It's more the criminal justice system than the prison system per se. Many people who ultimately turn out to be innocent sit in jail for weeks and months because they can't afford bail, and the courts systems are too backed up to hear their cases. You also have situations where overworked public defenders advise their clients to plead guilty and just do the jail time rather than risk fighting and losing in court, even though they may be innocent. You have corrupt cops who have plant evidence and coerce witnesses because they want convictions (Google detective Louis scarcella). I just think if you are a poor and especially if you are a minority, the justice system is guilty until  roven innocent, not the other way around. The prison system has its own set of problems including inmate abuse, violence, overuse of solitary confinement, and overcrowding. 

Looking at this through a CO's eyes:They haven't gotten a pay raise in 10 years. Not one. They're over worked, underpaid, and spend their days surrounded by murderers, rapists, gang members, etc. These prisoners are babied; TV, free health care, free time, meals, a place to sleep, anything and everything...it's ridiculous. They'll stab themselves or cause serious harm to themselves just so they can go to the hospital. Just because. There's a man on death row right now; the papers are literally sitting there waiting to be signed for his death. But. They won't sign them. Why? Because he has cancer. So they will spend OUR tax money making him better before they sign the papers and kill him, which they intend to do once he's better (if he ever gets better) anyways. Looking at it through a prisoner's eyes:If and when you get out, there is little to no chance of getting a job. You're expected to pay probation, and if you don't, you'll be back in jail. Really the only way to get back on your feet is to get back into crime. The system is completely set up for your failure. You have everything working against you, no matter how hard you try to stay straight. No matter how you look at it, yes. Our system needs a serious makeover, because this just isn't working for anyone. Not the officers, not the prisoners, and not society.

Yes I do. Ideally we would have total overhaul. Prisons in the US are clearly for punishment not rehabilitation. While a certain segment of the prison population will always constitute a danger to the outside world; we should really reevaluate who were locking up and what purpose it serves. 

I think personally that the way they treat you in jail is absolutely disgusting. I recently went to jail for reasonable circumstances (my actions were the same as most women would be) everything I did is a misdemeanor. It was my first time ever getting in trouble. (I've never even had a ticket). Every cop I delt with until I got to jail were very nice and even commented about how well mannered I was and felt bad for the situation I was in. (Im 20). When I got to jail I was put in a room with a chair for hours no bathroom then got switched over to another cell that had a mat on the floor and a toilet when they finally booked me at least 4 hours after I got there I got a cold shower and was put in another cell where I slept on a metal bench with the tiniest little mat to go over it. I wasnt given a pillow, the sink was constantly running (which drives you insane), my blankets had holes, they had a bright light on all night, i never left my cell and they COs were very rude. I know these things don't sound to bad but when your not a bad person and you get treated like dirt. I was only in there for a day and a half and I almost went insane.

I think we need to make our punishments a hell of a lot stronger

As a criminal justice graduate the system needs a whole new form of remodeling..moreover the system and the folks working within the system are the problem such as lazy ass detectives,so called lazy judges and moreover no form of help! Now if your are a murderer than ; the death penalty will be due able... My problem is also when ppl are sentenced wrongfully while the criminal is loose like a dirty dog...Just sad..

Where I live (NM) we have the opposite problem. One man was in the news for robbing people, being arrested, then released on bail 3 days in a row! Finally after the 3rd robbery in a row the judge put a 10 day hold on him before he can bail out. Evidence is often mishandled and so there isn't enough to actually convict people who are really guilty. The news has a whole section called "boomerang thugs" because this happens constantly. At least half a dozen cops have been killed in the line of duty this year alone in my city, most of those were committed by repeat offenders that bailed out of jail in the last 30 days.