jail is not the answer...

R. is 40 something. He has 3 kids at home: 13, 6 and 4 years old.
He works with his wife. He got in trouble when he was young. And again recently in choosing an easy way to make money. He got caught in a bad situation. He's been coming to our program for more than 6 months.
Coming to our program as a non-resident, every Saturday, with the whole family, for 6 months straight. That's a proof of good will. Seriously. I know I'm often too naive but we have so many people coming and going because they don't stick to their decision. They come 3 times, then miss, then come back twice, then miss twice, then come back 3 times and then miss again, until we have to dismiss them because they don't take it seriously.
And we havew people like R. we made bad choices, and recognize it. And they already are back on track.
And his DA (district attorney) wants to send him in jail.
And I'm revolted.
Not because he goes to court and get judged and sentenced. That's justice, that's normal to pay consequences when you break a law, it's just plain just for everyone to answer authorities when a problem arises like that.
I'm revolted by the "punishment". Why do we need to separate this family for justice?
This is creating a new family with a single income, a single parent to set family boundaries in everyday life. This is putting him away, preventing him from being a father and a spouse, except for a few hours of visit a week. For years.
Is that justice? Is that doing any good to anyone??
What is the point?
Sometimes, in rare case prison is justifiable, but in this case, as in many many others, prison should be a last ressource, like a dissuasive weapon. Give people strict conditions of freedom, give them SERIOUS counseling, give them a chance to feel useful (real community service, not only cleaning highway with other convicted) give people an opportunity to make a difference, to do something in their lives...
In my opinion this is the only way to really break the recidivism rate.
why breaking a family that was working?
Oh I'm so upset...