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Prison Abolition & Alternatives
Nine Perspectives for Prison Abolitionists
Perspective 1
Imprisonment is morally reprehensible and indefensible and must
be abolished. In an enlightened free society, prison cannot endure
or it will prevail. Abolition is a long term goal; an ideal. The
eradication of any oppressive system is not an easy task. But it
is realizable, like the abolition of slavery or any liberation,
so long as there is the will to engage in the struggle.
Perspective 2
The message of abolition requires "honest" language and
new definitions. Language is related to power. We do not permit
those in power to control our vocabulary. Using "system language"
to call prisoners "inmates" or punishment "treatment",
denies prisoners the reality of their experience and makes us captives
of the old system. Our own language and definitions empower us to
define the prison realistically.
Perspective 3
Abolitionists believe reconciliation, not punishment, is a proper
response to criminal acts. The present criminal (in)justice systems
focus on someone to punish, caring little about the criminal's need
or the victims loss. The abolitionist response seeks to restore
both the criminal and the victim to full humanity, to lives of integrity
and dignity in the community. Abolitionists advocate the least amount
of coercion and intervention in an individual's life and the maximum
amount of care and services to all people in the society.
Perspective 4
Abolitionists work with prisoners but always remain "non-members"
of the established prison system. Abolitionists learn how to walk
the narrow line between relating to prisoners inside the system
and remaining independent and "outside" that system. We
resist the compelling psychological pressures to be "accepted"
by people in the prison system. We are willing to risk pressing
for changes that are beneficial to and desired by prisoners. In
relating to those in power, we differentiate between the personhood
of system managers (which we respect) and their role in perpetuating
an oppressive system.
Perspective 5
Abolitionists are "allies" of prisoners rather than traditional
"helpers." We have forged a new definition of what is
truly helpful to the caged, keeping in mind both the prisoner's
perspective and the requirements of abolition. New insights into
old, culture-laden views of the "helping relationship"
strengthen our roles as allies of prisoners.
Perspective 6
Abolitionists realize that the empowerment of prisoners and ex-prisoners
is crucial to prison system change. Most people have the potential
to determine their own needs in terms of survival, resources and
programs. We support self-determination of prisoners and programs
which place more power in the hands of those directly affected by
the prison experience.
Perspective 7
Abolitionists view power as available to each of us for challenging
and abolishing the prison system. We believe that citizens are the
source of institutional power. By giving support to "or withholding
support from" specific policies and practices, patterns of
power can be altered.
Perspective 8
Abolitionists believe that crime is mainly a consequence of the
structure of society. We devote ourselves to a community change
approach. We would drastically limit the role of the criminal (in)justice
systems. We advocate public solutions to public problems "greater
resources and services for all people".
Perspective 9
Abolitionists believe that it is only in a caring community that
corporate and individual redemption can take place. We view the
dominant culture as more in need of "correction" than
the prisoner. The caring communities have yet to be built.
Why Decriminalize?
Abolitionists advocate drastically limiting the role of criminal
law. We do this not because we wish to encourage certain behaviour,
but because we realize that criminal sanctions are not an effective
way of dealing with social problems. There are far too many laws
on the books. It would be prohibitively expensive to enforce them
all. This results in unjust and arbitrary law enforcement. Powerless
persons are imprisoned while more powerful persons go free. People
of colour, first nations and poor people bear the brunt of unequal
law enforcement.
The crimes most frequently considered for decriminalization are
those which are "victimless"....offenses that do not result
in anyone's feeling that s\he has been injured so as to impel him\her
to bring the offense to the attention of the authorities ....behaviour
not injurious to others but made criminal by statutes based on moral
standards which disapprove of certain forms of behaviour while ignoring
others that are comparable.
A system "bursting at its seams" is perhaps the most
visible effect of overcriminalization. Overcriminalization encourages
the wide use of discretionary power in law enforcement. Because
there is no complainant, police resort to questionable means of
enforcement. Investigative techniques used to gather evidence are
often immoral and sometimes illegal. These include entrapment, use
of informers, wiretapping and use of constitutional rights such
as illegal search and seizure, invasion of the right to privacy
and self-incrimination.
Alternatives to Incarceration
Imprisonment should be a last resort. The presumption should be
against its use. Before any offender is incarcerated, the prosecution
should bear the burden of proving in an evidentiary hearing that
no other alternative exists. An equal burden should be required
for the denial or revocation of "good time", probation
and parole, which really are only other ways of imposing imprisonment...
We should further reduce our excessive reliance on prisons by making
extensive use of alternatives to imprisonment, such as fines, restitution,
and other probationary methods, which could at least as effectively
meet society's need for legal sanctions. However, such alternatives
must be made available to all people who have committed similar
offenses, so as not to become a means for the more affluent to buy
their way out of prison. And where some kind of confinement seems
necessary, halfway houses, community centres, group homes intermittent
sentences, and other means of keeping offenders within the community
should be preferred to prison.
From A Program for Prison Reform and Instead of Prisons:
A Handbook for Abolitionists.
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