violence DO it is the only way to ensure peoples safety but this needs to be seen against the actual case
sadly the law in this country is very out of date there is no middle road you are either guilty or not guilty and I wish I had the confidence in our legal system to believe some Innocent people don't get banged up too and for this reason alone there should NEVER be a death penalty one mistake in 1,000,000 is not acceptable no one has the right to take anothers life or they themselves become a murderer
But I do believe in Life meaning LIFE you stay in prison until death unfortunately this would mean money being spent and that would never do so they get 15 years of which they will serve 3/4 if they behave so for every 3 felons caged you get one sentence free
Our legal system is governed by financial restraints rather than what punishment should be
The whole legal system here is well over due for updating
maybe the government could Privatise it Now there's a thought
There are rehab programs in prison.

I think prisons started out just as a containment place and people are still stuck with that notion. There are self help programs in jails now and really, one cant do anything about its old perception. Plus, I dont think all people become void of their family just because they went to jail.
I don't think that sending all criminals to jail is the right answer. There should be a rehab programme for each individual. No-one other than the person who has committed the crime truly understands their reasons for doing so in the first place. Each victim of crime is also affected in different levels. I think that victims of crime should have a greater influence over the sentence that is passed. Food for thought; in today's society, who among us is faultless and perfect. Not many i would suggest. Which leads me on to the saying 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone'!
crime = punishment. if you don't want to go to jail don't break the law.
i agree.
Because if you get this scum of the streets you wont have any crime or is that to simple.And prison should be that horrendous that you would rather commit suicide than go back.
prison is not right for every crime. there is death for the more serious ones
sounds like most of the people who have answered this question are psychopaths who are outright sadists.

perhaps we should return to the medieval tradition of basically making the death penalty the punishment for everything from petty theft to income tax evasion to speeding - something i'd bet everyone above me has done more than once.

everyone wants to be a hardass with meting out saudi arabian style punishments until it's you or someone you car about and know to not be a bad person who is ensnared in the legal system.

also prisons cost lots of money - why put everyone in prison when we know they will only become more hardened criminals than ever and cost the taxpayers (that would those of us who don't cheat on our taxes) $30k+ per year.

too many people sit and rot in prison for crimes that have no victims - and when they get out, find that they are no longer employable and entire cities telling them that they don't want to live there.

is it any wonder that the rate of recividism is so high in america...
I don't think prison is the answer to all crimes, I think the gallows should accommodate a few others
Ipartially agree ,all rapists and paedophiles should have their bollocks cut off for a first offence.Child killers should be executed ,they wouldnt commit that crime again ,Drug dealers should be given an overdose of their own product [if hash force feed them it,]burglars should have all their assets seized for all offences.That would empty the prisons.Oh and by the way Islamic terrorists should be wrapped in pig skins and done extra crispy no paradise there.
If we sent everyone to prison for at least five years (maximum life) then the number of offenders would tumble. It's because we are so soft with criminals that we have so many crimes. A very vicious circle!