Genocide, poverty, religious intolerance, misogynism, these are just some of the atrocities that people in some countries face on a daily basis. What choice do they have? Their only means of escape is death or refuge. The obvious choice is therefore refuge. They travel clandestinely on ships or planes, get into cars or simply start walking towards a country where they have some small hope of not only surviving, but also living a normal life. Most of them will end up in detention camps, and most will end up in camps where conditions are very poor. Some will seek asylum and remain in the camp for an indefinite period. Others will not and could be detained even longer, perhaps indefinitely. The effects of detention on the human spirit are debilitating, and a child who grows up in detention is more likely to have serious mental health problems. Is detention necessary? Is there not another system that can be put in place for the welfare of those who are simply trying to escape persecution or death? I would like to discuss why people are placed in detention camps, the conditions inside these camps, and the options available to care for the large numbers of refugees. Our world is no stranger to political, religious and other persecutions. . Sometimes, as in the case of the current war in Darfur, this persecution can amount to genocide. It is difficult to achieve the complete destruction of a population, because the only thing that all living things on the planet have in common is the instinct for survival. Many people flee to neighboring countries, or even further afield, to escape death. Of course, due to immigration laws, people who escape cannot live freely in their new sanctuary. This is why refugee detention camps...... middle of paper ......argaret Haerens, Ed. Viewpoints® Series opposed. Greenhaven Press, 2010. Sarah J. Feldman, “Development Assisted Integration: A Viable Alternative,” PRAXIS, The Fletcher Journal of Human Security, 2007. © 2007 PRAXIS, The Fletcher School, Tufts University. Reproduced with permission.Loewenberg, Sam. “Heaven and Hell.” Time August 8, 2011. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Internet. October 10, 2011. “Preface to “What international policies can alleviate the refugee problem?” ". Refugees. Ed. Marguerite Haerens. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale Opposing viewpoints in context. Internet. October 21, 2011. “Refugees and asylum: global figures for 2002.” Human Rights and Civil Rights: Essential Primary Sources. Ed. Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and K. Lee Lerner. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 418-420. Gale Opposing viewpoints in context. Internet. October 6. 2011.