Thanks for posting that site. I already figured out most of the ways they make money. Didn't realize some.

Think about this. Most prisons seems to be located in smaller communities. Those communities thrive off that prison being there. They employ hundreds of local people. They also provide business to many companies in those towns. From gas stations to restaurants to retail establishments. We all go to them while in their towns.

If those prisons, even some of them closed, or downsized, the economy of those towns would plummet. So why do they keep prisons overcrowded? This is exactly why.

In other words people are put there that don't belong in prison. Sentences are made longer than necessary to keep those prisons full. All at our expense.

The states and federal government need to look at another picture. Us as families, suffer. Many of us lose jobs because we lose someone we love to prison. We get depressed, we have to take time off to take care of our sick kids because our back up is in prison. We have to figure out ways to survive. If we can't, we have to ask for assistance from our local counties or state agencies. Such as for food stamps ( foodshare here), public housing assistance, public paid daycare help, assistance with subsidized housing.

What our country does not just to the " criminal", but to their families should be thought about, and shouldn't BE at all.

There are other cheaper alternatives for many charges, but you don't see those happening much.

Some don't belong in prison at all. They may have done nothing, but arrested anyway. OR they sure don't need punishment of prison for being addicted to alcohol. They need treatment.

Mine is an alcoholic because it is genetic. His whole family were alcoholics or are. He is also bi polar and the med's make him feel groggy and sick, so he uses alcohol instead.

He suffers from depression. He is sick with a medical reason. He shouldn't be incarcerated for that. He should be sent to get help, and made to stick to the program.

No one has done that. Prison has always been the answer for him. So his life has been ruined in so many ways. They took a promising man and made him a criminal by their terms. They didn't see he needed help, not prison.

I'm not big on complaining. This situation exists only because we allow it to exist. There are many issues that were once huge problems and now are reduced to a shadow of their former selves.

If this issue bothers you, become active! There are a large number of advocacy groups targeting all aspects of the criminal justice system. Use Google to find groups most aligned with your personal views and get off the couch!

The great deception is your word or action doesn't make a difference. We have become a slothful people. If the fix isn't quick or easy we lose heart. These institutions were built over decades and they won't change over night. It takes commitment.

Spend some time becoming informed on the issues, particularly local issues and take action! If you have time to post on this site, you have time to write a letter to the editor of your local paper, write to your representative or write to your friends! If you don't have money to donate, call them and ask how you can help with time.

Trust me, there is something you can do! Start today.

I was under the assumption that we really can't make a difference. That government won't allow us to do anything. I would certainly push for changes.

I don't even know how to start to look up places that will make a difference. And the majority of the population that doesn't have someone in prison is so against " criminals" they sure wouldn't care or vote for a politician that would try to make changes. Politicians thrive on winning, and helping criminals is not something that helps them win their elections.

I will look up groups, if you can tell me what to look up that would be helpful.

I just got started looking them up. Found one called Justice for All. But it seems it is for victim's, not our people in prison. Interesting thing was when I click on Wisconsin to get onto their site, it goes right to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and then says ACCESS DENIED... not a surprise. Still checking.

There is a place nearby called Restorative Justice. I am going to stop in their office today to see if they actually help on this end. I know they have meetings with victims, and some that they have Drunk Drivers come to meetings with MADD or others that are victims of drunk drivers. I want to see their take on this side of it. I know that they push for alternatives to incarceration. The lady was surprised my guy had never gotten drug court. Said he certainly qualified. Yet, when taken to court, they decided he did not qualify and sent him right to prison.

She said his PO should have suggested drug court, or treatment, and I told her she never had.

I am going to contact this site. he Western Prison Project (WPP)
825 NE 20th Avenue. #250
Portland, OR 97232
Phone: 1-503-335-8449
Fax: 1-503-232-1922
E-mail: info@westernprisonproject.org
Website: www.westernprisonproject.org
Exists to create progressive reform of the prison and criminal justice systems, leading to mass deincarceration, community-based alternatives to incarceration, and social and economic justice for communities disproportionately targeted by the criminal justice system. Works within a seven state region of the West: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada.
Includes the organizations newsletter and free publications. Also provides prison-related info for each of the seven states the organization deals with. One must join to become involved in the WPP. -LEM
Emphasizes the disproportionate punishments within the system and presses individuals to increase their awareness. -KMR
This site is good because they work with people that has convicted of crime. JFC

Unfortunately they don't work with Wisconsin prison's but they may tell me who to contact.

LeafMinistry,

You said, "If this issue bothers you, become active! There are a large number of advocacy groups targeting all aspects of the criminal justice system. Use Google to find groups most aligned with your personal views and get off the couch!"

If anyone has been around these boards for any length of time, they know that I am about as active as I can get. Nobody fights these laws harder or with more passion that I do.

I don't feel it is necessary for me to go into detail what I do every day, but trust me, it is plenty in an effort to help the cause and make life better for all the families here.

I did not post the information regarding the economics of mass incarceration to complain either. It was merely to point out the many ways that the prison system violates families.

I am not sure what "get off the couch" means, but if anyone thinks I am a whiner and complainer and I just want to sit around and do nothing, they are entirely wrong.

rewdiazepam

LeafMinistry,

I did not mean to come off combative or mean-spirited toward you or anyone on this forum.

You are correct in that we need to make our voices heard.

I apologize if I acted hastily, but two of my friends are mothers that just had their sons convicted for very long terms for sex crimes. One conviction was for 160 years and the other for 90 years.

rewdiazepam

Rew, you are awesome. You help us so much. No you of all people are not a whiner or who just lays on the couch doing nothing. You don't have to be on here to help us, but you give it your all and do everything to ease our minds and explain things to us.

rewdiazepam - First, let me start by laughing. Prison Ministry is what I do in my spare time. I'm in sales by day. I take very little personally and that is especially true in a media such as this one. To strangers, my skin is so thick it would take an anti-tank missile to crack it. No insult taken, so no apology needed. We're good!

When I wrote my comment I was really thinking of those reading your comment and possibly sitting on the fence and needing some encouragement. I'm going to make a generalization that most people who did follow your link, read it, and then did nothing with the information accept agree this is a bad situation. Most people like to talk about a problem, but very few people actually do anything. That's for someone else.

The big myth is we are powerless. We aren't powerless, we're just silent. I challenge anyone reading this to pick a topic your passion about and write a letter to your editor or engage your community in the comment section of your local news media's website.

George

I really need to log in under a new name. My personal opinion is not necessarily in alignment with the group I'm with. It's not fair to them.

This group may also like this newly published study on the growing trend towards for profit video meetings.

I think for many that must drive hundreds of miles for a visit, this may be a blessing. I like the idea behind the technology and it should be available. However, it does not need to be poor quality or excessively expensive. It definitely shouldn't be the replacement for a face-to-face visit. Many services offer video conferencing and it is nowhere near the price of what they charge here. Heck look at Skype!

I don't oppose companies making a profit on this. There is probably more involved with this then what we know, but still family-inmate visitation should NOT be a profit center.

http://nicic.gov/library/029678

Now that you have this information, what are you going to do with it.
Some thoughts....

1.) write a letter to your local editor and get a conversation going.

2.) write a letter to the FCC. (Its how phone call rates got lowered. It took time, but it worked! )

3.) write to the warden.

4.) write to the head of the department of corrections.

5.) write your govenor.

6.) Circulate this information to others.

7.) Blog about it.

8.) Pray about it.

Just don't sleep on it!