Where would I begin research on Prisons

I think the public is being fed all this media frenzy to keep our focus off of the real problem, Y2k. We have Monica, the tapes, impeachment, Iraq...a television feast for the public. Pull up a chair, grab the remote and become a part of the program. There is no telling what we will be subject to in the coming months just to keep the attention from Y2k. I would like to know what all those other Congresspeople are doing while this bunch is acting out the play. Is there anyone in Washington that is AWARE?

Again I ask this question? What will the masses do to these leaders when the lights go out.

-- Linda A. (adahi@muhlon.com), December 20, 1998

Answers

Tribunals.

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), December 20, 1998.

There's always been plenty of fodder available for distraction at the public feeding trough, be it TV, radio, books, newspaper, or gossip.

Post-y2k, the masses will be even more powerless than they are right now. As for the 107,693 prisoners in California (pop. 30 M +/-?), I am more concerned about the uncaptured criminals among the other 99.7%.

See also:
Prisoners Await Y2K Day
http://www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/15627.html
by Spencer Ante

10:30 a.m. 15.Oct.98.PDT
Among the more outlandish scenarios envisioned by Year 2000 doomsayers is that the millennium bug will crash prison security systems and open the razor-wire gates, setting loose untold numbers of violent and dangerous offenders.

-- Jon (jonmiles@pacbell.net), December 21, 1998.

Jon - you have really fallen for it man. The typical offender in prison nowadays is either a drug user or a wife beater. Sure, we have plenty of murderers and such in prison - but the 'feel good' laws have put far more people in jail than murder, arson, rape and kidnapping ever did. So half to three quarters of the people in prison are not violent offenders - mostly they offended community standards or a woman - and did not have big money for lawyers.

-- Paul Davis (davisp1953@yahoo.com), December 21, 1998.

Paul, I have not 'fallen' for anything, you have misinterpreted my comment... I am not concerned about the inmates anywhere near as much as those on the outside. I refer to 'criminals' on the outside who have never been in the system.

-- Jon (jonmiles@pacbell.net), December 21, 1998.

Paul, I find it interesting and sad that you don't find drug and spouse abusers to be a threat to society. Just a couple of months ago here in Tampa, Florida, we had someone who was an abuser kill his girlfriend's 4 year old son and three police officers (not to mention the truck driver he wounded) before he shot himself. Criminals don't tend to stick to just one crime.

-- jhollander (hollander@ij.net), December 21, 1998.

Drug and spouse offenders are less likely to go on killing sprees or insane looting outbreaks than many other types of hardened criminals. And why prison - there are alternatives - very little drug crime in Malaysia - first offense if less than a small amount - beating in public with a broomstick by a burly cop - second offense - hanging. Seems effective as a deterrent - and prison just is not as is amply proven by experience.

Also - hate to say it but the reinterpreted laws are putting an awful lot of people in jail I don't think belong there.

-- Paul Davis (davisp1953@yahoo.com), December 22, 1998.

Agree with Paul. Prison is turning into a big business these days.

-- Shimrod (shimrod@lycosmail.com), December 23, 1998.