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From Prison to Programming

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Re: From Prison to Programming

#101

Post by rufus_foreman »

throwaway675309 wrote: post #95
rufus_foreman wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> Educate felons when they're in prison That's dangerous. I know people who went to prison. We want educated ex-felons, what you might get is educated felons. >> We know how to reduce recidivism Do we? Again, I know criminals. They're hard core. A guy says he's gonna shoot up meth every day until he dies, he's going to finance that any way he needs to, what is the known way to reduce that recidivism?

I legitimately can't tell if this post was written facetiously, what's your alternative? because the alternative of giving them no education is almost a sure fire guarantee that they'll be ill-equipped to be able to get a job with the potential to become a productive member of society. He's not advocating that we teach lock picking 101 for chr##-sake. But it's OK because you "know criminals" so naturally that extrapo…

>> the alternative of giving them no education is almost a sure fire guarantee that they'll be ill-equipped to be able to get a job with the potential to become a productive member of society

These are my friends that I'm talking about. They don't want to be, will never be, and never could be if they wanted to, productive members of society.

What's your alternative?

I can sure fire guarantee you that they'll be ill-equipped to be able to get a job with the potential to become a productive member of society, no matter what happens.

So what happens to them?

Seriously, you're making me defend meth addicts. Christ.

Re: From Prison to Programming

#102

Post by UncleEntity »

Test0129 wrote: post #72
zozbot234 wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Teachers, doctors, nurses etc. can use code to simplify their jobs and make themselves more productive. Not everyone needs to be a professional coder, but being aware of what code is and how it works should absolutely be a basic skill. No different than reading or math.

I would be very curious how a doctor or nurse could use programming to improve their jobs. Aside from a conduit of fun brain teasers which may have some ancillary benefit...every doctor and nurse I know spends almost no time in front of a computer except for brief data entry. Actual real "medical" programming occurs by professional engineers in highly regulated environments (and for good reason). Teachers I could pos…

> Once you move beyond the formulaic "here's how to put these pieces together to make a website" suddenly everyone gets lost.

Maybe because “learn to code” really means “learn to make websites”?

I never learned how to make websites, never coded a line of JavaScript and have no idea what people who do those things are talking about with their frameworks and whatever but I know how to code so could probably figure it out fairly easily if I was motivated enough.

Maybe if they taught people how to use the language instead of how to glue together different bits of library code things would be different. Probably not a full CS curriculum but more than React in 30 days.

Re: From Prison to Programming

#103

Post by r00tanon »

I can only go by my experience in that a passion for making computers do things was the seed. From there it drove a desire to learn more. I don't think most people can sustain the desire without that. It really should be about feeding the innate talents. Could I make a living playing music? No. It's not a one size fits all thing.

Re: From Prison to Programming

#104

Post by ROTMetro »

https://www.unicor.gov/DataConversionVideo.aspx

Guys, we're good. Just look at the opportunity the government provides prison slaves, I mean inmates. Don't forget in the Feds you are required to work, or you will be shipped to a higher classification facility and receive Diesel Therapy(see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_therapy ).

Unicor, the Federal Government's slave labor auction site.

USA 13the Amendment to the Constitution: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

Re: From Prison to Programming

#105

Post by conductr »

satysin wrote: post #70
yarpnird wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Teachers, personal care workers, doctors, nurses, etc. All of which having a criminal record disqualifies one from.

Depends on the crime, I know a few doctors and nurses that have criminal records. But I accept your point. However I was not talking about those with a criminal record. Like in the comment I was replying to where learn to code programmes were seen as the "solution" for coal miners whose mines were closed. Is it an option? Of course. Is it the solution for all ? Hardly but it is often treated as one so people can say…

I think of it as an analogy or general advise. It speaks to a changing world where mining skills have no value but digital skills do. Nobody can say what solution is right for every individual effected by these types of issues. But, the advise given is meant to be illustrative that this group of folks has worthless skills (no other mines to go to) and needs complete training for something more relevant in the current economy where there are many pockets of opportunity.

Re: From Prison to Programming

#106

Post by AlbertCory »

anon3355987 wrote: post #66

(Long time member, but anon for this one, sry) I'll bite. True story. This company hired a young guy. Extremely likable dude. (100% female, if that matters) HR loves him, not likes, loves him. Undenyably charming chap. He's hired in a technical position despite having no real education in IT or Computer Science, nor any previous experience. Turns out he was involved in a fairly recent murder case, did pre-arrest and…

I see that Rick is on the thread and says he's not a psychopath, and I have no reason to doubt him.

However: anyone who thinks "rehabilitation" is the answer for all felons is full of it ([1], [2]). If they are actually psychopaths, therapy is just finishing school for them. It teaches them how to fake normal human emotions better. It gives them a better vocabulary for fooling therapists.

You need someone like Mr. Anon who can spot these con artists and see through their BS.

[1] https://www.psychforums.com/antisocial-personality/topic1931...

[2] https://psychopathyis.org/stats/

Re: From Prison to Programming

#108

Post by AlbertCory »

I'm not in any way, shape, or form comparing veterans to felons. If anything, vets are favored rather than disfavored for hiring. This is strictly about "learn to code."

I did a podcast where I interviewed vets or their spouses: https://operationcode.org/podcast

Many of them were, or are, in 4-year degree programs, but some went to code schools. Some had technical careers in the military, but not all. Very few were actually in combat, but nearly all were deployed.

I found that there was very little I could teach them about programming. They already knew everything and most had jobs. One worked at Google, last I heard.

So yeah: why not prisoners, assuming they're not psychopaths just trying to amplify their evil-doing abilities?

Re: From Prison to Programming

#109

Post by alexashka »

buf wrote: post #6

I've also been to prison. My story is homeless at 20, no friends or family, in debt about $20k and just got out of prison as a convicted felon. Now I've built 2.5 unicorns, one of which I helped start. Right now, I've started two side projects that are nearing the $1M ARR (combined). Programming is a great leveler in today's world. I cannot express how lucky I am to have found it early in my life. I have a great desi…

> I have a great desire to give back, and somehow fix recidivism in the USA, but it feels so unreachable

10% of families account for 66% of criminals [0].

I don't know why people call it recidivism. It's family values.

[0] https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2018/10/crime-run...

Re: From Prison to Programming

#110

Post by erdos4d »

anon1922 wrote: post #78

Not all prison sentences are the same. I am in a trial case for possession of illegal pornography (yes, that..). My name came out in the media on the day of my arrest, and society has already concluded the trial years before it is scheduled to take place. Lost the tech-related job, had to move out, lost all social interactions, etc. I've had severe mental health issues and a very difficult past so I had always been s…

I don't know your case, but getting your whole life shitcanned for having illegal porn seems crazy to me. Can you start a business and work behind that? I've never once looked into who founded any company I've hired for anything, ever. I doubt anyone else does either. An idea.
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