Let’s stop pretending. The American system of incarceration is not just broken — it’s a catastrophic failure that destroys lives, breeds violence, and offers no path to redemption or justice. It’s time we admit the ugly truth. The Heart of the Problem: Violence and Forced Integration We’ve packed our jails and prisons with people who are often natural enemies — violent individuals from vastly different, often clashing, cultural backgrounds. Instead of separating these groups for the sake of safety, we force them into overcrowded dormitories and locked units like animals in a cage match. The result? Constant fear, bloodshed, sexual assault and chaos. Prisoners live every hour on edge, watching their backs, never knowing if they’ll survive the night. This isn’t justice — it’s torture. And in this environment, how can anyone focus on rehabilitation, education, or vocational training? They can’t. Fear rules everything. Segregation in prisons is labeled evil, but integration in this s...