| Prison serves several roles. Public safety - Keep someone deemed a threat to society away from the public until they have served their time, or are otherwise deemed safe. Deterrence to others - Show to other citizens that committing a particular crime has punishment, so they will not do the same. Punishment of the offender - Actions have consequences. Reform - As much as possible, set prisoners up for success if they are eventually to be let out. There is a lot more to this, but I'll leave it there. --- Note how "revenge" and "sadism" are not in that list. How does it benefit society, or the prisoners, to remove certain social, educational or entertainment activities? Do you think someone planning to murder or rape someone will be deterred by knowing they won't have chess? Do you think it helps or hurts a prisoner's mental health by taking away such simple things? I don't have many answers, but more people need to see prison for what it should do for society and the incarcerated, rather than wishing for prisoners to get sexually assaulted (for example). |