Too Much Leisure Time?

I recently heard on the news that neurosurgeon-turned-political candidate Dr. Ben Carson toured a federal prison not long ago and was shocked by the accommodations. His shock was at the availability of leisure time activities and lack of harsh conditions (my summary of his reported statements). I don't know what prison he toured, but it wasn't a Michigan State prison. 

Dr. Carson's comments reveal a distinct lack of understanding of incarceration issues. He is undoubtedly one of the most skilled neurosurgeons ever known, but his comments lead to a question being asked and answered by researchers and experts in incarceration issues: What is the purpose and goal of incarceration? 

The incarceration policies of the last two decades focused solely on retribution and isolation from society instead of rehabilitation, restoration, and education. These policies have led to an explosion in prison populations and major profits for the prison industrial complex. They have ignored the nearly fifty-percent re-offense rates, and the core issues that often lead to crime: poverty, lack of education, and family and cultural issues that result in generational incarceration. 

Prisoner warehousing, as we have today, leaves plenty of leisure time for prisoners, and without an outlet for energy and for the anxiety that prison causes, the rate of violence toward other inmates and prison guards would skyrocket, and the already high rate of mental illness would likely grow even higher. 

Prison is supposed to be a punishment and it is by removing the offender from the community and from his family. But if punishment and isolation are the only goals of prison, the result is a lot of leisure time and, inevitably, high re-offense rates. If politicians want to change these results they must encourage and promote productive uses of time like job skills training, post-secondary education, and other educational and rehabilitative opportunities. 

I hope Dr. Carson will propose creative ideas to fill a prisoner's time with productive activities and not buy into the failing policies of the last two decades that have led to these conditions.