On Prisons

Excellent section on America's prisons on John Oliver's show



[YOUTUBE]_Pz3syET3DY[/YOUTUBE]

It's because:
1- Gotta keep the minions in their place.
2- Gotta keep the legal system lucrative.
3- There's big money in private prisons.
4- We don't have any colonies to ship 'em to.

Oh wait, here's proof how prisons help society.

A mother of seven died in a Pennsylvania jail over the weekend while serving a two-day sentence. Eileen DeNino, 55, was put in the cell where she died because she could not pay thousands of dollars in fines relating to her children’s truancy from schools in the Reading, PA area.

That'll teach her.

DeNino had been cited 55 times since 1999, according to the Reading Eagle. On top of the individual fines for truancy, the Pennsylvania courts applied a variety of fees that amplified DeNino’s debt. “DiNino’s court file shows a laundry list of court fees for one case alone: $8 for a ‘judicial computer project’; $60 for Berks County constables; $10 for postage,” the Associated Press writes.

Jail all the minions!

But the criminalization of poverty is a much broader national phenomenon, with court costs and fees magnifying the statutory penalties for a variety of minor infractions such that the financial penalty snowballs into an unpayable debt for low-income people.

The results, as catalogued in a year-long National Public Radio investigation, are staggering: a 19-year-old jailed for three days after catching a smallmouth bass during rock bass season, because he couldn’t pay the fine; a homeless man sentenced to a year in jail over $2,600 in penalties incurred by shoplifting a $2 can of beer; a recovering drug user sent to jail three times for being unable to make payments on nearly $10,000 in court costs.

A friend of mine was arrested for one gram of weed. She said it was one bud. Her deal was: fined $50, one month probation and court costs.

The court costs were over $800!

Trying to get blood from a stone. It's different for richie rich.

Are unpaid penalties a tax deduction for the judges, clerks, lawyers, and deputies?

Oh, look. A talking head pointing out aaalllllllll the problems of the correctional system, playing them up for jokes and laughs, and offering not one fucking word towards a solution. Not one word.

Why do we make people famous for bitching?

Also, that bit might have been only eight minutes long if Mr. Oliver spent 24 hours in one of our horrible, horrible prisons.

Also, too, a British man speaking to the US's system of punishment, when the Brits have used the most inhumane systems of torture imaginable to punish people over the past several centuries, is fucking hilarious.

Also, too, a British man speaking to the US's system of punishment, when the Brits have used the most inhumane systems of torture imaginable to punish people over the past several centuries, is fucking hilarious.

Those appalling methods of punishment were during the middle ages and a few of them stuck around to the 18th century. Want to know how American slave owners punished their slaves during that time? What happened to suspected witches in Salem? And how did Americans execute their prisoners during the early 20th century? Was it by any chance electrocution with their eyeballs melting down their faces and smoke billowing out from their heads? Oh yes, I think it was.

We don't torture people now. We don't even execute people now.

Not that our prisons are anything to write home about - suicides in prison are up 60% since 2006. Rape is not uncommon. The vast majority of our prison population are functionally illiterate and levels of mental illness are sky high. Prisons are full of people serving time for minor offences, whilst corporate offenders who broke our economy get away with a slap on the wrist and a small fine.

I think he did offer solutions - stop farming it out to private companies to make profits from punishment - stop jailing people for minor criminality including minor drugs offences and offer better care for the mentally ill. he didn;t offer that as a British criticism of America - he offered it as an observer's criticism of the system in which he now lives, married to his American wife (an army medic).

Or, you could go all patriotic and ignore any valid criticisms because it's a Brit making them, and slag off the Brits just to drive your point home. The fact that every point he made has also been made by Americans over the last few years notwithstanding.

Better minds than me have been working on a solution, without success, for a long time. Unfortunately the people who want to do something to make it even a little better, long ago relinquished control to people who are profiting from the status quo. Those people aren't giving up their income stream without a fight.

DanaC;906180 wrote:

We don't torture people now. We don't even execute people now.

Ironically, Pres Obama just admitted we have been torturing prisoner since 11 September. We don't torture people now except when extremist were rewriting the rules.

President Obama didn't prosecute anyone in connection with the use of torture thus reserving the right of anyone holding the office of President to do so with impunity and for all the world to know.

I suppose that makes him an extremist too as an accessory after the fact.

Taking this way too personally :p

Have you been dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock?

DanaC;906180 wrote:

Those appalling methods of punishment were during the middle ages and a few of them stuck around to the 18th century. Want to know how American slave owners punished their slaves during that time? What happened to suspected witches in Salem? And how did Americans execute their prisoners during the early 20th century? Was it by any chance electrocution with their eyeballs melting down their faces and smoke billowing out from their heads? Oh yes, I think it was.

We don't torture people now. We don't even execute people now.

Not that our prisons are anything to write home about - suicides in prison are up 60% since 2006. Rape is not uncommon. The vast majority of our prison population are functionally illiterate and levels of mental illness are sky high. Prisons are full of people serving time for minor offences, whilst corporate offenders who broke our economy get away with a slap on the wrist and a small fine.

I think he did offer solutions - stop farming it out to private companies to make profits from punishment - stop jailing people for minor criminality including minor drugs offences and offer better care for the mentally ill. he didn;t offer that as a British criticism of America - he offered it as an observer's criticism of the system in which he now lives, married to his American wife (an army medic).

Or, you could go all patriotic and ignore any valid criticisms because it's a Brit making them, and slag off the Brits just to drive your point home. The fact that every point he made has also been made by Americans over the last few years notwithstanding.

But, I'm not up there taking potshots at your system for the sole purpose of comedy fodder. I was not talking about 'Brits'. I was talking about 'that' Brit. Oliver is a fucking jerk. I don't really care if you, or anyone else, for that matter, agrees with that.

I will sincerely endeavor to opine no more. It's just so fucking tiring to have people react like they caught me dry-fucking their mama in the ass whenever I express an opinion. Fuck it, it ain't worth the butt-hurt.

:mouthzippingsmilie:

As matter of fact, fuck it twice, I'm going for a ride on the scooter I won in a poker game. And Ima think evil, mean and nasty thoughts about Brits. All of them.

Except Emma Watson. I'm just gonna think nasty thoughts about her.

:nyahnyahnyahsmilie:

Gravdigr;906272 wrote:

Except Emma Watson. I'm just gonna think nasty thoughts about her.

and Alex Kingston. Emma Watson and Alex Kingston.

Gravdigr;906272 wrote:

But, I'm not up there taking potshots at your system for the sole purpose of comedy fodder. I was not talking about 'Brits'. I was talking about 'that' Brit. Oliver is a fucking jerk. I don't really care if you, or anyone else, for that matter, agrees with that.

That's cool, it's your right, but I would caution you not to shoot the messenger.
Yes, it's a comedy show but comedy often includes ridiculous irony.
I think many of his points are not only true, but ridiculously ironic.
So though I apparently disagree of this issue, I still love you. :heartpump






I figure a three way with Emma is better than nothin'.

You're right Grav, I over reacted. I apologise.

But: he isn't a Brit, talking to Brits on a Brit tv show about Merkins. He's living in America, has done for about 8 years, is married to an American and any kids they have will be American citizens. He has a right to comment, favourably or unfavourably on issues concerning America and Americans. It's also his job on that show to comment on issues of concern to Americans. To do so through humour, yes- but to raise genuine concerns.

DanaC;906314 wrote:

You're right Grav, I over reacted. I apologise.

Ok, now I'm worried...:o

I didn't get skewered when I prolly shoulda...I'm so confused.

:sadpace: