Judge discovers that prison isn't fun.

[Racket_Man]

I hate when people of "importance" throw fits about being put in jail or gosh forbid, prison.

One of our state assembly-men just recently got his 3rd DUI, and only spent days in jail (probably in a seperate area so no one would hurt him, oh dear, can't have anyone of importance get beat up in jail).

They get off so much easier than normal Johns and Janes. If you ask me, they should spend just as much, if not more time in there, and with everyone else, so they aren't given special treatment. If you are to be an example of a good lawmaker or citizen, you should not be driving drunk or high, first of all, second of all, you shouldn't get a free pass or little jail time.

OH come on Blas this is Wisconsin, land of the drunks and BRRAAAATTTTSSSSS (and stupid Brett worship). drinking is considered a viable hobby here. you should see some of the recycling bins out on the curb that I see every 2 weeks.

I seem to remember a couple of years ago that our then State Attorney General Peg Loutenshouger (bad spelling and sounds like a beer from Wis.) got pulled over at least 3 times for OWI.

I personally know a person who got 9 OWIs (last one he DID hit and kill someone) before being carted off to jail. It was just recently that the state finally passed a revised and "tougher" DUI law.

[Red Panda]

I also like the idea of corporal punishment. Why lock them up for 90 days in club fed. Take them out to public square, read the crime they were convicted of, announce the sentence, give them 10 lashes with a whip, suture up any cuts that need it, slather the wounds with antibiotic cream, cover with gauze and send them on their way. Bet you even money that they'll learn from THAT lesson a hell of a lot faster than serving a weekend-prisoner sentence in Club Fed.

For the most part corporal punishment like that doesn't help anything. The situation that got the person in trouble isn't differant nor have they learned anything to help them deal with it better. Thats why rehabilitation is so important. If a junkie gets caught stealing and you whip him then all you have is a junkie with a sore butt. Take him to jail get him clean and let him earn a degree and you have somebody who has the tools to change thier life. Not to mention whipping like that is barbaric and we should expect better from humanity.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

For the most part corporal punishment like that doesn't help anything. The situation that got the person in trouble isn't differant nor have they learned anything to help them deal with it better. Thats why rehabilitation is so important. If a junkie gets caught stealing and you whip him then all you have is a junkie with a sore butt. Take him to jail get him clean and let him earn a degree and you have somebody who has the tools to change thier life. Not to mention whipping like that is barbaric and we should expect better from humanity.

I would agree with you if the current prison system worked. Yes the junkie gets clean while he is in prison. But...

Once the now reformed and clean person is released, they find themselves in a situation worse off than they were when they went in. Now they're a convicted felon and that precludes them from most jobs back when the economy was good. Now that you find stories of stores with 2 openings getting 300 applications...

Let me interject. This is no exaggeration. The K-Mart in Prince Frederick Maryland, for whom my son applied to in the hope of getting a summer job, had two openings and they informed us (taking us aside so as not to discourage the boy) that they had 300 applications for the positions already and Corporate dictated that they had to take applications for another week before making the decision.

...Now that you find stories of stores with 2 openings getting 300 applications, the employers have even less incentive to hire someone who was in prison.

So here you go, you have a reformed person with no visible means of support. They may not even have the support of family depending on the situation.

Long story short, the track record for recidivism is very poor. That many (if not most) of the prisoners released will go back to what they were doing before they were caught.

And I'll even admit that public lashings are brutal. But take the drunk driver. They'll think twice before getting behind another wheel after tying one on. Or the guy who gets drunk at a bar, starts looking for a fight because they have nothing better to do. Again I'll bet that they'll think twice before dragging their pride on the ground waiting for some poor sap to step on it.

Not to mention that the cost of the whip and the medical care afterwards would be far cheaper than the 90 day stay. And I'm not even talking about the old days where you whipped them and then left them to fend for themselves. I'm talking about administering the punishment, make sure that the wounds are treated to prevent infection that could kill the person, and send them on their way.

My way may not be the best way, but one of the definitions of insanity is to continue to do the exact thing with the exact same parameters over and over and over again and expect different results. What we are doing is not working. Why do we continue to bludgeon the deceased equine?

Instead of bashing my idea, think of something you feel would be humane, would be sufficient punishment, allow for rehabilitation, reduce overcrowding, and ensure that they are given a chance to go on with their lives and not feel that their only option is to go back doing what they were doing when they were arrested.

[Nyoibo]

The trouble with prison is that the guy who is in there for running a phone scam or smoking weed is in the same place as people who murder or rape. I really think we need two kinds of prisons, ones for rehibilitation and ones for punishment. If it is determinded you are not suitable for rehibilitation prison you go to one where there are very very few luxery items and you spend pretty much your entire day locked in a cell.

This is why maximum, medium and minimum security prisons exist.

I
If we are going to "deal with" these sorts of people, we need to stop being pussies about it and go out there and fucking do it. I loved the interviews with the Firing Squad for the recent case (in Utah was it?) where one of them said that "Sometimes you get a defective product and you just have to send it back to the manufacturer" or the other one who stated that he's shot animals that have made him feel more emotion that the prisoners he has had to shoot.

If there is no reasonable doubt that they killed in cold blood (gang banger shooting a store clerk on camera) then look them in the eye and end it.

I also like the idea of corporal punishment. Why lock them up for 90 days in club fed. Take them out to public square, read the crime they were convicted of, announce the sentence, give them 10 lashes with a whip, suture up any cuts that need it, slather the wounds with antibiotic cream, cover with gauze and send them on their way. Bet you even money that they'll learn from THAT lesson a hell of a lot faster than serving a weekend-prisoner sentence in Club Fed.

We have become such pansies over punishing the guilty that no wonder we keep having these sorts of discussions on forums like this. We need to nut up and deal with them and not tip-toe through the tulips like we have been.

The more I see society slip, the more I like Heinlein.

I missed the last line, I was just about to ask if you were a Heinlein fan.