How can we justify free medical care for inmates at the expense of taxpayers when we have families going bankrupt over medical bills?

LOL. Some people already know this. Only minimum custody federal correctional facilities are posh. Maybe some medium custody ones. Here’s a story about someone not wanting out of prison because he wanted free food and healthcare.

The prison I work at had just released an inmate. His sentence had expired. He walked down the street and waited for a police officer to drive by. When one finally did he flagged the officer down. When the officer approached him he punched him as hard as he could. He then immediately lied down face first and placed his hands behind his back. 

After his trial or guilty plea and sentencing he was back. This post was edited by Rizz at September 9, 2018 10:49 PM MDT

Some people seem to be destined to live their lives institutionalized. I've encountered a few people like that in the work that I do. It's pretty tragic that some people don't seem to be able to cope if they're allowed more than minimal personal freedom. While we would feel restrained and suffocated by stringent rules and routines, bars and walls, they feel comforted by them. 

I don't know how much information about the prisoners you supervise you are privy to, but I would guess that the majority of them grew up in pretty poor conditions. Many of them probably had broken families, were in foster care, had criminal parents, etc. Most of them probably have struggled with substance abuse and/or mental illness. I'm not suggesting that these are excuses for breaking the law, but I do think they're likely explanations. 

As long as society allows children to be abused and neglected by their parents and other adults who are entrusted with their care, prisons will remain full. I'm sure you've no need to worry about being out of a job. 

Exactly. Too often victims are ignored or forgotten. We are too busy victimizing criminals.