Every now and then I see clips on social media about inmates who train service dogs or who have formed a community where they learn traditional hula, which originally was an activity only men participated in - and it's something that gives them a spiritual link as well as a greater sense of self. Those always make me feel good because I see how they give these guys something tangible to take with them after they are released and how that helps society as a whole.

What I'm realizing now is that these programs are rare, and one might almost say they are flukes. Not only is there no enrichment in most places, the basics of common decency such as edible food are often not being covered. It's pretty clear to me now that we have a prison industrial complex that is centered around money, power, and the worst aspects of the dominance hierarchy. They don't actually care about recidivism or helping inmates to be able to function after getting out. It's a revolving door, and that seems to be fine, because after all, "Who cares about that segment of society?" 😢