Doug Henwood wrote:
>
> to "crime," either out of . . . or madness.
>
I saw a report recently (can't remember where) that estimated at least half of those in prison suffer from mental illness (but of course are not being treated). I've sat in courtrooms for lengthy periods several times, and one category of prisoners was especially bothersome: the large number who were in jail for missing court dates. They were always treated as though they had been deliberately and maliciously thwarting the law, & it was almost always quite obvious that they were just fucking confused. Sickening.
Depression is one thing if the person suffering has a stable home, family, income, & treatment. It almost ought to have a radically different name for those who lack several of these supports.
But it occurs to me that I have never seen a really serious attempt to analyze the social dynamic in the u.s. that generates this. Clearly, no one in any clearcut way "needs" this kind of a criminal system. Individual politicians indubitably gain by being "tough on crime," but why _this_ particular idiocy at this particular time (post-vietnam u.s.)?
Carrol