I thought we quickly moved through an incredibly complex topic yesterday. Maybe we'll talk more about it this afternoon. But challenging the Prison Industrial Complex is not an new idea, although it's often characterized as radical. Is it though? Will it ever fit on a 3x5 card? The prison system and "criminal justice" generally in the American sense is entangled in so many of our social woes, fears and deeply structural inequities.

I'm not one for phobias, but my biggest fear in life is incarceration-- and not because of I'm thinking about some risky, questionable behaviors. It's because I've had the "privilege" to walk in and out of one several times and each time the sense of relief and indignity was all too palpable. Prisons have a silencing effect. Not simply marginalized, but silenced. I'm wondering what any of you think would fit on that 3x5 card. Some of my thoughts: -end racist practices in the "justice system" -restructure penal schemes with a focus on restorative justice and rehabilitation -allow better visitation/monitoring -cease censorship of studies/exposes about prison populations -equalize programs/opportunities for incarcerated women

it seems so much would have to change on the "outside" before any of it is reflected within. And if you don't think prisons should change, why not? Sorry for the unrefined nature of this post, I haven't eaten lunch yet. -- MiaWhite - 24 Jan 2008

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