What Would Make a Criminal Want To Go Back To Jail?

[Rainman]

A woman who killed her husband [it was a self defense thing] turned herself in saying she'd murdered her husband, because she feared her husbands family would "get her."

It reminded me of something that happened in 2010. A convicted murderer upon being released from prison tried get back in [because the victims family was "out for blood"] but when jail officials told him they couldn't have him back in, he decided to climb in. He was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Maybe he had other reasons for desiring to stay in jail?

 

[thegrey1]

Probably "3 hots and a cot." For some people, it beats working.

 

[Rainman]

Could be. Why get out of jail to live on the street?

But if it were me, I wouldn't sacrifice my freedom for anything. There are lots of odd jobs one can do, make a little money to live on. However if someone has nothing left to live for . . . the slammer might be the perfect place for such a person.

 

[IshieVonDyson]

I was thinking along the same lines - you’ve got shelter, a place to sleep, and food without having to work for it. And apparently in certain prisons, you can have steak dinners.

 

[lushlala]

I once saw a documentary on UK prisons and there were a few prisoners who were well known to the prison officials because they kept re-offending and being re-arrested. When asked if they didn't want to be free and to turn over a new leaf, some of them were very upfront about the fact that they'd rather remain in prison because they didn't have to pay for any bills, lodgings and their upkeep. They felt that they were well looked after and actually had better quality life in the slammer, all without having to work for it. I just couldn't believe it. Some of them pulled the weirdest stunts to ensure they remained in prison!

 

[Shimus]

Some people just can't make something of themselves and would rather act indecently and sponge than try a legit hard work. After being on the receiving end of both hard work and being homeless/with no job, I can say it's much harder to start from nothing, with nothing - so people opt for the easy route, where they are taken care of - and heck, if they know the right people they can even live comfortably. So I guess that's why.

Or perhaps they went back because they truly weren't ready to be exposed to a world that doesn't want them after finally getting their 'freedom' again. The ex-convict stain is pretty hard to overcome in societies, but sometimes it's easy these days because it's state mandated (at least where I am) that ex-cons have a full or part time job and are trying to be "A productive member of society" which almost guarantees them a spot in any minimum wage job they want, over top of me who is just an average joe who's never done anything wrong (in the police's eyes, anyways )

It's hard for anyone to find a job in the US these days, but people make do. I even have, being homeless with nary a skill set to put on a resume nobody wants you. Thus being relegated into slave labour.

Which is why I've started working online. Most people don't realize there are tons of sites that can make you real world money (most all deal with paypal) and justify it that way, but at least I'm trying. These people just go back in to avoid any responsibility and I can't feel sorry for that.

 

[Diane Lane]

Some of those who re-offend because they want to go back, seem to feel a sense of camaraderie with their fellow inmates. I can see how if you come from an abusive or neglectful home, that might seem very familiar, and therefore, safe. Lots of kids join gangs for a sense of belonging, a sense of family that they don't seem to get from their blood families, if they have them. If you think about abused women (not saying there aren't abused men, but I haven't studied them, since they're less frequent, or at least report less frequently), they often leave, find it took difficult to start from scratch, as @Shimus pointed out, and end up returning to the abuser. I've seen it happen with friends and family, as well. No matter how much information, resources, and support I would provide, they invariably went back at least once. We can become attuned to most situations, and many of us don't welcome change, so it can seem like a better alternative to stay in a less than optimal situation that's familiar, rather than leaving and facing the unknown.

 

[bala]

Food security and no need to work.Everything a top notch business man slogs for.I mean these prisoners though get it in the negative shade,but who cares,they still get it nah.i believe that is the prime reason.

 

[Josie]

It's not always because they're lazy.. people are so judgemental without being in the situation themselves. Society is unfriendly as it is.. imagine lugging the "con" label on your shoulders while trying to rebuild. It can be hard to down right impossible for some. It follows them. There are many reasons a person will go back to jail on purpose.. just because they were in jail, doesn't make them all sleazy, lazy good for nothings.. not all of them hurt people to get in there, but now their lives are ruined for it.

 

[bala]

It's not always because they're lazy.. people are so judgemental without being in the situation themselves. Society is unfriendly as it is.. imagine lugging the "con" label on your shoulders while trying to rebuild. It can be hard to down right impossible for some. It follows them. There are many reasons a person will go back to jail on purpose.. just because they were in jail, doesn't make them all sleazy, lazy good for nothings.. not all of them hurt people to get in there, but now their lives are ruined for it.

We never generalized buddy.
We were just discussing possibilities.We clearly stated,it necessarily ain't be on the huge clan too.

 

[DancingLady]

If a person has no prospects for employment upon release, they will end up on the streets if they do not have a family member willing to house them. Someone who has been in and out of jail a few times may easily have given up hope of having anything but a homeless life, the stress of trying to find food and basic shelter. There are a lot of employers who will automatically turn someone down if they have a criminal record, so it's not like they are crazy for giving up, they are simply acknowledging the reality that there aren't jobs for people like them. If you have never been homeless, you won't understand, but many, many people would rather be in jail with a roof over their head than on the streets freezing and wet day and night for months on end in the winter just trying to stay alive.

 

[Kandi]

A woman who killed her husband [it was a self defense thing] turned herself in saying she'd murdered her husband, because she feared her husbands family would "get her."

It reminded me of something that happened in 2010. A convicted murderer upon being released from prison tried get back in [because the victims family was "out for blood"] but when jail officials told him they couldn't have him back in, he decided to climb in. He was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Maybe he had other reasons for desiring to stay in jail?

Most likely these people thought that they would be safer in jail than out on the streets. When someone is out to get you, you will find yourself doing things you probably never thought you would to save your life.

 

[Gabe]

There are several camps of thought; some people are used to the system and cannot integrate into social life and prefer to be in prison and then there are others who feel safer in prison if they fear abuse from someone or they have been threatened.

People who snitch or that could testify against others can live in fear and being in prison can be safer than being outside, if people are looking to kill them or silence them.

 

[mrsbright]

The jail system sucks. Complete. Since the beginning. It's unfair, it's ill-managed, it's almost inhumane at times -- and one other thing it doesn't do well is prepare people for rehabilitation. There used to be a time when, when the prisoners came out, they were prepared to come out, guided, had a bit of money and a ticket to go to a new city, this kind of thing. Now, you're just fucked. You get maybe fifty bucks in some places and you have to pay back your ticket, you are not prepared for the outside world and don't have the skills necessary to get a job because life on the outside is not in your skill set. Inside, you know the system, you've adapted to it, you fit in it if you were not abused there -- you can't say as much about the rest of society, who will never give you a real chance and who will just keep wanting to punish you.

 

[missbishi]

There's always the possibility that inmates become institutionalized and can't deal with life outside prison on release. Maybe people just don't know what to do with themselves on the outside as they won't be able to get a job all that easily.

 

[katherine25]

I agree, I think for some people it is way better than living on the streets. They get food everyday, a cot to sleep on with a blanket (even if it is the most uncomfortable bed) it beats sleeping on the ground, they get taught education in prison for free so for someone who has nothing outside of prison this is a great life for them. I don't agree that people should be abusing it though, as tax payers we are paying to put criminals away not provide a home for less unfortunate.. there are other programs out there for that.

 

[Peachdejour]

For some people, they don't know how to survive on the outside. It's called being institutionalized. I mean think about it. Your whole like is center around a small comfortable routine for years. You don't have to worry about where to live, how you will eat, or taking care of your family. You may need to worry about your safety, but for a small amount of time you get locked behind bars and can sleep soundly. You don't have that type of security or protection on the outside ever. Every bit of security you have in the outside world can be taken from you in an instant. That is a hard thing to face when you have never known an ounce of security before you hit the jail cell and won't even know another ounce until you hit them again. It makes total sense.

 

[JoanMcWench]

This happens a lot more often than we're made aware & the reasons vary dramatically. Some people feel safer in prison than outside especially after years of surrounding themselves with people who can do so. There are those who find it easier to eat, sleep, find drugs, & hustle inside than it is to do outside. There's also the 'Charles Manson' where a prisoner doesn't know how to function outside of prison because they've spent most of their life inside.

 

[oraclemay]

There are some prisoners that have a great setup in jail. The could be running the show and have their own little kingdom. These guys don't really want to get out because they have nothing outside.

 

[bala]

There are some prisoners that have a great setup in jail. The could be running the show and have their own little kingdom. These guys don't really want to get out because they have nothing outside.

More like adhering just to that state of living.I understand though
They might have what we call 'followers" right who just might be backing them up even for the wrong reasons.Maybe its just the part of them getting acclimatized and loving that place.