I don't think it's at all cruel & unusual, IF the inmate was indeed guilty of whatever s/he did, to deserve getting locked up, in the first place. I never feel sorry for folks like that, because I worked around them (as a prison guard in Hawaii) for several years, during the 1980s and 90s. +5

I don't think it's cruel or unusual. They shouldn't do the crime if they can't handle the punishment. They knew what they were getting themselves into. To me, cruel and unusual punishment would be more along the lines of doing things that cause bodily harm, or that were just mean (like making someone think that a loved one had died).

Lock em up, I say. Was it not cruel and unusual what most of them did to get there in the first place?

In a way, yes. It is barbaric, but we don't have the science that would allow us to do anything else, at this point. One day I would like to see us able to reroute brain wiring that causes people to commit crimes, or truly rehabilitate them. But until that time, all we can do is keep a predator at bay. +5

Well, I certainly wouldn't like it, but that's the point! It's supposed to be punishment & some people even think it may be a deterrent. I don't think it's cruel/unusual - but frankly, I wouldn't have a problem even if it was.

No. They shouldn't have committed the crime. I am so sick of people being more concerned about the criminals than the victims and the families and don't most criminals get out more than 1 hour a day unless they are in solitary for cases like child sexual abuse and then I think they should not be allowed to be locked up 23 a day. They should be placed in general with everyone else 24 hours a day. Maybe then we could protect our children from these monsters because someone would kill them. Bring on the Drs

No, I don't feel sorry for them...and no, I don't think it's cruel and unusual punishment: they did the crime; they can do the time!

I feel sorry that some people make life choices that end up depriving them of their freedom, but I don't feel a lot of pity for having to be in prison.

Solitary confinement IS cruel & unusual punishment and NOT reserved for the worst of the worst.

Locking up a person for 23 hours a day increases their mental instability. It makes them more angry and more dangerious when they get out. Many times our jail system has become a substitute mental heath facility. It would be cheaper to treat them in a halfway house than lock them up. Besides locking all inmates up together just lets them share information and makes them a better criminal.

What could be wrong with being alone for such an extended time like a monk. Enlightenment could be around the corner..

Yes I do.How in earth is one going to be rehabilitated by locking them up by themselves.If tax dollars are used to put them behind bars there should be group therapy,Psychiatrists and other mental health care people changing these peoples lives.Otherwise putting them in cages,then letting them out with no change in their character is a waste of money and a life.It turns into a revolving leading to nowhere.

It is not something I would like to do. But I have mixed views as to whether it should serve as a punishment. Prisons can be places of rehabilitation, but they can also be places of education - in the ways of crime! So in some regards, locking prisoners up removes contact with other prisoners - hardly a positive influence. I am also not so sure whether I would like to see such a range of prison therapies on offer - yes, we should rehabilitate the offender, but it seems to me that the offenders have greater investment in their future than in the future of the victims. Is being locked up crueler than losing a life? Well, that is what some victims have had as their punishment - and some families receive a life sentence of grief and loss while the perpetrator lives a life of therapy, good food, exercise, tv, movies etc. I sometimes wonder where the punishment inn prison actually is. The society in prison, the other prisoners form a microcosm - they have their own rules, their own pecking order, their own slang, their own self-policing, their own judgements on each other. Is that a good thing? Maybe spending a greater time locked away would prevent such behaviours. I don't know...

Yes, I do. You wouldn't lock a vicious dog in a cage for the rest of his life. It would be cruel to the dog and dangerous for whoever had to feed him and clean up after him. Plus, if he managed to escape the cage when the door was open, he'd be a danger to the public at large. I think that is also true of vicious humans. I truthfully think that the death penalty is a more humane punishment and it renders that vicious human harmless, so that he can't harm other prisoners who are in there for much less serious crimes, as well as prison employees.

Well....Depends on what they did. Most of them know what they do is gonna get em put into MAX...but they do it anyways. So...whatever. Gives em time to think.

I do feel sorry for them, but it is neither cruel nor unusual.* If anything, their access to exercise, games, television and such means they don't get the full punishment in the first place. . Moreover, punishment is not the only reason they are in jail. They are also in jail to prevent them (or at least try to) from doing again whatever it was that got them there in the first place. They are also there to let the victim (assuming a victim) know that the wrong done them has been addressed. This is important because if the state didn't act individuals would invent justice themselves and it wouldn't be pretty. _________________________________________________ *Prison rape and beatings, however ARE cruel and unusual and any guard that allows that to happen should be tried and convicted of a crime. Moreover, the state has no business jailing anyone if they can't assure that person a reasonable amount of safety.

I feel for the victims that have to deal with the consequences those bastards are putting them through for the rest of their lives.

No and no more cruel and unusual than what they did to get there. If you can't do the time; don't do the crime!

Nope. Not sorry at all. The theme to Baretta pretty much says it all: . .

Nope... Those are (super max or) maximum prisons. Those guys are in there for the specific reason that they can't be trusted in a general prison population, getting into fights and killing without conscious. I have no sympathy for them.

No....and we need to start killing the people on death row. I don't see where all this money is needed.

Why don't you aske their victims? The ones that are still alive, that is.

Not at all. I feel sorry for the victims of their crimes.

I don't feel sorry for them and I don't find it cruel and unusual punishment. Repeat offenders must not find it too bad, they usually waste little time in being sent back.

I'm going to jail in a couple of weeks - probably for 6 months. I know it's not prison but the thoughts of being in a cell for 23 hours wrecks my head. I know for me that one of the things that will be hardest is being stuck in a cell for hours - I like being outside. I think it is cruel to keep a person looked up in a cell - like a cage - for that long.

Yes I do, when i see these men who were hardworking people who had good jobs. In the heat of the moment made a bad mistake. I feel bad for Justin Volpe and Chuck schwartz. Even though chuck has been released from prison he went through a lot. I hope Justins 30 year sentence should be reduced. Being a New york city is a stress ful job as is. I whish both of them well

It is cruel and unusal punishment. Everyone deserves a second chance

No i don't feel sorry for them, it's probably better, gives them more time to contemplate their crimes. Ideally, yes, they should probably have a bit more time out of the cell, but no i don't feel sorry for them, if you can't do the time don't do the crime.

No not at all!!

No I dont.

no since so many in jail are repeat we must not be making prison hard enough otherwise why commit a crime and go back ? +5

kind of but you are locked up for a reason I have worked in prisons and jails and have had plenty of friends and family such as my mother and best friend but I still believe if you deserve to be locked up then you should be LOCKED up

Yes. Mainly because of the number of innocent men and women who are exonerated and released after years in prison. Not only are the guilty subjected to this, but the innocent too.

Yes I do sometimes. Everyone deserves a second chance. I beleive people do and say things in the heat of the moment... and dont think of the consequences.

No and No

No not really.

yes i do everyone deserves a second chance to redeem themselves people do and say things in the heat of the moment and dont realize the consequences.

no... they have to learn that actions have consequences i do however feel sorry for the innocent people that are locked there cuz of mistake

You're kidding right. You just don't find yourself locked up in solitary confinement by accident. The prison system makes every effort "NOT" to have to do that to individuals.

Believe it or not but there are ppl locked up for 23 hrs a day for commiting a crime that was less heinous than what other ppl did yet those ppl are in regular population.I believe murderers who kill just for jollies,or child offenders -whichever abuse it may be,rapists,hard core criminals need to be locked up 23 hrs a day..But many who are locked up for such a period of time are ppl who have severe mental disorders who commited crimes while in a fit of rage & being caged up 23 hrs a day is cruel.When these inmates are taken outside for their rec module of 1 hr/they are handcuffed,shackled,and are caged in so its not like they are actually getting any rec at all.No exercising & stuff like that.They pace this outside cage like wild animals.So how are these inmates supposed to be reformed in prison?

Ask this question to the parents of a son or daughter that was raped and killed by this person. You know what their answer will be.

They may say that prison is ment to reform, and i suppose thats somewhat true as you come out completely different, but not for the better. I believe prison is like a more like a oubliette(place of forgetting). Granted its not so bad they just throw you in and throw away the key and never come back, but its pretty damm bad, they put people in there so they wont interact with the rest of society, they dont care about reform. Granted there are many that deserve this, but there are quite a few that dont, they are the ones i feel sorry for.