Prison: A Waste of Human Life

[Big Black Dog]

I write to prisoners and I am friends with a few. What I'm struck by is that the sentences don't always match the crime and that the innocent also wind up in prison.

I would like to discuss the transformation that sometimes occurs to remarkable prisoners as a result of their incarceration.

Some truly self-heal, and IMO, it is a waste of resources to keep them locked or to execute them.

Jarvis Masters is the author of Finding Freedom. He is one such remarkable man, living on Death Row in San Quentin Prison.

Prison work has been part of my spiritual path for ten years.

Your thoughts?

Prison should be a place that nobody wants to go. There should be nothing to make life comfortable and it should be hard work all day long busting big rocks into little rocks. If you are sentenced to 10 years, you should be made to do 10 years day for day. If you are sentenced to death that should happen within 6 months. Then, and only then, will being sent to prison mean anything. Most criminals look at prison as the joke it has become.

That is the myth. You do not work in a prison and have to go there everyday. Listen to what they want as they are the ones charged with keeping the prisoners daily.
The warden on down to the prison staff and jailers all want a peaceful and quiet prison.
Last thing you want in a prison is an angry inmate. That causes more problems for everyone involved that has to work there including the prisoner that wants to do his time and get out.
Prison is no joke. Do not know where you get your information but it is way off.

Hate to tell you this but I have 6 relatives that are prison guards and I do know what I am talking about. You're the one that doesn't have a clue.

 

[Gadawg73]

Prison should be a place that nobody wants to go. There should be nothing to make life comfortable and it should be hard work all day long busting big rocks into little rocks. If you are sentenced to 10 years, you should be made to do 10 years day for day. If you are sentenced to death that should happen within 6 months. Then, and only then, will being sent to prison mean anything. Most criminals look at prison as the joke it has become.

That is the myth. You do not work in a prison and have to go there everyday. Listen to what they want as they are the ones charged with keeping the prisoners daily.
The warden on down to the prison staff and jailers all want a peaceful and quiet prison.
Last thing you want in a prison is an angry inmate. That causes more problems for everyone involved that has to work there including the prisoner that wants to do his time and get out.
Prison is no joke. Do not know where you get your information but it is way off.

Hate to tell you this but I have 6 relatives that are prison guards and I do know what I am talking about. You're the one that doesn't have a clue.

I go into prisons and jails weekly and know the Sheriff of this county and have many friends in law enforcement also.
Last thing they want is a hard core environment for the prisoners. Keep them busy and involved and there are less problems.
Law enforcement will be the first ones to tell you that most of these guys do not belong in prison to begin with.
Your relatives must be in a max security prison. I am talking about regular prison where 60% of the prisoners are in for petty drug offenses.
Law enforcement will tell you 90% of those cases involve prescription drug abuse and the problems associated with that, domestic, petty theft, anger and vague threat.
It is a felony of child molesting in Georgia now with 25 years to serve for taking a piss at a tail gate party and a child sees your penis. If that child felt that you were SHOWING your penis to her then the law is child molesting.
That is one of dozens of examples I could tell you of cases I work daily.
Law enforcement wants prison reform. Prison guards want a quiet prison but they also want job security so the like the maxed out sentences. Keeps their job for them but makes us taxpayers go broke.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Prison should be a place that nobody wants to go. There should be nothing to make life comfortable and it should be hard work all day long busting big rocks into little rocks. If you are sentenced to 10 years, you should be made to do 10 years day for day. If you are sentenced to death that should happen within 6 months. Then, and only then, will being sent to prison mean anything. Most criminals look at prison as the joke it has become.

That is the myth. You do not work in a prison and have to go there everyday. Listen to what they want as they are the ones charged with keeping the prisoners daily.
The warden on down to the prison staff and jailers all want a peaceful and quiet prison.
Last thing you want in a prison is an angry inmate. That causes more problems for everyone involved that has to work there including the prisoner that wants to do his time and get out.
Prison is no joke. Do not know where you get your information but it is way off.

Hate to tell you this but I have 6 relatives that are prison guards and I do know what I am talking about. You're the one that doesn't have a clue.

I think you should actually talk to your relatives, they might bitch about how mice prisoners have it, but not a single one of them actually wants to deal with prisoners that have no hope of things being better. Ask any of them about how they feel about working ad seg or the psych wing of a prison.

 

[koshergrl]

Prison should be a place that nobody wants to go. There should be nothing to make life comfortable and it should be hard work all day long busting big rocks into little rocks. If you are sentenced to 10 years, you should be made to do 10 years day for day. If you are sentenced to death that should happen within 6 months. Then, and only then, will being sent to prison mean anything. Most criminals look at prison as the joke it has become.

That is the myth. You do not work in a prison and have to go there everyday. Listen to what they want as they are the ones charged with keeping the prisoners daily.
The warden on down to the prison staff and jailers all want a peaceful and quiet prison.
Last thing you want in a prison is an angry inmate. That causes more problems for everyone involved that has to work there including the prisoner that wants to do his time and get out.
Prison is no joke. Do not know where you get your information but it is way off.

Hate to tell you this but I have 6 relatives that are prison guards and I do know what I am talking about. You're the one that doesn't have a clue.

And I have relatives who have spent substantial chunks of time inside, and I have worked in jail, and with inmates on the outside as well.

It's not where people would choose to spend large lumps of time, but it's doable. You do your time. If you're more of an idiot than you have to be, it's going to be harder on you. The food will keep you alive, the shelter is adequate, and you can get by.

 

[koshergrl]

We had a guy witness at church a few weeks ago; he had done a few years for drug charges and had never been in prison in his life. He was terrified.

Every cellmate he had was a Christian, and he developed a nice little ministry while in there. He has zero regrets about his time in there.

 

[uscitizen]

Amazing I do not know anyone in prison and have only had maybe 2 people I knew in my life that went to prison.

Those in prison made their choice to waste their life.

 

[koshergrl]

And except the ones with organic brain damage or those who are just too plug stupid to be anything but habitual criminals, they know it's their own stupid mistakes who landed them there.

There are the pity partiers who spend all their time whining about how they shouldn't be there (they are generally the habitual offenders) but there is a way to be a human in prison. It's not without violence and horror..but a smart person can make it. It isn't like the old days, when prison meant brutalization without cessation.

 

[Old Rocks]

That is the myth. You do not work in a prison and have to go there everyday. Listen to what they want as they are the ones charged with keeping the prisoners daily.
The warden on down to the prison staff and jailers all want a peaceful and quiet prison.
Last thing you want in a prison is an angry inmate. That causes more problems for everyone involved that has to work there including the prisoner that wants to do his time and get out.
Prison is no joke. Do not know where you get your information but it is way off.

Hate to tell you this but I have 6 relatives that are prison guards and I do know what I am talking about. You're the one that doesn't have a clue.

I go into prisons and jails weekly and know the Sheriff of this county and have many friends in law enforcement also.
Last thing they want is a hard core environment for the prisoners. Keep them busy and involved and there are less problems.
Law enforcement will be the first ones to tell you that most of these guys do not belong in prison to begin with.
Your relatives must be in a max security prison. I am talking about regular prison where 60% of the prisoners are in for petty drug offenses.
Law enforcement will tell you 90% of those cases involve prescription drug abuse and the problems associated with that, domestic, petty theft, anger and vague threat.
It is a felony of child molesting in Georgia now with 25 years to serve for taking a piss at a tail gate party and a child sees your penis. If that child felt that you were SHOWING your penis to her then the law is child molesting.
That is one of dozens of examples I could tell you of cases I work daily.
Law enforcement wants prison reform. Prison guards want a quiet prison but they also want job security so the like the maxed out sentences. Keeps their job for them but makes us taxpayers go broke.

So much truth in this post. I, like many others, have seen someone get more time for having some pot in their possesion, than someone that commited felony assualt.

A fellow here in Oregon was caught in a traffic jam, and absolutely had to go. Used the door to hide himself. But some female called in and said that she could tell what he was doing by the way he stood. He was arrested, and charged with public indecency and listed as a sexual offender, in spite of having no previous record of any kind.

We need to reform our criminal laws nationwide, and get realistic about what is and is not a crime.

 

[Avatar4321]

You don't think most defendants in jail are poor and unable to make bail? Have you ever visited a jail and talked to the people awaiting trial? I can assure you that most of them are not that well off.

As for arguing your own case, remember the adage about fools and lawyers.

Arguements can and always are made for bail reductions. Especially for petty crimes. Heck, if you can't get unsecured, you either 1) Have a lengthy record already, or 2) have committed a serious offense, usually with a weapon of some sort.

Those arent usually the people with a house & mortgage trying to take care of their family.

 

[Avatar4321]

You are right and a lot more are there for probation violations, petty stuff and the majority they can not pay the fines and probation fees. They are in prison for 2 years, get out on probation and immediately have $300 in fines and probation fees a month. The fees are $4 for the fire department, $6 for the courthouse law library, $8 for the assistant to the girl that sucks the Judge's dick. And guess what the #1 probation violation is? Can not pay the probation fees and fines so they go back to jail. No bail on probation violations. However, in misdemeanor cases they lower the bail every few weeks to next to nothing.

I agree. The probation violations for lack of payment of fines is pretty lame. It's on almost every Gagnon hearing I see. Though usually it takes drug use or missing probation visits or another charge to actually get probation to violate them.

 

[Gadawg73]

Hate to tell you this but I have 6 relatives that are prison guards and I do know what I am talking about. You're the one that doesn't have a clue.

I go into prisons and jails weekly and know the Sheriff of this county and have many friends in law enforcement also.
Last thing they want is a hard core environment for the prisoners. Keep them busy and involved and there are less problems.
Law enforcement will be the first ones to tell you that most of these guys do not belong in prison to begin with.
Your relatives must be in a max security prison. I am talking about regular prison where 60% of the prisoners are in for petty drug offenses.
Law enforcement will tell you 90% of those cases involve prescription drug abuse and the problems associated with that, domestic, petty theft, anger and vague threat.
It is a felony of child molesting in Georgia now with 25 years to serve for taking a piss at a tail gate party and a child sees your penis. If that child felt that you were SHOWING your penis to her then the law is child molesting.
That is one of dozens of examples I could tell you of cases I work daily.
Law enforcement wants prison reform. Prison guards want a quiet prison but they also want job security so the like the maxed out sentences. Keeps their job for them but makes us taxpayers go broke.

So much truth in this post. I, like many others, have seen someone get more time for having some pot in their possesion, than someone that commited felony assualt.

A fellow here in Oregon was caught in a traffic jam, and absolutely had to go. Used the door to hide himself. But some female called in and said that she could tell what he was doing by the way he stood. He was arrested, and charged with public indecency and listed as a sexual offender, in spite of having no previous record of any kind.

We need to reform our criminal laws nationwide, and get realistic about what is and is not a crime.

And it comes from all sides. College campuses are known for liberal policies top to bottom and that is okay with me as they can do their thing. In Georgia they had a law passed years ago that gives the campus police force, mostly all security guards, the same arrest powers as any POST certified officers. And the colleges have passed rules and regulations concerning sexual harassment that have been adopted by the State Legislature. Had a recent case where they rounded up 30 college kids with under cover agents at local bars. Their "crimes"? Underage drinking. And our client, a young man age 20, was sitting in the police station awaiting finger printing next to a college girl who was also arrested for under age drinking. He told her "You look sexy in that sweater". Woman campus security guard heard him and they charged him with sexual harassment, a misdemeanor. This outraged the family but that is the law. They finally dropped that when he entered his plea to the underage drinking. Fine $1200 and 80 hours of community service at the university.
Everyone is doing it. This is not a liberal versus conservative thing. Our Justice system has turned into a God Damn fund raiser.

 

[Avatar4321]

So much truth in this post. I, like many others, have seen someone get more time for having some pot in their possesion, than someone that commited felony assualt.

A fellow here in Oregon was caught in a traffic jam, and absolutely had to go. Used the door to hide himself. But some female called in and said that she could tell what he was doing by the way he stood. He was arrested, and charged with public indecency and listed as a sexual offender, in spite of having no previous record of any kind.

We need to reform our criminal laws nationwide, and get realistic about what is and is not a crime.

I completely agree. Take drug cases. Why have those merely possessing drugs do time? We throw them in jail with the drug dealers and who wins? The drug dealers just made a bunch of new contacts for when they get out. The drug users remain addicts because we set them up with a new supplier. Prosecute the dealers, toss them in jail and fine the users or something. Make them do community service.

Same with people who are stealing. Why reward them with free room and board and three meals a day? I know tons of people who, in the winter, will purposely commit a retail theft so they have someplace warm to stay for a few months. Then they plead out with time served in the spring and the cycle starts again. Let's make those who commit theft work off their punishment.

 

[Gadawg73]

You are right and a lot more are there for probation violations, petty stuff and the majority they can not pay the fines and probation fees. They are in prison for 2 years, get out on probation and immediately have $300 in fines and probation fees a month. The fees are $4 for the fire department, $6 for the courthouse law library, $8 for the assistant to the girl that sucks the Judge's dick. And guess what the #1 probation violation is? Can not pay the probation fees and fines so they go back to jail. No bail on probation violations. However, in misdemeanor cases they lower the bail every few weeks to next to nothing.

I agree. The probation violations for lack of payment of fines is pretty lame. It's on almost every Gagnon hearing I see. Though usually it takes drug use or missing probation visits or another charge to actually get probation to violate them.

"Associating with known felons" or some shit like that also.
Had one where the guy was given names of half way houses where he could live on probation. Some "known felons" were living there also. They busted one of them and brought our guy in for that! Dropped it at the revocation hearing.
I do a lot of indigent defense work here for the local lawyers. I am approved by many counties and the county and/or state pays me a reduced rate to investigate their cases for the appointed indigent defense attorneys.
Do it for about 2/5s my normal rate but I enjoy it and get a lot out of it.

 

[Avatar4321]

And it comes from all sides. College campuses are known for liberal policies top to bottom and that is okay with me as they can do their thing. In Georgia they had a law passed years ago that gives the campus police force, mostly all security guards, the same arrest powers as any POST certified officers. And the colleges have passed rules and regulations concerning sexual harassment that have been adopted by the State Legislature. Had a recent case where they rounded up 30 college kids with under cover agents at local bars. Their "crimes"? Underage drinking. And our client, a young man age 20, was sitting in the police station awaiting finger printing next to a college girl who was also arrested for under age drinking. He told her "You look sexy in that sweater". Woman campus security guard heard him and they charged him with sexual harassment, a misdemeanor. This outraged the family but that is the law. They finally dropped that when he entered his plea to the underage drinking. Fine $1200 and 80 hours of community service at the university.
Everyone is doing it. This is not a liberal versus conservative thing. Our Justice system has turned into a God Damn fund raiser.

He got a sexual harassment charge for saying "You look sexy in that sweater"? That's a freaking compliment, not harassment. And women wonder why men don't give them compliments and treat them better. Most are probably worried it's against the law somehow. (oh who am i kidding most are just jerks).

 

[whitehall]

I write to prisoners and I am friends with a few. What I'm struck by is that the sentences don't always match the crime and that the innocent also wind up in prison.

I would like to discuss the transformation that sometimes occurs to remarkable prisoners as a result of their incarceration.

Some truly self-heal, and IMO, it is a waste of resources to keep them locked or to execute them.

Jarvis Masters is the author of Finding Freedom. He is one such remarkable man, living on Death Row in San Quentin Prison.

Prison work has been part of my spiritual path for ten years.

Your thoughts?

It seems like you are dealing with two different issues. Would prison be a legitimate concept in your mind if the sentences matched the crime and no innocent people were doing time?

 

[Gadawg73]

And it comes from all sides. College campuses are known for liberal policies top to bottom and that is okay with me as they can do their thing. In Georgia they had a law passed years ago that gives the campus police force, mostly all security guards, the same arrest powers as any POST certified officers. And the colleges have passed rules and regulations concerning sexual harassment that have been adopted by the State Legislature. Had a recent case where they rounded up 30 college kids with under cover agents at local bars. Their "crimes"? Underage drinking. And our client, a young man age 20, was sitting in the police station awaiting finger printing next to a college girl who was also arrested for under age drinking. He told her "You look sexy in that sweater". Woman campus security guard heard him and they charged him with sexual harassment, a misdemeanor. This outraged the family but that is the law. They finally dropped that when he entered his plea to the underage drinking. Fine $1200 and 80 hours of community service at the university.
Everyone is doing it. This is not a liberal versus conservative thing. Our Justice system has turned into a God Damn fund raiser.

He got a sexual harassment charge for saying "You look sexy in that sweater"? That's a freaking compliment, not harassment. And women wonder why men don't give them compliments and treat them better. Most are probably worried it's against the law somehow. (oh who am i kidding most are just jerks).

The girl did not care, it was the security guard that charged him. And the attorney told us they did not need the girl to prosecute him under that statute on a college campus.
Words now are illegal. The thought police.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

You don't think most defendants in jail are poor and unable to make bail? Have you ever visited a jail and talked to the people awaiting trial? I can assure you that most of them are not that well off.

As for arguing your own case, remember the adage about fools and lawyers.

Arguements can and always are made for bail reductions. Especially for petty crimes. Heck, if you can't get unsecured, you either 1) Have a lengthy record already, or 2) have committed a serious offense, usually with a weapon of some sort.

Those arent usually the people with a house & mortgage trying to take care of their family.

That would depend on what state and county you are in, wouldn't it?

 

[syrenn]

I write to prisoners and I am friends with a few. What I'm struck by is that the sentences don't always match the crime and that the innocent also wind up in prison.

I would like to discuss the transformation that sometimes occurs to remarkable prisoners as a result of their incarceration.

Some truly self-heal, and IMO, it is a waste of resources to keep them locked or to execute them.

Jarvis Masters is the author of Finding Freedom. He is one such remarkable man, living on Death Row in San Quentin Prison.

Prison work has been part of my spiritual path for ten years.

Your thoughts?

It seems like you are dealing with two different issues. Would prison be a legitimate concept in your mind if the sentences matched the crime and no innocent people were doing time?

if you read the thread you will see her issues.

 

[MikeK]

And it comes from all sides. College campuses are known for liberal policies top to bottom and that is okay with me as they can do their thing. In Georgia they had a law passed years ago that gives the campus police force, mostly all security guards, the same arrest powers as any POST certified officers. And the colleges have passed rules and regulations concerning sexual harassment that have been adopted by the State Legislature. Had a recent case where they rounded up 30 college kids with under cover agents at local bars. Their "crimes"? Underage drinking. And our client, a young man age 20, was sitting in the police station awaiting finger printing next to a college girl who was also arrested for under age drinking. He told her "You look sexy in that sweater". Woman campus security guard heard him and they charged him with sexual harassment, a misdemeanor. This outraged the family but that is the law. They finally dropped that when he entered his plea to the underage drinking. Fine $1200 and 80 hours of community service at the university.
Everyone is doing it. This is not a liberal versus conservative thing. Our Justice system has turned into a God Damn fund raiser.

He got a sexual harassment charge for saying "You look sexy in that sweater"? That's a freaking compliment, not harassment. And women wonder why men don't give them compliments and treat them better. Most are probably worried it's against the law somehow. (oh who am i kidding most are just jerks).

The girl did not care, it was the security guard that charged him. And the attorney told us they did not need the girl to prosecute him under that statute on a college campus.
Words now are illegal. The thought police.

I've always felt Georgia is a good state to stay out of.

Once when I was stationed in North Carolina (a really nice southern state) I was driving to Florida and was stopped in Georgia by a local cop whose attitude was such that I recall thinking how glad I am I'm White, because if I were Black I had no doubt that redneck sonofabitch would have found some reason to arrest me.

As it was I paid a $55 fine for 8 miles over -- and I had a North Carolina license. If I'd had a New York license I'm sure it would have cost me more.

 

[Gadawg73]

He got a sexual harassment charge for saying "You look sexy in that sweater"? That's a freaking compliment, not harassment. And women wonder why men don't give them compliments and treat them better. Most are probably worried it's against the law somehow. (oh who am i kidding most are just jerks).

The girl did not care, it was the security guard that charged him. And the attorney told us they did not need the girl to prosecute him under that statute on a college campus.
Words now are illegal. The thought police.

I've always felt Georgia is a good state to stay out of.

Once when I was stationed in North Carolina (a really nice southern state) I was driving to Florida and was stopped in Georgia by a local cop whose attitude was such that I recall thinking how glad I am I'm White, because if I were Black I had no doubt that redneck sonofabitch would have found some reason to arrest me.

As it was I paid a $55 fine for 8 miles over -- and I had a North Carolina license. If I'd had a New York license I'm sure it would have cost me more.

Those politically correct laws are even worse up north as all of my relatives live in NY, Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Georgia is a great state to live in. Modern roads, great diversity and an appreciation for everyone regardless of race or sexual orientation, big city, newest and largest airport in the world. I can drive 45 minutes and arrive at the airport and be in Montego Bay by noon. We have great beaches and mountains, beautiful lakes and rivers. Most importantly the cost of living is low. Most of the suburbia is filled with northerners, they are welcome here. They come because of the jobs and cost of living.
American by birth, Georgian by the Grace of God!