This is the way prisons should be run...

[Gandelf]

USA Jail -- Interesting Reading


TO THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH JOE ARPAIO, HE IS THE MARICOPACOUNTY
SHERIFF ( ARIZONA ) AND HE KEEPS GETTING ELECTED OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

These are some of the reasons why:

Sheriff Joe Arpaio created the "tent city jail" to save Arizona from
spending tens of million of dollars on another expensive prison complex.

He has jail meals down to 40 cents a serving and charges the inmates for
them.

He banned smoking and porno magazines in the jails, and took away their
weightlifting equipment and cut off all but "G" movies. He says: "they're
in
jail to pay a debt to society not to build muscles so they can assault
innocent people when they leave."

He started chain gangs to use the inmates to do free work on county and
city
projects and save taxpayer's money.

Then he started chain gangs for women so he wouldn't get sued for
discrimination.

He took away cable TV until he found out there was a federal court order
that required cable TV for jails. So he hooked up the cable TV again but
only allows the Disney channel and the weather channel.

When asked why the weather channel he replied: "so these morons will know
how hot it's gonna be while they are working on my chain gangs."

He cut off coffee because it has zero nutritional value and is therefore a
waste of taxpayer money. When the inmates complained, he told them, "This
isn't the Ritz/Carlton. If you don't like it, don't come back."

He also bought the Newt Gingrich lecture series on US history that he
pipes
into the jails. When asked by a reporter if he had any lecture series by a
Democrat, he replied that a democratic lecture series that actually tells
the truth for a change would be welcome and that it might even explain why
95% of the inmates were in his jails in the first place.

With temperatures being even hotter than usual in Phoenix (116 degrees
just
set a new record for June 2nd), the Associated Press reports: About 2,000
inmates living in a barbed- wire-surrounded tent encampment at the
Maricopa
County Jail have been given permission to strip down to their
government-issued pink boxer shorts.

On Wednesday, hundreds of men wearing pink boxer shorts were chatting in
the
tents, where temperatures reached 128 degrees. "This is hell. It feels
like
we live in a furnace," said Ernesto Gonzales, an inmate for 2 years with
10
more to go. "It's inhumane."
Joe Arpaio, who makes his prisoners wear pink, and eat bologna sandwiches,
is not one bit sympathetic. "Criminals should be punished for their crimes
-
not live in luxury until it's time for parole, only to go out and commit
more crimes so they can come back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy
things many taxpayers can't afford to have for themselves."

Wednesday he told all the inmates who were complaining of the heat in the
tents: "It's between 120 to 130 degrees in Iraq and our soldiers are
living
in tents too, and they have to walk all day in the sun, wearing full
battle
gear and get shot at, and they have not committed any crimes, so shut your
damned mouths!"

Way to go, Sheriff! If all prisons were like yours there would be a lot
less
crime and we would not be in the current position of running out of prison
spaces.

If you agree, pass this on.
If not, just delete it.

Sheriff Joe was just re-elected Sheriff in Maricopa County , Arizona.

[Lieva]

not too sure about the weightlifting
maybe make it so they can only train for x amt of hours.
fact is they dont get that much excersise as much as free people which is why i assumed they were able to have access to that.

Do like them putting women on chain gangs dunno why they dont anyway

Its a pity it wont happen all over but i spose thats the nice thing about america..whilst there are all over rules each state seems to have its own laws

Whilst they can do this in arizona they wont be able to do it in washington

[Satyn]

I seriously doubt that is the answer. In my opinion once they get out they'll be even more frustrated. What they all need is counceling, they are still human after all and not some animal. Is the deathpenalty still going on in Arizona? If so the worst criminals are gona get killed so the others are in for lesser crimes so they need counceling for the day they are free again. If the deathpenalty isnt still there then i would agree with that way of treating them if they have to spend life in prison and wont get out earlier so they cant unload their frustration once they get out.

[Lieva]

hmm

we could be going too extreme on both sides.
We need a nice balance.

on the one side prisoners get cushy pillows, meals, tv etc.. Better than i have at home tbh (some even have internet!!!)
on the other side prisoners get nada and lame meals no tv etc...

He is right, prison should be a punishment and not a luxury that it seems to be atm (atm the only thing prisoners seem to deal with is favoritism and lack of freedom) but how to do that...

Maybe make em like kids?

Do X for X privillage.
So they understand stuff in prison IS a privilage and hopefully take it out with them..

Tho i think alot of the trouble is drug related..people stealing stuff to pay money for that. No amount of pain whilst in prison will change that fact.

theyve discussed making drugs lawful - so you can buy it at certain regfistered places (like the lottery tickets) ..maybe it would help?

But then you have the oposition who say thats bad it will encourage people to take drugs but i spect it will be no different than alcohol/cigarettes. Tho alot of people do smoke/drink but its because its *said* as an adult thing..

i dunno...it wont be sorted in my lifetime anyway

[Ovi]

I certainly think prisoners should be expected to "earn their keep". However there also has to be a place for councelling. I actually think it's less harsh on people if they have 8 hours work a day than sit in the cells for 23 hours and yet it seems more like a punishment.

Personally I'm in favour of making breathing illegal, with the punishment being death... that would sort out all the issues with the damage the human race does to itself and it's environment!

[<ankh>]

There are more important matters that should be solved in U.S before these imo.

/Ankh

[Ovi]

There are more important matters that should be solved in U.S before these imo.

/Ankh

I think the discussion was about prisons rather than just US in particular. At the moment the prison service is quite a big issue in the UK, especially now they are all full

[<ankh>]

Ahh... fair enough Imo do what you used to do...send them to Australia

/Ankh

[Arcsalin]

I think this guy roxx, and I also think it is quite ironic the way the article is written. To me this is crime prevention and cure rolled into one

[Takitothemacs]

I think its not as bad as they make it sound... but at the end of the day he would get my vote if what he implements would reduce my taxes... wont happen as I dont live there and the nanny state (country) I live in.

Criminals should be punished and I shouldnt have to pay for their sky tv and 3 squares a day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Arpaio