America the not-so-helpful

Before reading those articles about jails and watching that "30 Days" episode, I had no idea how little jail really does. In fact, I really think it really is a waste of time because most of the inmates will be back multiple times in their life. Doesn't this send a message? Doesn't this tell us that we're doing something wrong? We lock people up for years, treating them almost like animals, and let them go, expecting them to be able to adapt to a completely different world and without any help. Since around half of the inmates in federal prisons are in for drug-related issues, jails need to be more than just a place they stay and eat and sleep. Drug addiction is a serious problem - people cannot help themselves and shouldn't be expected to! Locking them up does absolutely nothing. Even for those prisoners who are in for violent crimes should be helped. There should be some way to help them learn about what they did wrong, why it was wrong, what they can do to improve their lives and what's going on in the world when they get out. Being released from jail after thirty years cannot be easy - it's a completely different world! And with no help, the convicts will just fall right back into their old habits. It's such a corrupt system and it is so sad that the United States is doing nothing to help the people who need it most.