One such goal might be to maximize the total societal contribution of any given set of inmates within the limits of the law (limits such as “Don’t restrict the freedom of inmates after their release”).
Of course, prisons also serve an important deterrent function, which is not well-addressed by this model.
That’s a good point to bring up. There are a few ends that other people assign to prisons that come to mind: rehabilitation, deterrence, punishment, and removing the criminal from the population (protecting innocents). However, some of these goals can be achieved by other systems. The death penalty is completely compatible with the system I proposed: Though you may disagree with killing criminals for other reasons, it is (at least on the face of it) a deterrent, and it doesn’t need to be carried out by prisons. The law could specify ways in which the prisons must treat their inmates. For example, it could forbid prisons from providing computer access.
If the punishments are not dictated by law, they are the ad hoc decisions of the prison warden (or the decisions of the other inmates).
Of course, prisons also serve an important deterrent function, which is not well-addressed by this model.
That’s a good point to bring up. There are a few ends that other people assign to prisons that come to mind: rehabilitation, deterrence, punishment, and removing the criminal from the population (protecting innocents). However, some of these goals can be achieved by other systems. The death penalty is completely compatible with the system I proposed: Though you may disagree with killing criminals for other reasons, it is (at least on the face of it) a deterrent, and it doesn’t need to be carried out by prisons. The law could specify ways in which the prisons must treat their inmates. For example, it could forbid prisons from providing computer access.
If the punishments are not dictated by law, they are the ad hoc decisions of the prison warden (or the decisions of the other inmates).