Oklahoma County is currently planning a new jail to replace the deadliest jail in the US that currently operates in Oklahoma City.
It would benefit both the public and the alleged perpetrators far more if we replaced our traditional “correctional” facilities with cashless self sustaining farms/ranches.
Ran by mental health professionals and volunteers in exchange for other services (ie a mechanic could volunteer in a lube shop training the patients for x amount of hours per week in exchange for milk and veggies)
The programs could range from crop tending and milking cows to fishing and gardening.
Each patient could have their own living quarters with common areas for kitchens and bathrooms.
It could operate on a point system where stage 1 is more structured requiring certain meetings/classes and stage 3 has more privileges like gardening and fishing and 4 being more of a sober living/halfway house option. Making art and using it to barter with or simple instruments for creating music etc to develop a sense of pride and accomplishment. Requirements for sone type worship/meditation x times per week and the ability to decide and create groups.
Daycare programs for both patients with small children and as a way to replace daycare assistance. Stop the separation of families for insignificant infractions.
The oppertunites are limitless with this it just need a balance of trained professionals and experienced volunteers.
The volunteer process for as many roles as possible because this offers the people of the community full transparency to the public while limiting oppertunity for deep corruption of long time employees without any oversight.
I believe every human suffering deeply enough to harm themselves or people around them should be afforded an oppertunity to heal and guidance in doing so.
They should be seen as patients in need of restoration. Evaluated by a physician and mental health specialist to determine their program/routine and level. Each patient should also be able to choose an advocate and be assigned a random advocate (volunteer)
This could be done for so many different communities and solve the struggle of people in poverty struggling with addiction, young parents trying to afford a safe place to live or foster care children who shouldnt grow up in a simulation of a prison. With the right processes, transparency and qualified professionals, we could heal entire communities.
Make one for mental health only, single parents, etc etc