What I noted was what appeared to me here as black-and-white thinking.

There are "good guys" and "bad guys" and all the "bad guys" are scum and ALL of them should be in the worst jail possible.

critter crazy
Yup, and they all deserved, some even went back. If they had gone to sherrif Joes prison, i highly doubt that tehy would have returned.
And I doubt you read the whole article then. The evidence is there - Joe's jail, or any harsh punishment, does NOT stop the person from committing crimes and "going back there". Unless they kill themselves.

Jenn - very sad story. THANK YOU for showing there are "shades of grey" in these situations.

Otherwise, much of the thinking here seems to be that all people in jail are equally bad and deserve hell. Then they come out even meaner and hell-bent on revenge. Gee, can't figure THAT out! And sparks19, where are they going to get rehab in a hellhole like that?

I don't care if a place has a workout room and good food. You still can't go anywhere you please. Your roommates and neighbours are chosen for you.

Even lose the good food and workout rooms - everyone has rights under the Constitution/Bill of Rights (Canada).

I'll bet poverty and tough economic times lead otherwise decent people to get into a situation out of desperation. Perhaps that was your friend, Jenn.

I haven't learned tons in life and have a long way to go - but part of being a formerly active addict meant that my thinking was all-or-nothing, black-and-white. Only as I slowly recovered did I come to realize that life is full of grey areas, and that there are few - if any - absolutes.

BTW - the fellow who wrote that letter to the editor? Former CNR cop of several decades. I agree with what he says - being a "do-gooder" is a good thing; nothing wrong with it at all.