Have we turned our prisons into hotels?

[Anachronism]

I guess I should be lucky you're not the director of my program then

Yeah, probably. In my view of the "education" system in prisons the tools are Tazers, Asp batons, and the occasional firearm; not books.

 

[AquaAthena]

I was at my barbers a couple weeks ago and there was a gentleman in there talking to a few people about the time he had spent in prison, according to him it was not all that bad. He said you can buy pretty much whatever you want from the commissary Air Jordans, magazines, candy, popcorn etc etc he said you can buy food to put in the microwave too in case you don't like what they have in the cafeteria. You have access to computers, you can watch movies in your sparetime, and you get work detail during the day to get you out of your cell, this guy said its like being in an all male college. he didn't make it seem that he had a bad time there and he said he could easily deal with going back if he had to, have we turned our prisons into hotels? Prison is supposed to be something to deter people from doing wrong, because they want to avoid going to prison, but if they view prison as something thats not that bad and in some cases like a family re-union, do we need to make things tougher in our prisons so people won't want to keep going back?

And how about those conjugal visits?? Oh! Poor convict...he DOES need his relief, afterall.

Peruvian prisons ain’t Alcatraz either:

SNIP:

Unknown to Peruvian police, the bulletproof vest contains 392 Snicker bars.
Joran van der Sloot, the principal suspect in the disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway in Aruba, is rumored to have gotten his latest girlfriend pregnant while imprisoned in Lima.The Dutchman is currently incarcerated at Castro Castro Jail while awaiting a murder trial for the death and robbery of Stephany Flores in June 2010.

His new girlfriend, who is not identified, allegedly worked at a casino frequented by Stephany Flores and visits van der Sloot’s cell to do “chores” and give him candy, which he uses to run a “lucrative” snack bar from his cell.

The victim’s father, Ricardo Flores, saw van der Sloot at a recent court hearing and said he expected to see a “miserable person.” Instead, he was shocked to see a ”fatso.”

Ricardo Flores has asked jail officials to investigate the conjugal visits.

Report: Van der Sloot gets girlfriend pregnant in jail | News To Me with George Mathis
.

 

[Mr Natural]

Did the guy mention what he was in for?

No, nobody asked him.

Then he may have been in a minimum security prison for some minor offense.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Prison should be a place to fear. Where every-single-last-day sucks.

nothing inhumane like beatings or kept in complete darkness.

but not having TV? That's not inhumane.

 

[High_Gravity]

Did the guy mention what he was in for?

No, nobody asked him.

Then he may have been in a minimum security prison for some minor offense.

Its possible.

 

[High_Gravity]

Prison should be a place to fear. Where every-single-last-day sucks.

nothing inhumane like beatings or kept in complete darkness.

but not having TV? That's not inhumane.

I don't think they need Air Jordans or Pop Corn either.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Prison should be a place to fear. Where every-single-last-day sucks.

nothing inhumane like beatings or kept in complete darkness.

but not having TV? That's not inhumane.

I don't think they need Air Jordans or Pop Corn either.

I was going with a short list.

They can buy TV's and keep them in thier rooms and have common area ones.

Rep for the first person to name an inmates 2 favorite shows.

Things like popcorn, chips, cookies are currency in jails and prisons. More than once did I see someone lose at cards of chess, go to thier cell, come back with whatever and "share" with the other inmate.

 

[Nate]

Prison should be a place to fear. Where every-single-last-day sucks.

nothing inhumane like beatings or kept in complete darkness.

but not having TV? That's not inhumane.

I don't think they need Air Jordans or Pop Corn either.

I was going with a short list.

They can buy TV's and keep them in thier rooms and have common area ones.

Rep for the first person to name an inmates 2 favorite shows.

Things like popcorn, chips, cookies are currency in jails and prisons. More than once did I see someone lose at cards of chess, go to thier cell, come back with whatever and "share" with the other inmate.

Cops and AMW?

 

[Father Time]

I wonder what the Micheline rating is for this place?

Three stars do you think, or four?

You and me might find that place terrible, but alot of people don't really mind being there. Compared to prisons in other countries, our prisons ARE 3 star hotels!

Ya' think? Bostadsrum prison, Sweden

I've never seen a single image like that that wasn't a fake.

 

[Father Time]

Question:

How many of you hotheads yelling about how luxurious prison is have actually been to prison?

 

[Father Time]

You are correct, convicts have a hell of a time finding work when they get out because people don't want to deal with them, however if they have it in their head that prison really isn't all that bad, it does less to deter them from committing a crime.

Convicts should NOT have an easy time finding a job.

That would make them more desperate and more likely to commit crimes.

Why should someone who has already proven an inability to live within societal confines be given any leeway by that society in the future?

People can be in jail for traffic violations or for other petty crimes.

 

[Nate]

You are correct, convicts have a hell of a time finding work when they get out because people don't want to deal with them, however if they have it in their head that prison really isn't all that bad, it does less to deter them from committing a crime.

Convicts should NOT have an easy time finding a job.

That would make them more desperate and more likely to commit crimes.

Why should someone who has already proven an inability to live within societal confines be given any leeway by that society in the future?

People can be in jail for traffic violations or for other petty crimes.

I tell ya, this thread was an eye opener!

 

[Father Time]

Convicts should NOT have an easy time finding a job.

That would make them more desperate and more likely to commit crimes.

Why should someone who has already proven an inability to live within societal confines be given any leeway by that society in the future?

People can be in jail for traffic violations or for other petty crimes.

I tell ya, this thread was an eye opener!

I think you'd need repeat traffic violations and even then it's for like a few weeks or something.

But still if we're talking about EVERYONE in prison we should remember what we're dealing with.

Hell people who can't afford bail await trial in jail.

 

[MikeK]

Ya' think?

Bostadsrum prison, Sweden

Sweden, The Netherlands, Iceland and other Scandinavian countries are highly civilized, socialist nations whereas the United States is gradually devolving into the staging area for an Orwellian nightmare.

 

[MikeK]

I've never seen a single image like that that wasn't a fake.

It's real enough. I recently saw a documentary on MSNBC's current Lockup series in which they made a comparison with some Scandinavian prisons. While this photo is the kind of cell the well-behaved inmates live in there are some which are not so comfortable. But even the worst is far better than those in the best U.S. prison, such as Butner federal, where Bernie Madoff is lodged.

Basically, the conditions in most U.S. prisons are dehumanizing.

 

[zzzz]

The most important right we have is freedom. Going to prison takes that right. Some prisons are minimum security and easier and some are hell holes. Listing a few things offenders are allowed and forming an opinion that it is a hotel is absurd but understandable. We form opinions every day on minuscule information and paint a whole race with the brush. Losing the ability to go outside when you want, to see your wife or son, to eat when and what you want, to even make a phone call are just a few of the things that we take for granted everyday that offenders lose the right to do. This is part of the punishment. When they are released they will face further punishment for the rest of their lives.

Yes in some prisons they do get a few perks but these perks are designed to keep the offender population pacified and complacent. The last thing prison administrators want are riots all the time and violent offenders having nothing to lose. For those of us old enough to remember, Attica killed innocent people along with the guilty!!!

 

[MikeK]

I have searched for corroborating evidence, however results are in Spanish - not helpful; I'll keep trying.

Most Mexicans fear prison in their country because the conditions are horrid, but I believe it is because conviction shames the entire family, not just the inmate. In rural areas, the inmates are housed in corrugated tin roofs under blazing sun without air circulation. Family must bring food daily to their loved ones. No guaranteed beds, filthy surroundings, no TVs or Air Jordans (crazy making!) just you, people like you and a miserable existence are found in Mexican jails.

I don't support inhumane conditions, however I like that these are places that make people think twice before committing that crime.

I believe the most constructive type of prison would consist of graduated levels of comfort, ranging at one extreme from the conditions you've described above to those shown in the photo of the Swedish example at the opposite extreme, with several progressive stages in between. Inmates would start in the middle and progress according to their behavior.

The effect over time would condition psychologically salvageable, non-sociopathic inmates to understand the benefits of civilized behavior.

 

[Anachronism]

That would make them more desperate and more likely to commit crimes.

Of course I'd prefer not to let them out to begin with, but that's probably even less feasible.

 

[zzzz]

That would make them more desperate and more likely to commit crimes.

Of course I'd prefer not to let them out to begin with, but that's probably even less feasible.

So you would prefer someone getting locked up for having a joint never get out of prison? How many of you people are perfect and never committed a crime which you were not caught for? Before you answer remember underage drinking is A CRIME!

 

[Anachronism]

So you would prefer someone getting locked up for having a joint never get out of prison? How many of you people are perfect and never committed a crime which you were not caught for? Before you answer remember underage drinking is A CRIME!

In terms of moral crimes like possession of marijuana, I want the suspect executed on the spot, but that's a different topic.

I'm not going to comment for anyone else, but my first drink was two weeks AFTER my twenty-first birthday.