It’s an interesting article. I don’t work in the corrections field at all but I have heard that there are some prisoners that have been in so long that they are totally “institutionalized” meaning that they are psychologically incapable of living outside of the institutions environment.
The end result is that they become permanent “trustees” and they are put on welfare and the welfare payments pay for them to live inside the institution.
Now once again I DO NOT know if this is true, I’ve just heard about it from others who say it is.
I have heard about problems releasing sex offenders, in that, sex offenders are limited to where they can live. I heard once about a sex offender being released, but his hometown didn’t want him back. He lived for a time in a trailer on the prison grounds, technically not a prisoner, but still on the premises.
I have said that if I was homeless and had no family or friends I would rob a bank just to land in prison where I would no longer have any worries.