Is the USA Jail-Happy?

[notfred]

Seriously. Today we've got 425 people arrested for being in a parking lot. A mother arrested cause cause her kids got sunburnt. People want to send parents to jail for a year because thier kids skip school. The Justice department is ready to send people to jail for listenening to music that the3y're not allowed to, etc.

Why are we so eager to put the entire population in jail for stupid miniscule little things?

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Because when "breaking the law" becomes a gray area and subject only to interpretation (read: lawyers getting people off who are blatantly guilty), we get to see both sides (read: people being booked while a murderer / rapist goes free).

nik

 

[FoBoT]

the dumb asses, oops , dumb masses have been brainwashed by the politicians that any and ALL social problems can be cured by passing a law

so throw everybody in jail is their answer

what is the % of the population that is in jail, about 1% or 2% i think

it is rediculous, jail is becoming just an extension of the welfare state, its pathetic :disgust:

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

it is rediculous, jail is becoming just an extension of the welfare state, its pathetic

More truth than you know, forget the malcontents receiving free room and board. Many communities are absolutely dependent on detention facilities, the jobs they provide as well as revenue.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc

it is rediculous, jail is becoming just an extension of the welfare state, its pathetic

More truth than you know, forget the malcontents receiving free room and board. Many communities are absolutely dependent on detention facilities, the jobs they provide as well as revenue.

When I was taking my psychology course, one of the things that we did was look at inmates who get released from a well kept and highly spoiled prison will actually commit another crime in order to go back.

nik

 

[IGBT]

...and at the same time all that is happening repeat child rapists and murders are stealing and killing our kids. And the failure "war on drugs" locking up non violent hemp users leaving no room for the violent nut bars who should be in jail..wtf is going on with the judiciary leadership in this open air insane asylum called...America???

 

[DougK62]

There are too many people in jail because there are too many stupid laws. End of story

 

[Cyberian]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc

it is rediculous, jail is becoming just an extension of the welfare state, its pathetic

More truth than you know, forget the malcontents receiving free room and board. Many communities are absolutely dependent on detention facilities, the jobs they provide as well as revenue.

How do communities receive revenue from jails?

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Cyberian

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc

it is rediculous, jail is becoming just an extension of the welfare state, its pathetic

More truth than you know, forget the malcontents receiving free room and board. Many communities are absolutely dependent on detention facilities, the jobs they provide as well as revenue.

How do communities receive revenue from jails?

Jobs.

 

[dirtboy]

We like jail! Let that be a lesson to anyone coming into our country, because we will find a way to put you behind bars!!!!

 

[brtspears2]

If people stopped breaking laws and getting caught, and hurting each other, we wouldn't need such socal controls like jail.

Yes, society likes taboo. Taboo brings trouble. Pay for it.

 

[smp]

Uh huh .. America is bad .. mmmmkay

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

When I was taking my psychology course, one of the things that we did was look at inmates who get released from a well kept and highly spoiled prison will actually commit another crime in order to go back.

I've never seen a prison or jail . . . other than a drive-by. But if they're getting spoiled inside America must be a real snithole. And most studies of recidivism do not control for pre-existing psychiatric conditions or socioeconomic factors. An ex-con with no job skills has Bush's chance in a spelling bee of getting a job, a place to stay, and staying out of trouble. Particularly if the community he returns (or moves) to is economically depressed.

How do communities receive revenue from jails?

As Sandorski noted jobs. Jobs building the prison, jobs at the prison, jobs providing services to the prison and its employees plus the tax revenues that follow all of this economic activity. If you thought base closing was a battle, you wait til somebody tries to shutter a prison. Granted with all the people Ashcroft plans to put in jail we may have to let the low level drug offenders leave with the murderers and rapists so we can incarcerate P2Pers.

 

[TNTrulez]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc

When I was taking my psychology course, one of the things that we did was look at inmates who get released from a well kept and highly spoiled prison will actually commit another crime in order to go back.

I've never seen a prison or jail . . . other than a drive-by. But if they're getting spoiled inside America must be a real snithole. And most studies of recidivism do not control for pre-existing psychiatric conditions or socioeconomic factors. An ex-con with no job skills has Bush's chance in a spelling bee of getting a job, a place to stay, and staying out of trouble. Particularly if the community he returns (or moves) to is economically depressed.

How do communities receive revenue from jails?

As Sandorski noted jobs. Jobs building the prison, jobs at the prison, jobs providing services to the prison and its employees plus the tax revenues that follow all of this economic activity. If you thought base closing was a battle, you wait til somebody tries to shutter a prison. Granted with all the people Ashcroft plans to put in jail we may have to let the low level drug offenders leave with the murderers and rapists so we can incarcerate P2Pers.

True dat. America is jail happy.

 

[Ronstang]

Hey Notfred,

It was actually more like ~250 people, give or take a few, who were arrested here in Houston for hanging out in the K-Mart parking lot.....still rather ridiculous.

 

[XMan]

What would you rather, have executions by pistol, with the bill sent to your surviving family members, a la China?

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Minor offenses are all civil. For instance if you get caught with 2 oz of MJ (which is a lot of pot) 15 times you pay an escalating fine but no jail time. Clearly this person is a dealer but parents need to be responsible for keeping their kids drug-free. Adults that want to be toasted should be allowed to do it. If you get caught committing a true offense (against a person) while under the influence you multiply the fine but the perp stays on the street so he can work off the money he owes the state and his victim.

Prostitution . . . good old shame. Mount cameras in the areas frequented by "johns" and their hosts and then broadcast live to cable access. Audit all hourly rate motels and fine them if evidence shows they knowingly cater to such business. Now I don't want to run these hard working women out of business so decriminalize prostitution. Basically ignore it unless it is on the street. License brothels . . . safer for everyone involved.

B&E, larceny, embezzlement, or fraud earns you hard labor filling some crappy job for a wage sufficient to survive while paying back your victim (with interest). How about Ken Lay as assistant janitor at your school?

Aggravated assault, unarmed carjacking, strong-arm robbery earns you inpatient re-education ala A Clockwork Orange. 2 hours of Barney, 2 hours of weaving, 4 hours of school, 8 hours of work duty, and 8 hours of sleep along with your three hots and a cot.

Use any kind of weapon earns you 1 year for each person you threaten . . . 10 years per person if you use a gun.

Manslaughter 10-20 minimum based on circumstances.

Rape and murder earns you life imprisonment no opportunity for parole.

So I've abolished the death penalty, locked up all violent felons for life, and reduced the prison population. Now everyone can go get stoned and scrog.

 

[Pooteh]

becuz lockup is easier then rehab i think the state should be doling out the prozac personally hehe

 

[Moonbeam]

Are you nuts? I've invested heavily in prisons. Please, it's a great growth stock sector, don't rock the boat. Also, are you nuts? Do you seriously want to live in a society with such a profound and growing disparity of wealth. Jails, the thought of jail, the likelihood of room for you in jail is vital to keeping the poor poor and the rich rich. The only thing that can buy a politician more effectively than money is the fear of revolution and it's concomitant job loss certainty.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Are you nuts? I've invested heavily in prisons. Please, it's a great growth stock sector, don't rock the boat. Also, are you nuts? Do you seriously want to live in a society with such a profound and growing disparity of wealth. Jails, the thought of jail, the likelihood of room for you in jail is vital to keeping the poor poor and the rich rich. The only thing that can buy a politician more effectively than money is the fear of revolution and it's concomitant job loss certainty.

Hehehe, yup. Privatizing the prison system is the stupidest thing ever. You may as well just put out a reward and everyone and his/her dog.

 

[HamSupLo]

bring back the debtor's prison

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

We do have the highest percentage of our population in prison of any nation in the world, including South Africa, which has a breathtakingly high rate of violent crime (SA's murder rate, for example, is five times that of the US). The numbers show that a disproportionate percentage of these inmates are in prison for drug offenses, which have been penalized with increasing severity over the past 20 years.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc
Minor offenses are all civil. For instance if you get caught with 2 oz of MJ (which is a lot of pot) 15 times you pay an escalating fine but no jail time. Clearly this person is a dealer but parents need to be responsible for keeping their kids drug-free. Adults that want to be toasted should be allowed to do it. If you get caught committing a true offense (against a person) while under the influence you multiply the fine but the perp stays on the street so he can work off the money he owes the state and his victim.

Prostitution . . . good old shame. Mount cameras in the areas frequented by "johns" and their hosts and then broadcast live to cable access. Audit all hourly rate motels and fine them if evidence shows they knowingly cater to such business. Now I don't want to run these hard working women out of business so decriminalize prostitution. Basically ignore it unless it is on the street. License brothels . . . safer for everyone involved.

B&E, larceny, embezzlement, or fraud earns you hard labor filling some crappy job for a wage sufficient to survive while paying back your victim (with interest). How about Ken Lay as assistant janitor at your school?

Aggravated assault, unarmed carjacking, strong-arm robbery earns you inpatient re-education ala A Clockwork Orange. 2 hours of Barney, 2 hours of weaving, 4 hours of school, 8 hours of work duty, and 8 hours of sleep along with your three hots and a cot.

Use any kind of weapon earns you 1 year for each person you threaten . . . 10 years per person if you use a gun.

Manslaughter 10-20 minimum based on circumstances.

Rape and murder earns you life imprisonment no opportunity for parole.

So I've abolished the death penalty, locked up all violent felons for life, and reduced the prison population. Now everyone can go get stoned and scrog.

If you ever run for president, you've got my vote

Oh, and for the the whole job/giving back to the community thing, dontcha think that we could find better ways to provide jobs for people? Building schools, repairing roads, building playgrounds, running after school athletic/activity centers, you know, revitalizing FDR's public works program.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

If you ever run for president, you've got my vote

Oh, and for the the whole job/giving back to the community thing, dontcha think that we could find better ways to provide jobs for people? Building schools, repairing roads, building playgrounds, running after school athletic/activity centers, you know, revitalizing FDR's public works program.

Oh my, someone's going to call you a Commie now!

You are correct though. Too many of those in jail are poorly educated and had little choice than crime in order to acheive the "American Dream". It would be better to spend billions more on educating kids, rather than waiting to grow up uneducated just to throw them in prison. If there is any country that could use a little socialism, it is the US.