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Commission Studies Prison Violence

by TChris

The Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons began hearings today "aimed at exploring why the corrections system has broken and how it can be fixed." The private commission includes prison and justice administrators, psychologists, former prisoners, and civil rights leaders.

The Commission ... heard testimony, sometimes graphic, from former prisoners and jailers who detailed the horrors taking place behind bars, including rapes and beatings by guards and fellow inmates.

The topic is particularly timely.

One commissioner stated the issue touched Americans when details emerged of soldiers' abuse of Iraqi prisoners but that concern has not translated to the homefront.

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    Re: Commission Studies Prison Violence (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 19, 2005 at 03:27:03 PM EST
    Given that many of those responsible for the abuse at Abu Ghraib were prison guards in their civilian life I suspect that the one of the biggest "root causes" of the abuse at Abu Ghraib was the bad conditions and poor treatment of prisoners in US domestic prisons.

    Re: Commission Studies Prison Violence (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 19, 2005 at 04:01:25 PM EST
    I agree, that prisons are horrific places. I would rather weld the gates shut, so no prisoner would have contact with any guard, nor any other inmate. Feed them through the bars. Let them perform crafts using blunt objects during their free time, and let the time be hard. Oh, and in a perfect world, there would be no crime. In a slightly less perfect world, the criminal would be shot just before he committed his crime. No jail, rather a cemetary. No defense lawyer, rather an undertaker. No police, rather a firearms instructor.

    Re: Commission Studies Prison Violence (none / 0) (#3)
    by wishful on Tue Apr 19, 2005 at 04:52:59 PM EST
    Wow, Don, you should run for president of the U.S. Sounds like you are as well qualified as and ideologically on par with our current White House occupant. One thing--is your daddy able to buy it for you through connections and $$$?

    Re: Commission Studies Prison Violence (none / 0) (#4)
    by jen on Tue Apr 19, 2005 at 06:18:36 PM EST
    Yes, Don, you hit the nail on the head. That attitude among law enforcement and taxpayers is precicely what broke the prison system in the first place.

    Re: Commission Studies Prison Violence (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 19, 2005 at 08:00:16 PM EST
    TJIT Is right, the fact is most people in prison are insane to start with and by placing people in two five man cells and beating people and Dehumanizing all the inmates and the insane rules, "yes you will have rapes and killing and all kinds of madness going down inside the walls". But also understand most of the inmates may never be fit to get out after 30 years inside the walls, its called "Institutionalized beyond help", it after all is our way of dealing with insane people. yes people are sent to prison for evil doing.

    Re: Commission Studies Prison Violence (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 20, 2005 at 07:22:43 AM EST
    I am going out on a limb here: result of the study "it's not real safe or healthy to be in prison." You heard it here first.

    Re: Commission Studies Prison Violence (none / 0) (#7)
    by Johnny on Wed Apr 20, 2005 at 09:54:37 AM EST
    But they deserve it! These are criminals folks! The minute you break a law and are caught, tried, and convicted, you become cattle, not human!! Let them all roast together, they deserve it. And let us keep in mind that when they are released, they will be meek and mild and willing to be good, loyal subjects of our culture. They will have learned a lesson. LOL (Sarcasm)