Three Walls. A toilet seat. Mild steel bars and a lock accessible only to men the government calls authority figures. Prison systems are known for three things: protecting people, punishing the criminal, and rehabilitating the prisoner so that a crime is not committed further. However, it has caused ongoing controversy over whether or not it has stripped citizens of their acquired rights or actually helped them become “better” for society. For centuries, prisons have attempted to enforce good behavior through various methods of punishment, some more severe than others. There are different types of punishment that include “corporal punishment, public humiliation, penal servitude, and banishment for more serious crimes, as well as capital punishment” (Linklater, V). The most severe punishments ask the question: “Did this go too far?” and is the deprivation of a criminal's rights and humanity justified by his response to protect people? Is justice really served? While prison systems are intense and the experience is certainly one of a kind, it does little to help them as statistics show that “two out of five inmates nationwide return to prison within three years of release” (Ascharya, K). of people entering prison systems nationwide is increasing exponentially. Often, it is due to the living conditions they return to, such as the same poverty, limited prospects and minimal network connections, which push them to turn to crime to survive. For obvious reasons, income is the solution to many of their problems that can only be achieved with their “by any means necessary” mentality. The prison has almost become a second home for the recurring prisoners and... middle of paper... among other things prison time would be provided. Anything that could ultimately contribute to an inmate's success is needed. Whether it's mandatory work and training, or curfews and other factors that benefit them. For sure, there are criminals who have no conscience guiding them as they walk these streets. For sure, there are sick people in the world who would rather molest a child before he reaches the age of majority, which is not justified. And they are certainly people who would act like God and take someone's life because they feel like it. It's the reality of society, however, we shouldn't incarcerate people for small things, instead we should help them as citizens. Works Cited Linklater, Veronica. "Veronica Linklater." Absolute astronomy. Absolute Astronomy and the Web. March 28, 2014. http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/01/31/us-injustices-filling-prisons