Major exaggeration on Sixty Minutes - German prison system as a valid template for the US to try to emulate

Murderers are in jail in Germany, but no keys or locks on the cell doors, they get out on week-ends to go have ice-cream with their family, and they often have part-time jobs outside of the prison.   

The German prison cells shown on 60 Minutes are more cushy than living conditions of many in the US. Private bathrooms, personally decorated cells, the cells have doors with no keys.   

Prison cell below for an incorrigible murderer, who is unlikely to ever be released:

The German system is "nice" to the inmates, with a focus on rehabilitation. No focus in Germany on retribution for their crimes.   

And of course the liberal media like CBS focuses on one of the key reasons that they explain this is possible in Germany - different gun laws. More restrictions on the ability of citizens to get guns in Germany, is used as an explanation of why prisons in Germany are more like country clubs than jails. The liberal media does not like the second amendment. They would like it to be repealed or ignored.

Inserted into the 2018 version of the CBS news story was this little tidbit: "The German prison model is starting to break down for cases of Muslim prisoners, which are an increasing percentage of convicted Germans." Please read that again. The comment went by very fast in the news piece. But it is important enough that you should slow down and re-read.

"The German prison model is starting to break down for cases of Muslim prisoners, which are an increasing percentage of convicted Germans." 

Why does this German model not translate to the US, despite what liberal left wing socialist media and CBS would like you to believe:   

1)        20% of all prisoners in federal incarceration are illegal immigrants. They are often from vicious gangs, but even when not gang members they don't blend into the general population. The German model won't work until US solves the major issue of illegal immigration on the Southern border.

2)       There is an evil and violent culture among some in the black community, linked to but not restricted to hip hop and rap artists and a culture of lawlessness which is worshiped in certain segments of the larger community (references below). Those prisoners are not going to fit into a prison system like Germany's where "turning the other cheek" is the norm. There are certain violent segments of society where "eye for an eye" is the only realistic treatment plan.

What could we learn in the US from the German prison system, and apply to the benefit of all US citizens:

1) stop the extended incarcerations for minor drug offenses. Way too expensive to store human beings in a prison cell for 15 or 20 years, for minor drug possession of marijuana. We need to do away with the mandatory minimum federal sentence guidelines. Most of theses existing laws were championed by Democrats, who were trying to portray themselves as not being soft on crime. As always, they never thought about the side effects and unintended consequences of their law making.

2) stop the extended incarcerations for "three strikes and you are out" offenses. In practice, these minimum sentence guidelines are not achieving the desired outcome. Significant rework needed to these laws. Most of theses existing laws were championed by Democrats, who were trying to portray themselves as not being soft on crime.  As always, they never thought about the side effects and unintended consequences of their law making.

Is there a bi-partisan path forward on changing these laws?  Yes.

Democrats who want to curry favor with minority communities can get together with Republicans that want to restore financial sanity in Washington, could get together and right a lot of historic wrongs that were done by excessive minimum federal sentencing guidelines and three strikes and you are out laws.

STEEM On !!

DaveB

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/04/a-timeline-of-the-rise-and-fall-of-tough-on-crime-drug-sentencing/360983/

https://www.mtvlaw.com/mandatory-minimum-sentencing-for-federal-drug-offenses/

https://www.city-journal.org/html/how-hip-hop-holds-blacks-back-12442.html

http://www.thefader.com/2017/05/09/rap-culture-respect-black-women-roundtable

https://www.correctionsone.com/ethics/articles/169566187-Video-60-Minutes-explores-German-prison-model-as-possible-solution-to-US-prison-issues/   

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/21/us/undocumented-immigrants-crimes.html