But what began as a humanitarian gesture has since become one of the most violent and inhumane institutions in modern society. Twice as many rapes, for example, take place inside US prisons as are inflicted on women outside  rison.2 Caging people for long periods of time, depriving them of autonomy and responsibility and self-respect, tearing apart their families, so that the innocent relatives and children of inmates suffer, throwing together  dysfunctional and damaged people into a huge zoo, and all in name of "correcting" them, is both inhumane and counter-productive. As Mark Olson observes, "to think that slamming people behind bars, breaking their spirits, and  destroying their souls could do anything other than lead to more evil is the ultimate naiveté".3 Nor is it a response to crime that can claim any biblical support whatsoever
