Prison systems in the US whether they be Federal, state-run or private/for profit, house inmates that are incarcerated for felony crimes lik manufacture/selling of drugs, theft, arson, aggravated assault w/deadly weapon, manslaughter, sexual battery, child abuse, assault/battery, murder 1, 2, and 3. Many of these inmates are repeat offenders with extensive records and involvement in their local state juvenile justice systems. The prison system in the US has evolved over the past 150 years from an initial focus of warehousing of inmates (serving time) to one of corrective rehabilitation. US Prisons have programs for the welfare and well being of inmates, (many of which may be court mandated) to include mental health services, substance abuse counseling, education and vocational programs, and structured opportunities for recreation. Part of the rehabilitative aspect of the corrections system involves work within the prison setting that inmates not serving a life sentence can acquire a set of skills that make them employable with re-entry when they reach end of sentence. With all of these various programs are support staff of contracted or state- provided doctors and medical care, chaplaincy services for inmates of various Christian and non-Christian denominations and beliefs, and Food Service operations for providing a normalized menu that is nutritionally adequate and balanced. There is a cashless-card system where family members can give inmates money to spend in vendor supplied prison canteens where inmates may purchase snacks and edibles but authorized clothing items outside state supplied clothing such as footwear and athletic wear, oral care and personal hygiene items outside of state supplied, downloadable music and movies for sanctioned tablets, a monitored telephone system where the inmate may make calls to approved family members. Inmates also receive accommodations for disabilities as required by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act.). Inmates may receive e-mails on tablets or regular mail and authorized periodicals and reading materials.
Nothing like Russian gulags that imprisoned people for political reasons, without trial, kept in inhumane conditions and treated worse than animals.