Is prison the answer?

[Rembrandt Brown]

​

I admit I can't spell for shit
I admit that all I hear is hits
I admit I couldn't read the teleprompter
When the Grammy's asked me to present
...
They tryna lock me up like Bill
How much can a nigga take?
How much can a nigga pray?
Just wanna do my music, stop stressin' me
Please just let me age gracefully
...
I admit it, however since the first day
That without knowin', I signed my publishin' away
I admit it, I was young and caught up and so blind, yeah
Said I had dyslexia, couldn't read all the contracts, yeah
...
Now, I admit a family member touched me
From a child to the age 14
While I laid asleep, took my virginity
So scared to say something, so I just put the blame on me
Now here I am, and I'm tryin' my best, to be honest
'Cause the sources out there tryna keep me from bein' an artist
I admit I'm at rock bottom
And this shit has rocked my mind​

Is the best way for society to handle R Kelly throwing him in prison? I don't know what percentage of the abused go on to be abusers-- that really is unknowable. Do those victims who continue the cycle need to be removed from society?

You could apply the same to Michael Jackson. But what of Bill Cosby, who R Kelly compares himself to in the song? If being a victim is an excuse, couldn't any abuser claim to be a victim?

Or is there another way to address these issues other than prison? Are there other issues-- domestic disputes, assault, theft, etc-- where prison is used but there could be an alternative path?

"Throw them away. Get rid of them. And if you get rid of them, then we don't have to think them. And if we don't have to think about them, then we don't need to think about the problems that they have."

​

 

[tallblacknyc]

This is how Russia handled 1 of their most infamous pedo/serial killers

 

[mcguyver]

I wouldn't be surprised if dude commits suicide.

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

"R Kelly was raped by his grandfather, his older brother and his sister."

It all makes sense now, she broke it all the way down.

All the adults and older siblings in R Kelly's life sexually abused him.

He's a special ed student who to this day has the intellect of a teenager.

He grew up in the projects in the crack era where all the adults around him were strung out.

He had no chance. Even with the fame and fortune, he has ALWAYS remained in a teenage state mentally.

This is just sad all the way around.

It's easy to hate and obliterate, it's hard to heal...

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

Michelle Knight speaks out about Ariel Castro: 'It wasn't his fault'
MORGAN GIORDANO, AOL.COM
Oct 20th 2014

CHARDON, Ohio -- Michelle Knight, in her first live local interview before an audience, spoke Sunday afternoon about learning to forgive her captor of 11 years, Ariel Castro, and of how she now feels peace in her life.

"At first I hated him," Knight said of Castro during a one-hour interview with radio personality Mark Nolan at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School. "But I went through therapy and realized it hadn't been his fault. He had a disease."

It wasn't until about a year and a half after her rescue from Castro's Seymour Avenue home on May 6, 2013 that she reached a breakthrough.

"I was able to say his name, Ariel Castro," she said. "I was able to forgive him."

Before that, she had referred to Castro as "that dude."

Knight was held captive in Castro's house along with Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus.

Knight, who had lived alone for a time after leaving her family, and then told of living with a drug dealer, was lured into Castro's home in August of 2002, at age 21, by the promise of a puppy for her son.

"As I was going up the steps," she said of being inside Castro's home, "I couldn't hear a puppy. There was no puppy."

Knight, who now prefers to go by the name "Lilly," said she knew she was in trouble immediately after Castro closed the door behind her in a room inside the house.

"He said he was only going to keep me a little while as a friend," she said. "I knew he was lying, but what could I do?"

Knight said that when she asked Castro why he had kidnapped her, he replied, "I am a sex addict and I cannot control myself."

That addiction is the disease to which she had referred when she spoke of forgiving Castro. While living in the house, Knight said, "I just thought of myself as a punching bag because that's all he did to me."

When asked her thoughts about Castro's prison suicide on Sept. 3, 2103, one month into his life sentence, Knight said, "I felt very appalled by it, but I understood. I don't condone what he did."

Knight then received applause, as she did several times during the interview, when she said she hoped for the best for Castro's family.

Much of the interview centered on Knight's life since her rescue. As she sat for the interview, Knight wore a cast on her lower right leg. Knight said she was hurt when a horse for which she was caring stepped on her foot.

"A lot of people who have contacted me through Facebook see me as an inspiration," she said. "It means the world to me and it is an honor to help everybody I can."

Knight has written a book titled "Finding Me," and autographed copies of the book after taking questions from the audience.

"If you're getting abused," Knight told the approximately 300 people in attendance, "don't wait, get help."

The message was significant in that the interview was a program of Friends of WomenSafe, a non-profit organization that raises money to support WomenSafe - a shelter for victims of domestic violence.

"For me, she is an inspiration," said a Wickliffe woman, a victim of domestic violence, who attended the show with her sister. "I had a hard time keeping it together while she was talking. I had to be here today."

"It was inspiring," said Burton resident Maureen Foldesi, "how she is so forgiving and overcame so much."

Audience members learned that Knight likes to cook and that she draws, sings and writes songs. She wrote a lot while in Castro's house, something she said helped her in not letting her captivity break her.

Knight got a laugh from the crowd when speaking about author Stephen King.

"I love Stephen King and all of his novels," she said before pausing and considering her past situation. "That might be a little weird right now."

When Nolan asked who is Knight's inspiration, she replied, "Celine Dion and her beautiful music. I met her once and she's a beautiful woman. I met her in Las Vegas and I got to sing 'My Heart Will Go On' to her."

Of her philosophy on life, Knight said, "God put us on earth for one reason, to do his work."

Showing her resilience, Knight added about herself, "I'm a strong and powerful woman. I say what I mean and I don't take any crap from anybody."

In the end, Knight said her time in captivity has made her stronger and has allowed her to better know herself.

"The situation (Castro) put me in didn't define me," she said. "I choose to live a meaningful life."

 

[REDLINE]

Regardless of whatever you went through in life, one has to pay for their actions.

 

[REDLINE]

Michelle Knight speaks out about Ariel Castro: 'It wasn't his fault'
MORGAN GIORDANO, AOL.COM
Oct 20th 2014

CHARDON, Ohio -- Michelle Knight, in her first live local interview before an audience, spoke Sunday afternoon about learning to forgive her captor of 11 years, Ariel Castro, and of how she now feels peace in her life.

"At first I hated him," Knight said of Castro during a one-hour interview with radio personality Mark Nolan at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School. "But I went through therapy and realized it hadn't been his fault. He had a disease."

It wasn't until about a year and a half after her rescue from Castro's Seymour Avenue home on May 6, 2013 that she reached a breakthrough.

"I was able to say his name, Ariel Castro," she said. "I was able to forgive him."

Before that, she had referred to Castro as "that dude."

Knight was held captive in Castro's house along with Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus.

Knight, who had lived alone for a time after leaving her family, and then told of living with a drug dealer, was lured into Castro's home in August of 2002, at age 21, by the promise of a puppy for her son.

"As I was going up the steps," she said of being inside Castro's home, "I couldn't hear a puppy. There was no puppy."

Knight, who now prefers to go by the name "Lilly," said she knew she was in trouble immediately after Castro closed the door behind her in a room inside the house.

"He said he was only going to keep me a little while as a friend," she said. "I knew he was lying, but what could I do?"

Knight said that when she asked Castro why he had kidnapped her, he replied, "I am a sex addict and I cannot control myself."

That addiction is the disease to which she had referred when she spoke of forgiving Castro. While living in the house, Knight said, "I just thought of myself as a punching bag because that's all he did to me."

When asked her thoughts about Castro's prison suicide on Sept. 3, 2103, one month into his life sentence, Knight said, "I felt very appalled by it, but I understood. I don't condone what he did."

Knight then received applause, as she did several times during the interview, when she said she hoped for the best for Castro's family.

Much of the interview centered on Knight's life since her rescue. As she sat for the interview, Knight wore a cast on her lower right leg. Knight said she was hurt when a horse for which she was caring stepped on her foot.

"A lot of people who have contacted me through Facebook see me as an inspiration," she said. "It means the world to me and it is an honor to help everybody I can."

Knight has written a book titled "Finding Me," and autographed copies of the book after taking questions from the audience.

"If you're getting abused," Knight told the approximately 300 people in attendance, "don't wait, get help."

The message was significant in that the interview was a program of Friends of WomenSafe, a non-profit organization that raises money to support WomenSafe - a shelter for victims of domestic violence.

"For me, she is an inspiration," said a Wickliffe woman, a victim of domestic violence, who attended the show with her sister. "I had a hard time keeping it together while she was talking. I had to be here today."

"It was inspiring," said Burton resident Maureen Foldesi, "how she is so forgiving and overcame so much."

Audience members learned that Knight likes to cook and that she draws, sings and writes songs. She wrote a lot while in Castro's house, something she said helped her in not letting her captivity break her.

Knight got a laugh from the crowd when speaking about author Stephen King.

"I love Stephen King and all of his novels," she said before pausing and considering her past situation. "That might be a little weird right now."

When Nolan asked who is Knight's inspiration, she replied, "Celine Dion and her beautiful music. I met her once and she's a beautiful woman. I met her in Las Vegas and I got to sing 'My Heart Will Go On' to her."

Of her philosophy on life, Knight said, "God put us on earth for one reason, to do his work."

Showing her resilience, Knight added about herself, "I'm a strong and powerful woman. I say what I mean and I don't take any crap from anybody."

In the end, Knight said her time in captivity has made her stronger and has allowed her to better know herself.

"The situation (Castro) put me in didn't define me," she said. "I choose to live a meaningful life."

I’m happy that she’s doing better but to say it wasn’t his fault is foolish and wrong.

 

[tallblacknyc]

"R Kelly was raped by his grandfather, his older brother and his sister."





It's easy to hate and obliterate, it's hard to heal...

maybe a bullet to the back of his head will be a reset button for him... Maybe he can do this life over... Maybe in another universe he made better decisions

 

[CptMARVEL]

In the case of R. Kelly, prison isn't the only answer.

I prefer to think of it as being the 1st step in his process of ending the long cycle of mental, emotional and sexual abuse that he himself suffered from and then ultimately inflicted on multiple, multiple underage girls and women....

It's also partial atonement for the crimes he's committed against these women....

 

[Dannyblueyes]

Let's start by getting rid of these insane sentences. Roll everything back to 1975 punishments.

 

[Costanza]

Now, I admit a family member touched me

From a child to the age 14

While I laid asleep, took my virginity​

It all makes sense now, she broke it all the way down.

All the adults and older siblings in R Kelly's life sexually abused him.

He's a special ed student who to this day has the intellect of a teenager.

He grew up in the projects in the crack era where all the adults around him were strung out.

He had no chance. Even with the fame and fortune, he has ALWAYS remained in a teenage state mentally.

This is just sad all the way around.

R. Kelly’s Daughter Claims Singer Sexually Abused Her As A Child: “I Didn’t Even Want To Believe That It Happened”

R. Kelly's daughter, Buku Abi, has accused the singer of sexual abuse new documentary, 'R. Kelly's Karma: A Daughter's Journey.'

www.vibe.com

The crooner’s daughter, Buku Abi, revealed a dark childhood secret involving her father in the new TVEI documentary R Kelly’s Karma: A Daughter’s Journey.

She reveals in the first episode that she was abused, but did not go into grave detail. In the second episode, she opens up more and says that when she was eight or nine years old, she woke up to the “Same Girl” singer inappropriately touching her. “I didn’t know what to do, so I just kind of laid there, and I pretended to be asleep,” she said. “He was my everything. For a long time, I didn’t even want to believe that it happened. I didn’t know that even if he was a bad person that he would do something to me. I was too scared to tell anybody. I was too scared to tell my mom.”

“I really feel like that one millisecond completely just changed my whole life and changed who I was as a person and changed the sparkle I had and the light I used to carry,” Buku Abi said of the traumatic experience. “After I told my mom, I didn’t go over there anymore; my brother [Robert] and sister [Jaah], we didn’t go over there anymore. And even up until now I struggle with it a lot.”

Abi did not tell her mother until she was 10 years old, which led to them eventually going to the police and filing a report under “Jane Doe.” However, authorities were unable to prosecute him because they “waited too long,” so she felt as though she “said something for nothing.”

...

Buku Abi also described how what she endured led to her ideating suicide. “I just got to a point where I didn’t care anymore. I didn’t care if I lived or died,” she said. “I remember one day, my mom and I, we went to Target and I had to use the bathroom. We went to the bathroom and she came out and I was washing my hands and she saw that my wrists were all cut up, and she just immediately dropped everything, and she was asking like, ‘What’s going on? Are you OK?’”

Despite struggling with what happened to her to this day, she does believe that jail is a “well-suited place” for R. Kelly, who was convicted of racketeering, sex trafficking, child pornography, and more. His other children agreed, with Robert Jr. saying “If you don’t want to go to jail, don’t do sh*t that gets you locked up.” Jaah added his own take with the commonly used phrase “You make your bed, you lay in it.”

The imprisoned artist’s lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, shared a statement with PEOPLE that denied Abi’s allegations. “Mr. Kelly vehemently denies these allegations,” she wrote. “His ex-wife made the same allegation years ago, and it was investigated by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services and was unfounded…. And the ‘filmmakers,’ whoever they are, did not reach out to Mr. Kelly or his team to even allow him to deny these hurtful claims.”

 

[Texas Catdaddy]

This is how Russia handled 1 of their most infamous pedo/serial killers

this movie was the shyt .....

 

[34real]

• 
  Prison is necessary but we need major reform

We need prisons or things would be so out of control it wouldn't be safe for most of us but sometimes prison isn't the answer for people who commit petty crimes and some mentally challenged people because it doesn't reform hardly anyone,it's just a holding place for them until their free to do what they want.

Every prisoner isn't the same and they all should be treated different because some are dangerous and will always be dangerous,some will always break the rules no matter where they're at and that's why we have prisons to hold those type of people who will always do wrong to someone else,some establishment or the place where their located.

They need to reform prisons,cause even inside you have people who are being taken advantage of by other criminals and that can do more damage to someone who might not be a stonecold criminal/killer/rapist.Also the places where prisons are located and the people allowed to work in the prisons need to change cause they have a history of being more criminal than the people their paid to guard,oversee.



After prison,what is there for the prisoners after prison?The one's who have spend decades in prison and choose to educate themselves come home and live pretty straight lives but I also understand that most also don't have their youth anymore to do some of the things they had done when they were young and decades of doing hardtime changes people because of what they knew before prison is no longer there after prison which could be good but most times bad for that prisoner and maybe he or she might need more support than your average prisoner who has served less time.

 

[illdog]

Name of the game has never truly been to rehabilitate but...Punish/control/use people on the bottom as tools by creating a permanent convict/prison class..to generate elite profit thru prisoner warehousing/labor/management. Slavery by another name...?

 

[Costanza]

Now, I admit a family member touched me
From a child to the age 14

History repeating:

“Kanye West took to X to confess that he had a sexual relationship with his cousin until the rapper was 14.”

 

[Costanza]

 

[Costanza]

@DaMoistBi — you dumb bitch, I quoted myself to reference the previous post, I wasn’t conversing with myself. You are such an astoundingly dumb bitch.

 

[DaMostHy]

You lonely miserable hypocritical loser faggot. Even by your own words you are a faggot. Stay mad, faggot.

 

[Costanza]

You lonely miserable hypocritical loser faggot. Even by your own words you are a faggot. Stay mad, faggot.

I’m not arguing with retarded people in 2026.

 

[RoadRage]

What's the alternate solution? Come on, talk to me....

 

[Temujin]

What's the alternate solution? Come on, talk to me....

Rehabilitation and community integration. Paying for the housing and food for people to do nothing all day is ridiculous.

We have allowed prison to create it's own community which bleeds back into our community as they get released.

Deprogramming and restoration of Pride. DROP squad 2026.

 

[RoadRage]

Rehabilitation and community integration. Paying for the housing and food for people to do nothing all day is ridiculous.

We have allowed prison to create it's own community which bleeds back into our community as they get released.

Deprogramming and restoration of Pride. DROP squad 2026.

What would you do in these rehab centers that you think would change someone who is a rapist, serial killer, or is just a fucked up individual? How about repeat offenders? What about a gang member, who, as soon as they get out, you know, would have to get back in the game, because of all the dirt they did in the past?
For example, can you compose a cariculum that you think would correct this guy's behavior and make him a functional citizen in society?

As far as paying for housing, does this include people who refuse to work? How different is that from paying people not to work, and who is going to pay for it, the suckers that decide to work? Again come up with a statagy that pays people rent and food that doesn't come at the cost of people who do work.

 

[RoadRage]

That’s a strong, practical take—shifting focus earlier, toward education and family support, rather than waiting until things break down later.

A couple of quick thoughts that line up with what you’re saying:

• Early education can actually help lower later crime. There’s research on intensive early childhood programs showing reductions in criminal involvement later on, especially for disadvantaged kids. One study of an intensive program with long follow‑up found meaningful drops in criminal activity for participants, particularly among the least advantaged.
  So boosting logic, reading, science, math, and self‑control skills early isn’t just good for learning—it can ripple into safer outcomes down the line.
• Parent training and accountability also make sense as part of the solution. If parents are better supported and equipped to guide their kids’ learning and behavior, that can reduce the chance kids end up in trouble later. Requiring or strongly encouraging parent education—plus tying it to state support or funding in thoughtful ways—could reinforce the same early‑intervention idea you’re proposing for schools.
• Focus on prevention, not just punishment. Your point about it often being too late by the time someone reaches prison highlights why prevention and early support matter. Strengthening education and parenting support up front could reduce how many young people end up in that system in the first place.

If the goal is to reduce future harm and costs, it’s worth pushing for policies that invest in schools, early learning, and family support, not only tougher measures later. Your suggestion puts the emphasis exactly where many researchers and advocates say it can do the most good.

 

[Temujin]

What would you do in these rehab centers that you think would change someone who is a rapist, serial killer, or is just a fucked up individual? How about repeat offenders? What about a gang member, who, as soon as they get out, you know, would have to get back in the game, because of all the dirt they did in the past?
For example, can you compose a cariculum that you think would correct this guy's behavior and make him a functional citizen in society?

As far as paying for housing, does this include people who refuse to work? How different is that from paying people not to work, and who is going to pay for it, the suckers that decide to work? Again come up with a statagy that pays people rent and food that doesn't come at the cost of people who do work.

About 1% of the people in jail are actually evil. There is no rehabilitation for them. For everyone else their entire time spent in their reprogramming will be getting them ready to get back into the community in a positive way. Until then they stay isolated from the community. That isolation will be non-violent meaning they won't be subject to attack by guards or other inmates but at the same time they will be expected to be productive members of the prison community. We provide them opportunities to work for money, food, better living conditions etc. We treat rehabilitation more like society. The prison community should be run by prisoners.

As far as paying for housing, does this include people who refuse to work? How different is that from paying people not to work, and who is going to pay for it, the suckers that decide to work? Again come up with a statagy that pays people rent and food that doesn't come at the cost of people who do work.

I'm confused by this question. Currently we pay for inmates food an housing 100%. I would suggest we create jobs for inmates and business opportunities that help sustain the prison. There are millions-billions of dollars that flow through private prisons that the public never gets a cut of. The food sales, communications. If you allow prisoners to have businesses that get taxed prisons could be wholly self sufficient. There are millions of people in jail in America millions of hustlers. Given the opportunity to hustle they will hustle hard. Give them an opportunity to hustle legit they will and come out better for it.

 

[RoadRage]

About 1% of the people in jail are actually evil. There is no rehabilitation for them. For everyone else their entire time spent in their reprogramming will be getting them ready to get back into the community in a positive way. Until then they stay isolated from the community. That isolation will be non-violent meaning they won't be subject to attack by guards or other inmates but at the same time they will be expected to be productive members of the prison community. We provide them opportunities to work for money, food, better living conditions etc. We treat rehabilitation more like society. The prison community should be run by prisoners.

As far as paying for housing, does this include people who refuse to work? How different is that from paying people not to work, and who is going to pay for it, the suckers that decide to work? Again come up with a statagy that pays people rent and food that doesn't come at the cost of people who do work.

I'm confused by this question. Currently we pay for inmates food an housing 100%. I would suggest we create jobs for inmates and business opportunities that help sustain the prison. There are millions-billions of dollars that flow through private prisons that the public never gets a cut of. The food sales, communications. If you allow prisoners to have businesses that get taxed prisons could be wholly self sufficient. There are millions of people in jail in America millions of hustlers. Given the opportunity to hustle they will hustle hard. Give them an opportunity to hustle legit they will and come out better for it.

This is not a moral issue of evil or good. It's more about forcing people to do something they don't want to do. My opinion is as soon as they start acting on it, then chances are it's too late, and instead of trying to save people who refuse to be saved, I'd spend more effort in making sure they never get to that level in the first place.
As far as paying them in jail, yeah, that's how jail works, and this is only an attractive option for homosexuals and criminals. While paying them before they get to jail can influence lazy people to take the shortcut and not apply themselves, which is the opposite direction we need to be heading,g towards.

 

[RoadRage]

As far as hustlers go, to me they are people who like taking the shortcut through life, many of them become killers, not because they are evil,l as you put it, but because they lack the self-discipline needed to apply themselves and work for the future. By giving them a gold parachute with the get out of jail for free card, because they are not evil. You create the byproduct of eliminating the one thing that prevents many other people of going down that path, that is fear of accountability for their choices, and for every hustler you rehabilitate with your program, you'd be inadvertently creating ten more that you'd have to deal with in the future.

 

[Temujin]

As far as hustlers go, to me they are people who like taking the shortcut through life, many of them become killers, not because they are evil,l as you put it, but because they lack the self-discipline needed to apply themselves and work for the future. By giving them a gold parachute with the get out of jail for free card, because they are not evil. You create the byproduct of eliminating the one thing that prevents many other people of going down that path, that is fear of accountability for their choices, and for every hustler you rehabilitate with your program, you'd be inadvertently creating ten more that you'd have to deal with in the future.

That is so far from my experience with hustlers throughout my life. The number one quality of a hustler is ambition. Ambition without opportunity leads to frustration and criminality. Ambition with greed creates an enticement for easy money. What happens when give a real hustler a real opportunity they will end up being car salesman of the year instead of drug dealer of the year.

If you are caught up on punishment as a deterrent then my plan ain't for you. One I don't believe punishment is a deterrent. Even after they go to jail it doesn't stop them from going back. The only punishment in my plan is isolation from society. The more you act a fool the more we isolate you. The more you act right the more you get to be integrated into a community.

You have to ask yourself the US spent 80billion last year on mass incarceration. What did you get for that? All we got was more prisoners. That shit did nothing for society. Massachusets pays $780/day per prisoner. Wrap your mind around that. I'm saying spend half that money. Take the other half spend it on education and healthcare.

Make education free.
Make healthcare free.
Universal basic income.
Rehabilitative prison system.
Decriminalize Drugs.

They all work together to lead to almost ZERO crime. We are in a chattel slavery system meant to work you to death. We created the need for prisons and we continue to do so. Stop believing you need prisons to keep you safe because they do the oppposite. They make you less safe and they influence the fear that makes you think you need cops and prisons.