Punishment - imposed by the guilty onto those who are caught.

The following is an excerpt from Part Two:

Limits to Pain by Nils Christie elaborates on the difference between a prison sentence versus the reality of castigation to the extent of slaughter: “Social systems ought to be constructed in ways that reduce to a minimum the perceived need for infliction of pain for the purpose of social control. Sorrow is inevitable, but not hell created by man.”

The intentional infliction of pain is not an action that suits our “advanced” civilized social order. A sad commentary is that the way people treat others is a reflection of how they view themselves. When anger and hatred prevail, it manifests itself internally. When it has finished the demolition there, it works its way outward with brutal tyranny the result. What truly is disturbing is when those attributes become so ingrained that they are no longer considered out of the ordinary. Nils Christie explains:

“Pain delivery is the concept for what in our time has developed into a calm, efficient, hygienic operation. Seen from the perspective of those delivering the service, it is not first and foremost drama, tragedy, intense sufferings. Infliction of pain is in dissonance with some major ideals, but can be carried out in an innocent, somnambulistic insulation from the value conflict. The pains of punishments are left to the receivers.”

The ratio of maniacs to sane prison personnel is far higher than the proportion within the inmate population. Most prisoners are locked up for nonviolent crimes. Conversely, most C/Os have a fl air for brutality. They are criminals on the inside of a uniform, licensed to violate rights. The main difference between C/Os and the small percentage of violent prisoners they guard is that they get to go home at the end of the day. If they are not vicious predators when they start out, it will not take long before they are. Just as they intimidate the defenseless, their brand of malice terrorizes their peers and thus a completely new breed of antagonists, under pressure to comply, is constructed.