Obama Becomes First Sitting President To Visit Prison

On Thursday, President Barack Obama visited the Federal Correctional Institution El Reno, a medium-security facility near Oklahoma City, becoming the 1st sitting president to visit a federal prison.
Earlier this week, President Barack Obama commuted the prison sentences of 46 people serving lengthy jail terms for nonviolent drug offenses.

Officials opened a cell for the president so that he could see how prisoners are confined. The cell contained: “a double bunk bed and third bed along the wall, a toilet and sink, along with a small bookcase and three lockers.” “Three full-grown men in a 9-by-10 cell,” the president noted.

The president sat with some six inmates who told him of their experiences both inside and outside prison.

“When they describe their youth and their childhood, these are young people who made mistakes that aren’t that different than the mistakes I made,” Obama said.

He added that had the men had support structures growing up, they may have made vastly different choices. The sentiment is part of a bigger push from the Obama administration to end harsh punishments for nonviolent drug offenders, which includes the elimination of mandatory minimum sentences.

Obama said that the US has become immune to the number of young people incarcerated for long periods of time for stupid mistakes.

“It’s not normal,” he said.”It’s not what happens in other countries. What is normal is teenagers doing stupid things. What is normal is young people making mistakes.”

He added,

“We’ve got to be able to distinguish between dangerous individuals who need to be incapacitated and incarcerated versus young people who, in an environment in which they are adapting, but if given different opportunities, a different vision of life, could be thriving the way we are.”

Posted by Kunda on July 18, 2015. Filed under World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

10 Responses to Obama Becomes First Sitting President To Visit Prison

Chris

July 18, 2015 at 12:08 pm

Way to go Mr President. ECL did the same early this week.
- Hildah Malama
  
  July 18, 2015 at 1:28 pm
  
  Thats where our Lungu cpied from. Our me too president.
New Educated Zambia©❤

July 18, 2015 at 12:13 pm

And lungu becomes first president in world to release a child defiler thereby endorsing this vice. Vote hh in 2016. Zambia is now embarrassment to world
Ganja Cream

July 18, 2015 at 12:20 pm

To bad NEZ ya losing it. Shame!!!
Nshitobela Bupuba

July 18, 2015 at 2:21 pm

Its good to see this Kanene boy outside again thanks Ba lungu for listening to the cries of many. Kanene mwaiche naiwe bola ni panshi next time no one will bail you out from HIV. You will just die alone from the Kashishi.
SCARS

July 18, 2015 at 9:20 pm

Genital cutting/mutilation of children is severe child abuse. Every human male and female is born with a foreskin. Google “foreskin functions” to learn the protective, immunological and erogenous functions. This is an issue of human rights. Speak out for genital autonomy for all.
- Parent
  
  July 18, 2015 at 9:23 pm
  
  I will never circumcise my child.
tutu

July 19, 2015 at 6:19 am

balya njikwite nabo ati bakopele elo batoba zero pa zero!!! ukuyafumyafye ichipondo chi defiler chi pervet whilst leaving my young brothers wu stole jst a simple chicken mu shoprite in order 2 feed his starving young siblings..vote HH come 2016!!
tutu

July 19, 2015 at 6:20 am

lucky u!!u found kanene already released,pantu ena nga alikutomba
Amake Mwana

July 20, 2015 at 8:40 am

American prison is a very comfortable bedsitter here in Zambia. I wonder what Obama would say if he visited one of our prisons where sleeping is in shifts. lol.