Slightly off-topic, but perhaps an interesting departure?

The Tlingit form of Circle Justice offers something more than a concrete box in a criminal atmosphere; something that can actually change a mind-set rather than perpetuate a useless & costly usurping of space and convicts as fodder to enmity & cheap labor concepts.

http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/forum/17/4winter2001/a_circle.html

http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/awards.html?id=6164

For anyone who’s curiosity leads them beyond these links, there is a very good little book by Ben Mikaelsen titled Touching Spirit Bear.  It’s a junior book but well-written with mature, actually some very heavy, subject matter...so I suggest reading it first before introducing it to your child [jmho]. 

I’m not suggesting that this form of criminal justice is appropriate for murder...but the use of Circle Justice when applicable could free-up a lot of prison space & certainly has the potential to rehabilitate, as well as heal the victims, ...where prison concepts have failed miserably...& even seem to promote or proliferate the criminal mind-set.    

Is this what our present legislators want though?  Doesn’t appear likely.  Often the better choice is not the ideal choice...oh, economically speaking....where bidness is concerned.