ATC Topic Class: The Purpose of Prison?

I had a super busy weekend so I didn't get around to planning too much creative stuff, however I thought this topic was thought provoking.
Think about these questions:

Do you agree or disagree with this kind of program in prisons?
Why?
What is the purpose of prisons? Punishment or re-rehabilitation
Have you ever visited a Korean prison?
Have you ever visited a foreign prison?
Do you think prisoners are treated properly in your country?
What kind of mistreatment of prison mistreatments do you know about/are worried about?
What do you think are some good alternatives to prison?
Do you think that Korea's prison system is effective?


 From the Korea Herald:

　CHEONAN, South Chungcheong Province- A class of 25 sings along to a K-pop song by Ahn Chi-hwan, aided by a little ball that bounces from word to word on a big screen at the head of the class. The teacher motions her hand to her ear, inviting the convicts to sing louder. They enthusiastically oblige. Some clap their hands; everyone moves rhythmically in their chairs. 
　
　

If it weren’t for the prison-issued navy-blue jumpsuits, it would be hard to tell them apart from any other tourists in the country. The class is part of Cheonan Foreigner Prison’s “Good Morning Korea” program. The students are all foreign convicts at what the Ministry of Justice touts as the sole foreigner-only prison in the world. 


Leading the song today is professor Jung Yoon-ja.

“This program’s goal is to help foreign prisoners better understand Korea and adjust to living in Korea. We hope that foreign prisoners spread the good image of Korea when they get back to their country,” Jung said after the class. “We also hope that foreign prisoners will open their minds and have smiles on their faces while taking this program.”

Good Morning Korea is a big part of each weekday morning here. Run in collaboration with Dankuk University, instructors from the university come in to teach prisoners the Korean language and culture through song and stories.

Officials feel that communication is very important and focus on teaching to improve the prison’s environment. The main morning teaching point is “We are one family.”

Jung also said the prisoners are adapting well to the classes and seem to be enjoying them more now than they had been in the beginning. She feels it is effective to teach Korean language and culture using fairy tales, K-pop songs, and arts and crafts.

On Feb. 23 the Ministry of Justice held a tree planting ceremony for the opening of the Cheonan Foreigner Prison. Long pushed by the ministry as being the proper response to rising incidences of crime committed by foreigners in Korea, Minister of Justice Lee Kwi-nam gave the opening address.

“The Cheonan foreigner-only prison is opened to give foreign prisoners specialized treatment. In light of the fact that foreign prisoners have different languages, customs, cultures and religions, we will give them humanitarian treatment according to universal values,” said Lee.

A press release sent out by the ministry after the opening highlighted the rise in crime, pointing out that since 2006, foreign crime has risen by 250 percent in Korea, though the Korean Institute of Criminology reported in 2007 that the foreigner crime rate in Korea was 1.4 percent, compared with the 3.5 percent rate among Korean citizens.

The minister of justice’s sentiments were repeated, more or less, in point form by the director of the International Affairs Division, Ha Young-hoon, while on the tour of the prison. Adding to the list of reasons, however, was the rationalization that if prisoners from abroad are treated better in Korea, Korean prisoners in other countries may be treated better as well.