big bro at the carcel

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This is just a small part of a document a friend of mine sent me for perusal. There are many pages of similar electronic bs.

Needless to say, I'm not interested in staying at the Cross Bar Hotel; now I can't even visit someone there (like when I've been asked to check up on Spanish speaking inmates who can't seem to get any help otherwise). I'm damned sure not going to give The Man a chance to fingerprint me, check my retina, or implant a bar code! Brave, brave world these days, eh?

J. Inmate Visitation 1) The system maintains a record of all inmate visitors. A person record is created for each visitor and is updated at each subsequent visit. The visitor must record his thumbprint and/or retinal scan or equivalent, and enter any additional information in a screen generated by the system. (Jail personnel may assist visitors who can’t operate a keyboard). 2) The system matches the record of each visitor applicant against a “no-contact” list maintained in the system to assure that no inappropriate visits take place. The system alerts jail personnel whenever a visitor applicant is on the “no-contact” list for the inmate he wishes to visit. 3) The system tracks the total visitation time for each inmate on each day and alerts jail personnel when the allotted time limit is approaching or has been exceeded. K. Releases & Bail 1) The system schedules and records releases. 2) The system prepares and transmits electronic and/or paper documentation necessary to support releases, including transportation, performed by, or on behalf of, other agencies. 3) When release is a result of bail: a. If bail money is received by the court, the court’s bail receipt number is entered into the system (preferably automatically by the Court’s system), and the release is keyed to (associated with) the bail receipt. b. If bail money is received by Jail personnel, then the system records the receipt of the bail, prints a receipt, and associates the inmate’s release with this bail receipt number. 4) Release of inmates held for other agencies The system maintains records on inmates held for other agencies. At the time of the release of such inmates, the system prints a release document and stores the necessary information (including, possibly, an image of the release document). L. Cost Accounting The system maintains financial accounts for entities with which the Sheriff’s Office has implicit or explicit contracts (in addition to and separate from those handled through the County’s Financial System). This would include such entities as jail inmates, who may be charged for room, board, medical and other services; and other law enforcement agencies,

-- joj (jump@off.c), May 07, 2002

Answers

Sounds like it could be very efficient, but very scary at the same time. All I can do is sit here and just shake my head thinking, another big brother venue.

-- Bob in WI (bjwick@hotmail.com), May 07, 2002.

Hi Joe. If I read that right, that's your County jail that's going to this program? Wow. Your tax $$$$$$ at work. I wonder what a retinal scanner costs?

My good friend here's part of a prison ministry to the state facility & he's been active for many years. He's wanted to get me involved several times. I believe they do a background check and do need your fingerprints to participate- don't quote me on that, just seems like I remember him saying that. His prints are already on file as he's an ex-con himself. Uncle Sugar has mine someplace as an ex-serviceman.

I get the willies from the retinal scan. Seems too much like scary Sci-Fi movie stuff. You know what always happens in those, the good guys who aren't the leading man get bumped off & W/ my looks I can't qualify as leading man material! It's such a shame that this kind of thing will keep folks like you from helping those that need it. Yes, moving rapidly into a Brave New World .

-- John in S. IN (jdoofus@hotmail.com), May 07, 2002.


Yo, John,

If I read that right, that's your County jail that's going to this program? Wow. Your tax $$$$$$ at work. I wonder what a retinal scanner costs?

I suspect the idea is to SAVE money, by using less personell. I don't know the cost of a retinal scanner. It's been years since I have had to buy one... (That was supposed to be a good-natured joke, please don't take offense!

For what it's worth, we pay almost zero taxes for county government, including jails. YOU folks are the lucky ones who pay my county government taxes, due to a strangte twist of fate, which took place MANY MANY years ago; thank you very much!

I, too had my prints taken when I went in the service, but I'm hoping that they have lost the records after almost forty years :)

Yeah, about the scary retinal scans; I suspect that before long it will be illegal to wear dark glasses in public (the scanners won't be able to spot you as you walk (drive?) down the street.

I'll keep on helping people, just not at the jail, I guess.

Bob, isn't it amazing how many strange scenarios keep coming to the surface unexpectedly?

-- joj (jump@off.c), May 07, 2002.


JOJ, Your Welcome! I've never been thanked by any of the recipients of my paycheck before! You now hold a special place of honor. You'll have to tell us about that "twist of fate".

Our county just built a new jail recently. Holds WAY more than we need (like 150 more). They are housing prisoners for other counties and charge something like $80.00 a day. That ought to pay for itself pretty quick as it's near full all the time.

Holy Cow!!!!!!!! I just did a quick check and found a place w/ 4 used scanners for only $750.00 a pop! www.recycledgoods.com/unique.htm Who woulda thunk it? Wow, for that price anyone can be a control freak. No offense taken as usual BTW.

-- John in S. IN (jdoofus@hotmail.com), May 07, 2002.


It's just another way to keep radicals who think they deserve privacy from speaking with inmates who have been stripped of their privacy. In our we had to have a fight to get an inmate a Bible. It is becoming such an unfriendly world...I like my sci fi as fiction. Maybe I can pick up a retinal scanner and insist that the cops have their scans to be sure they are who they say they are before they take me away???:)Think that would work?

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), May 07, 2002.


John, that's very magnanimous of you! I'll tell the long, long story sometime, but not right now. I don't have time, and I don't want to ruin everyone's day right before Mom's Day.

Doreen, yes, it might provide the cops a bit of entertainment, but they'd still take you away. Probably it's some sort of crime to have your own retinal scanner...

-- joj (joj@home.org), May 08, 2002.


Been there,done that! It's all being done in the name of efficiency and cost-cutting and to elimnate the human factor and in the end you have a much more reliable,cheaper system thats not prone to human frailty. Its almost the same type of system that big named grocery stores use in some city and towns when you want to cash checks and such, alot of times you give a thumb print when writing a check to prevent fraud or mis-indentfication. And as a side means they trace your address and what you buy and when you buy how much you spend each visit,etc.

You can run,you can hide but in the end they will find you and if not you then your children,and your little dog too!!! If they cannot own the masses,then they must control them,if they cannot control them then they must influence them,if they cannot influence them then at least they must guide them.

-- TomK(mich) (tjk@cac.net), May 08, 2002.


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