maybe this particular article doesn't expose the worst aspects of prisons, but overall there might be some room for improvement, eg https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/03/2...

besides, a misdemeanor & driving w/ a suspended license hardly confirms that "horrible things" have been done to other people. I'm sure even the most casual observer of the US has some awareness of the vast numbers in jail for non-violent drug offenses.

quite aside from the above, even the assumption that committing a crime is what's put an inmate inside is off the mark: https://csgjusticecenter.org/publications/confined-costly/