What Rights Should Prisoners Have?

[Madeline]

All of us have heard goofy stories about law suits won by prisoners that garnered them some right that either comprised the safety of the prison or just added to the expense of housing them. What rights do you think they should have, and which would you take away?

Me, I'd very much like to see an end to prisoner violence, especially rape. We seem to take it for granted in this country that anyone, especially a man, doing hard time is vulnerable to rape. But why? Can't we install video cameras and take other measures to end this vile crime?

On the other hand, I have very mixed feelings about gain time and the like. If a person is sentenced to ten years, I think he should serve at least 8. Most parole boards seem to me to do a terrible job....maybe that needs to end as well.

Any thoughts?

 

[syrenn]

Oh i like the rape thing being dealt out to all pedophiles. I hope it would teach them how it feels.

 

[Care4all]

the same constitutional rights we all have, no more, no less.

 

[ConHog]

1. Prisoners have the right to protection from the elements
2. Prisoners have a right to be safe from being attacked in any way
3. Prisoners have the right to the bare minimum nutritional needs
4. Prisoners have a right to necessary medical care
5. Prisoners have a right to religious exercise
6. Prisoners have a right to legal counsel

Other than that, fuck them. Here's an idea, don't commit crimes if you don't want to be punished.

 

[ConHog]

the same constitutional rights we all have, no more, no less.

Are you insane?

1. Free speech? Nope, they are told what they can and can't say
2. Give them arms? Yeah right
3. Ok, well doesn't apply
4. Oops they can be searched at any time
5. Nope, you violate prison policies you don't get a trial


Need I go on?

 

[Madeline]

syrenn, nobody hates pedophiles more than me, but rape is a crime. It's a terrible crime. And we both know it isn't dealt out in some just fashion....we can stop it from happening and prosecute those who commit it. I say we should make prisons safer.

 

[ConHog]

syrenn, nobody hates pedophiles more than me, but rape is a crime. It's a terrible crime. And we both know it isn't dealt out in some just fashion....we can stop it from happening and prosecute those who commit it. I say we should make prisons safer.

Syrenn is crazy, you don't stop pedophiles by raping them. If that works why don't they just beat the shit out of abusive partners and see how that works?

No one should have to worry about rape or violence no matter what they have done.

 

[syrenn]

syrenn, nobody hates pedophiles more than me, but rape is a crime. It's a terrible crime. And we both know it isn't dealt out in some just fashion....we can stop it from happening and prosecute those who commit it. I say we should make prisons safer.

You asked. I have no sympathy for them at all. I would have pedophiles put in general populations, their crimes announced to the rest of the prisoners...and let justice be handed out. I don't relay care if a crime being committed against them...to fucking bad.

 

[Madeline]

Okie dokie, then. What about parole?

 

[syrenn]

Okie dokie, then. What about parole?

No parole

 

[ConHog]

Okie dokie, then. What about parole?

Nope, you do the crime, you do the crime.

 

[jgbkab]

syrenn, nobody hates pedophiles more than me, but rape is a crime. It's a terrible crime. And we both know it isn't dealt out in some just fashion....we can stop it from happening and prosecute those who commit it. I say we should make prisons safer.

You asked. I have no sympathy for them at all. I would have pedophiles put in general populations, their crimes announced to the rest of the prisoners...and let justice be handed out. I don't relay care if a crime being committed against them...to fucking bad.

So once their punishment of being raped is complete, they should be released? No one should be punished twice for the same crime.

 

[JBeukema]

What Rights Should Prisoners Have?

Depends on their crime...

 

[JBeukema]

the same constitutional rights we all have, no more, no less.

Are you insane?

1. Free speech? Nope, they are told what they can and can't say
2. Give them arms? Yeah right
3. Ok, well doesn't apply
4. Oops they can be searched at any time
5. Nope, you violate prison policies you don't get a trial


Need I go on?

I never thought I'd say this, but conhog's right on this one

 

[Skull Pilot]

I will preface this reply by saying that it applies only to violent offenders. IMO we have too many people in prison for minor drug offenses.

A violent criminal has the right to sleep on a cement floor, to work 14 hours a day at hard labor, to three meals a day of nutritionally adequate but horrible tasting gruel, and he has the right to serve every single day of his given sentence.

 

[Madeline]

I agree with Skull Pilot. Nonviolent offenders -- even ones as bad as Bernie Madoff -- seem to me to require every effort at rehabilitation. Violent offenders, I'm more like syrenn...wtf cares?

But unless they have been given LWOP, we should care. They will walk free again someday. I'm not sure that spending years in a survival of the fittest environment is going to make any of them easier to be around. I think prison should be harsher than it is, but free of prisoner crime.

I'm surprised we have not heard from any correctional officers....I'd sorta expected to. Be nice to have that input. One of the better arguments for keeping parole is that it helps protect guards. They have an ability to affect something he prisoners want, so the promise of parole keeps them safer. That has to be a terrible job and I hate to strip them of any protection....but prisoners should do at least 80% of their time IMO.

 

[Gremlin-USA]

Take away the Cigarettes and TV.
Give them all Hard Labor.

If just those three things were done, I bet repeat offenders would drop.

This BS about rights, what about the Victim?, the 24 YO Lady that will never walk again and will have to eat through a straw for the rest of her life, cannot have children, because of a violent rape? And people want to molly coddle the criminal and give him TV, Cigarettes and let him out in 6 years, BS!!!!!

.

 

[strollingbones]

1. Prisoners have the right to protection from the elements
2. Prisoners have a right to be safe from being attacked in any way
3. Prisoners have the right to the bare minimum nutritional needs
4. Prisoners have a right to necessary medical care
5. Prisoners have a right to religious exercise
6. Prisoners have a right to legal counsel

Other than that, fuck them. Here's an idea, don't commit crimes if you don't want to be punished.

are prisons for punishment? or rehabilation? seems if they are simply for punishment then we have given up on the penal system. it just becomes one big training camp...go in and learn a trade! i got no problem with work gangs...i think if you have min security prisons you should have the cleanest roads in the world..i agree with most of this...but still would not want someone like this sheriff taking over this county. he views all the inmates as scum, he has proven to be very limited in his vision.

 

[Madeline]

The first thing I want from a prison housing violent offenders is safety -- I want to feel they are not among us, and won't harm anyone else. Everything else after that is secondary.

I dunno why prisons have to allow television (and apparently cable?). Seems like a luxury to me. So does smoking....if I cannot smoke in a public place, why should they?

But the question remains, what do we do with violent offenders who will one day be released again? Do we give them therapy, trade school, etc.? If we don't, aren't we the ones who pay eventually?

 

[syrenn]

syrenn, nobody hates pedophiles more than me, but rape is a crime. It's a terrible crime. And we both know it isn't dealt out in some just fashion....we can stop it from happening and prosecute those who commit it. I say we should make prisons safer.

You asked. I have no sympathy for them at all. I would have pedophiles put in general populations, their crimes announced to the rest of the prisoners...and let justice be handed out. I don't relay care if a crime being committed against them...to fucking bad.

So once their punishment of being raped is complete, they should be released? No one should be punished twice for the same crime.

The legal system metered out time in jail. The inmates would hopefully dole out the justice. And i hope a pedophiles time in jail is a living HELL.