Danny,
I tend to agree that for non-violent offenses we should try more creative, constructive, and less costly penalties. Do you have any specific suggestions for non-violent offenders? I'm not as certain how you would handle violent offenders. Building computers helps? Perhaps you could provide some more details on that. I have heard of a voluntary program out in one of the California prisons where they take violent offenders and train them to work as underwater divers for oil drilling platforms. They've been somewhat successful in placing these guys in work positions after release. The jobs are well-paying, adrenaline pumping (for those who would miss that rush), and tend to take the participants far from their old environs, where they got into trouble to begin with. I think programs like that might be worth trying on a larger scale. Hey, maybe someday we could train inmates who volunteer for future careers as asteroid miners.
Glen Finney