if prisons were by law NEVER private entities, and instead ALWAYS funded by and of the society from which the people interned were taken from, and that the cost of housing a person would not end with their life, would we be so quick to lock so many up forever?

solve the problem that led to the person doing what we do not like.

unless that problem is unique to this specific individual, removing the person will not stop the problem manifest on another individual.

we here are all smarter than this.