<p>“But who pays for this. If a kid snoozed though high school and then wants to go to college, at least he PAYS for his remedial classes. If he has those remedial classes in a public high school , then we as taxpayers, pay for those classes.”</p>
<p>If the person is in prison, you’re going to be paying for that, PLUS:</p>
<p>Room
Board
Medical care
Utilities
Dental care
Etc.</p>
<p>Now how does that sound? When you get a ward of the state out of juvy (let’s say he punched a teacher in a fit of rage, having had the crap beat out of him the night before, that’s no excuse but still, there but for the grace of God go I, I had parents), do you want to:</p>
<p>(a) Tell him you want nothing to do with him and have him on the street selling drugs or turning tricks, and landing in prison?
(b) Pay a little bit towards his education, increasing the chances that at least he’ll go into retail and pay rent on an apartment or trailer somewhere?
(c) Pay for a special program for him, more than you’d prefer, but increase the chances that he’ll eventually be a job-creator and join the working class, with kids that do not disrupt your kids’ teachers?</p>
<p>I choose (b) or (c). You’ll pay for a lot of these people anyway… please realize that. God doesn’t pay for the prison system (or the courts, oh God, not to mention the courts).</p>