You don't stir a hornet's nest. As I finish a blog just minutes ago, these words come to my mind. What do we do with those who advocate violence, and who threaten it? Do we toss them into jail for a couple years, and then see them emerge more set against us than ever?
Do we stir the hornet's nest?
Now, there could be an argument for keeping them in prison for ever. If they are dangerous, why would you let them go. If protecting the public from them is what you are trying to do, and they are just as dangerous after five years as they were when they entered prison, why would you let them go?
I consider on something I advocated in the past: Instead of locking criminals up for a set time, lock them up until they repent.
It would be a hard thing to judge -- their repentance. They would have the incentive to feign it just to be released. Still, a merit-based release makes sense . You work with the prisoner. You talk to him (or her). You persuade. You teach.
And, when they display a change in their ways, you turn them back into society.
You cannot lock up forever someone who expresses a terroristic threat. Sooner or later, they will have to be released. Your only hope is that you can change them before they are discharged from prison.
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