Comments on: No Recess for Prisoners http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/ Nonpartisan Commentary on the Crazy World of Politics Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:30:40 +0000 http://www.today.com/version-2.3.1 By: becca http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1441 becca Tue, 10 Mar 2009 05:39:39 +0000 http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1441 Eclecticbird- I just started on this site and don't have my blog set up yet, so you might just have to take my word on the bitch thing :). As far as agreeing with your idea of self sustaining penal systems, I think that would be great as long as they are still afforded humane treatment. As I said before there are probably a great many inmates who would be more than happy with this concept as well. It wasn't that I felt you were completely off the mark. I just felt that you made some broad assumptions on certain topics and just wondered if you are really familiar with the way the prison system works or if you were just basing your thoughts on what you have heard from others. I ask this because I am very familiar with the way the prison system works here in Florida. As a matter of fact, I am more familiar than I ever wanted to be or thought I would be. My husband is incarcerated and I have been dealing with this for 8 years now. Don't get me wrong. I am not one of those people that just because I have a loved one incarcerated means I think it should be all rainbows and lollipops. Prison is a place where criminals go to receive their punishment, but they are also supposed to be receiving some sort of rehabilitation. I agree that working all day is an excellent way to burn off energy, but in order to release people back into society there also needs to be some sense of a normal life. Otherwise you are sending completely institutionalized people out into society who have no idea how to behave in a normal society and are much more likely to re-offend. So my thoughts are......work to help sustain your life and not cost the state so much to care for you, but maybe at the end of the day you can shoot a few hoops so you can remember you are human and need to act as such. Eclecticbird- I just started on this site and don’t have my blog set up yet, so you might just have to take my word on the bitch thing :). As far as agreeing with your idea of self sustaining penal systems, I think that would be great as long as they are still afforded humane treatment. As I said before there are probably a great many inmates who would be more than happy with this concept as well. It wasn’t that I felt you were completely off the mark. I just felt that you made some broad assumptions on certain topics and just wondered if you are really familiar with the way the prison system works or if you were just basing your thoughts on what you have heard from others. I ask this because I am very familiar with the way the prison system works here in Florida. As a matter of fact, I am more familiar than I ever wanted to be or thought I would be. My husband is incarcerated and I have been dealing with this for 8 years now. Don’t get me wrong. I am not one of those people that just because I have a loved one incarcerated means I think it should be all rainbows and lollipops. Prison is a place where criminals go to receive their punishment, but they are also supposed to be receiving some sort of rehabilitation. I agree that working all day is an excellent way to burn off energy, but in order to release people back into society there also needs to be some sense of a normal life. Otherwise you are sending completely institutionalized people out into society who have no idea how to behave in a normal society and are much more likely to re-offend. So my thoughts are……work to help sustain your life and not cost the state so much to care for you, but maybe at the end of the day you can shoot a few hoops so you can remember you are human and need to act as such.

]]> By: becca http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1434 becca Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:47:49 +0000 http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1434 @ eclecticbird- I would not say you are queen of the bitches (because truly I believe I hold that title). I just think that maybe you don't know all the facts and I am not talking about just the facts you can read about on paper or in all of the endless studies on the subject. I am talking about the day to day facts of living in a prison. Let me just clarify that I know there are some evil people in prison and most everybody there is guilty, but there are also quite a few people in prison who are basically good people that just made a really bad decision. They are doing their time which is completely appropriate, but there should be something to rehabilitation. A lot of these people will be released back into society and it would be nice for them to come out in better condition than when they went in. I wonder if anyone you love has ever been incarcerated or if you think something like that could never happen to you, but let me tell you it can happen to anybody. Just so you know most of them would love to grow their own food and work for their meals. As a matter of fact, fresh food from the garden would be a blessing in place of the food poisoned meat that you claim is a convenience. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure there are areas in which expenses can be cut, but don’t assume that everyone wants to sit around and play basketball all day. One other thing you should consider is the officers that work at these facilities. Basketball, gardening, or other activities give inmates things to do. Which in turn gives them outlets for all of the pent up energy living in such closed quarters can bring. Like it or not this helps keep the peace and helps ensure the safety of the numerous employees. @ eclecticbird- I would not say you are queen of the bitches (because truly I believe I hold that title). I just think that maybe you don’t know all the facts and I am not talking about just the facts you can read about on paper or in all of the endless studies on the subject. I am talking about the day to day facts of living in a prison. Let me just clarify that I know there are some evil people in prison and most everybody there is guilty, but there are also quite a few people in prison who are basically good people that just made a really bad decision. They are doing their time which is completely appropriate, but there should be something to rehabilitation. A lot of these people will be released back into society and it would be nice for them to come out in better condition than when they went in. I wonder if anyone you love has ever been incarcerated or if you think something like that could never happen to you, but let me tell you it can happen to anybody. Just so you know most of them would love to grow their own food and work for their meals. As a matter of fact, fresh food from the garden would be a blessing in place of the food poisoned meat that you claim is a convenience. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure there are areas in which expenses can be cut, but don’t assume that everyone wants to sit around and play basketball all day.

One other thing you should consider is the officers that work at these facilities. Basketball, gardening, or other activities give inmates things to do. Which in turn gives them outlets for all of the pent up energy living in such closed quarters can bring. Like it or not this helps keep the peace and helps ensure the safety of the numerous employees.

]]> By: dsent http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1418 dsent Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:04:42 +0000 http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1418 I like it, unabashed fascism, what can I say, might makes right. You got me there. To hell with anyone who crosses the line. Well unless its a high ranking offical of the federal government then lets just look forward. Well hats off, we are living in a country where the federal government has trashed our constitiution, commited war crimes and authorized the military to conduct domestic operations, essentially setting the stage for a police state. And you are pissed off because prisoners get to shoot some hoops... Your moral indignation has been noted. I like it, unabashed fascism, what can I say, might makes right. You got me there. To hell with anyone who crosses the line. Well unless its a high ranking offical of the federal government then lets just look forward. Well hats off, we are living in a country where the federal government has trashed our constitiution, commited war crimes and authorized the military to conduct domestic operations, essentially setting the stage for a police state. And you are pissed off because prisoners get to shoot some hoops… Your moral indignation has been noted.

]]> By: bill_finger http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1414 bill_finger Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:21:28 +0000 http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1414 Yay, new post. Your proposed hippie commune for prisons actually sounds like somewhere I'd like to live. But did you ever watch Arrested Development? There's an episode in the first season where the father (who's in prison) is having such a great time playing baseball and doing crafts with his fellow inmates that he doesn't want to be released. . . until the umpire gets shanked for a bad call. Best show on television. Yay, new post. Your proposed hippie commune for prisons actually sounds like somewhere I’d like to live.

But did you ever watch Arrested Development? There’s an episode in the first season where the father (who’s in prison) is having such a great time playing baseball and doing crafts with his fellow inmates that he doesn’t want to be released. . . until the umpire gets shanked for a bad call. Best show on television.

]]> By: skwguitar http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1410 skwguitar Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:57:04 +0000 http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1410 Took it a minute but you got there. Nice rant. One of the things that really scares me about our prisons is the privatization of them. Having prisons, that are supposed to be rehabilitating people, run for profit like a business? That's just counterproductive. What incentive would the prisons have to rehabilitate their inmates? They make more money if the people stay in prison. 1 out of every 100 American adults is incarcerated right now. In my state of Ohio that number is 1 out of every 25, most of them there for non-violent drug offenses. Something definitely needs to change... Took it a minute but you got there. Nice rant.

One of the things that really scares me about our prisons is the privatization of them. Having prisons, that are supposed to be rehabilitating people, run for profit like a business? That’s just counterproductive. What incentive would the prisons have to rehabilitate their inmates? They make more money if the people stay in prison.

1 out of every 100 American adults is incarcerated right now. In my state of Ohio that number is 1 out of every 25, most of them there for non-violent drug offenses.

Something definitely needs to change…

]]> By: dsent http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1409 dsent Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:08:19 +0000 http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1409 Never mind the fact that 1/2 the people in US prisons are there for non-violent drug offences... just make a declarative statement that they are all rapists, and baby killers... that’s nice... Nurture that anger...Ignore the facts.,, But it is nice to see someone who is going to be happy about the fascist trends in governmnet. Never mind the fact that 1/2 the people in US prisons are there for non-violent drug offences… just make a declarative statement that they are all rapists, and baby killers… that’s nice… Nurture that anger…Ignore the facts.,, But it is nice to see someone who is going to be happy about the fascist trends in governmnet.

]]> By: sarah http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1407 sarah Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:42:11 +0000 http://whatisupwithpolitics.today.com/2009/03/05/no-recess-for-prisoners/#comment-1407 Amen to this! I completely agree!! Are you my twin!!?? LOL. But, yeah, we need to buckle down in this area. No cable tv, no nutritious foods, no play time, no education, and no attorneys for them. If they want an attorney, they will have to find a way to pay for one. If they can't, then so sad, too bad. Amen to this! I completely agree!! Are you my twin!!?? LOL. But, yeah, we need to buckle down in this area. No cable tv, no nutritious foods, no play time, no education, and no attorneys for them. If they want an attorney, they will have to find a way to pay for one. If they can’t, then so sad, too bad.

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