Jail is a system that makes most people worse, including the jailers. people can become institutionalised on either side of the razor wire. its easy to condemn criminals and want to be completely separate from the systems set up to deal with them. some sociopaths end up in jail, some in politics. no one can change a sociopath, but the political ones are harder to recognise & are just as dangerous.

as well as criminals, jails house abused kids, people with mental problems, people with addiction problems, people with low IQs. some detainees have never committed a crime (asylum seekers) and some of these are deported, and killed on return. others who fight deportation can be interred for years, and go mad inside.

the most vindictive people always start from the stance that the people they are abusing are bad.

In Australia currently, we have politicians who have taken bribes making laws to detain people without trial. They are using people's fear of the "other" to destroy democracy.

it is hard to respect a system that is so corrupt. People who have been made powerless appreciate those who care. I have a friend who like Hilda works with women in jail - she also helps them when they come out, halping them get established. but, she picks and chooses. People like Hilda and my friend JD can transform people's lives, by treating people with respect.

and I agree with Donuel!!