Pope Francis at the Prison | National Catholic Reporter

Pope Francis at the Prison | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Those who want to be tough on crime and keep certain people from voting have so far ruled the day on incarceration - and that was before we had prisons for profit.  The good news is, Catholic Charities is sometimes involved in offering rehabilitative services.  The bad news is that we have not had Catholic Health Association members bid on operating the low security prisons for non-violent drug offenders and offenders who are mentally ill.  It is our sin of omission that this has not happened - and believe me, I have been urging it happen very directly for some time (an advantage to being married at the time to the former Catholic Charities Director of Membership).  The need is still dire.  Indeed, I see no reason that any prison not be turned over to the Church sector, as long as they use modern standards of security where appropriate.  Even the very violent can be reached with medication and therapy - although I would suggest euthanasia for those who can't for the protection of society - not for punishment.  It is about about time we take some action, even if euthanasia is taken off the table for now.  The current situation is a scandal and that we as Church can correct it and are not is an even greater scandal.