I enjoyed learning about the experience of two insiders - a long time prison guard and a former prisoner. These are the people who could reform the prison system. They have daily experience within the prisons, not just sitting behind a desk like so many friend-of-politicians bureaucrats.
I have some confusion about our penal system. On one hand, I hear many saying that we have more people in prison than other nations. But then, I have seen cases of criminals who have very long arrest records and they are out on the street rather than being behind bars where they belong. It seems so haphazard.
Could it be that the more liberal judges let the younger offenders get off with little or no punishment which would account for many criminals having very long rap sheets with very little punishment. This could also have an effect of producing a lawless culture in certain communities. The younger criminals get very little punishment which makes them look like heroes to the kids. It could create a perverse incentive to become criminals. This might possible explain the contradiction of a society that has so many people behind bars and at the same time having a very high crime rate. This could be a case of justice delayed creating a culture of lawlessness which becomes the norm in some communities causing lawless behavior to spread.
I too found the perspectives you mentioned very insightful.
Again like you, I am at times bewildered by our justice system including the penal system. An example of a criminal that was released, yet posed a grave threat to society was the parolee that murdered four Oakland, California police officers less than two weeks ago.
The whole system needs fixing as near as I can tell. If the efforts of Senator Webb can cut our prison population by releasing those that pose no threat to the lives and property of others, while freeing up money to crush the violent gang activity overwhelming our cities and states, I could fully support that effort.