Call to Eliminate Rape in U.S. Prisons

If someone asks you if you prefer syrup or jelly....run.

Following suit with this evangelical call to action I would also like to make a call to eliminate rape outside of prisons, and to elimnate theft and murder. I would like to eliminate hatred and mosquitos. A call to end something like rape in prison is not effective in combatting the problem. Tell me evangelists, where will and over-populated, under-funded and under-staffed prison get the money to make the reforms necessary to eliminate rape in prison?

I guess we could chop off the wieners of all inmates serving 20+, but then again, they'd just find other ways to rape people.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

Prison Rape would be relatively easy to eliminate if we redesigned our prisons from human warehouses into more expansive facilities that provide more education and recreation, in a relatively pleasant, but restricted and contained environment.

Could not agree with you more, the entire goal of prison time is suppose to rehabilitate the prisoners so-to-speak; but it is clear that a high majority of prisoners go in and then come out worse than they were before.

I would like to see better educational programs in prisons. The only way that you can rehabilitate anyone is by and through knowledge. Programs for reading, writing, history, geography, mathematics, and the sciences should be mandatory in all prisons.

Ignorance is usually our collective downfall.

reply to post by Shark VA84

Following suit with this evangelical call to action I would also like to make a call to eliminate rape outside of prisons, and to elimnate theft and murder. I would like to eliminate hatred and mosquitos. A call to end something like rape in prison is not effective in combatting the problem. Tell me evangelists, where will and over-populated, under-funded and under-staffed prison get the money to make the reforms necessary to eliminate rape in prison?

By doing away with ridiculous laws prohibiting victimless crimes to leave room for the people who actually deserve to be there.

Legalizing softdrugs would bring the number of inmates down drasticly, wich would help controlling the real criminals left over in US prisons.

I dont do any drugs by the way.

Greetings from Ahamarlin,
the Netherlands
(where people can homegrown maximum 5 plants whitout a problem)

Originally posted by Whine Flu
Nothing says "I'm a badass" more than screwing a dude in prison.

Nothing says 'bad form' more than terrible sarcasm at an inappropriate moment.


On Topic: The shape of the American jail and prison system is horrendous. Abuse of any kind should not be tolerated. Alas, it is an incarceration facility, and especially in a jail, you just don't know who you are around.

I am a firm believer in both maximum freedom and appropriate punishment for those who abridge it.


Punishment is a funny thing. Appropriate punishment, has such wild and varied perspectives from all those involved in a trial.
Who decides what is 'appropriate'? I am sure glad that it does not involve the victim and defendant's families.

It has always appeared to me that if you are sentenced to time being confined away from society, then that is your sentence. To be removed from society does not and should not open the door to abuse and intimidation in a new society. You are to supposed to spend your time away from the general society and be REHABILITATED.

Yes, Yes I know. There is a recidivism rate for prisoners even in Norway with the worlds most kush prison. A better answer, including a better system and facilities, is a higher quality system to identify potential re-offenders and to educate and deal with them in another manner.


At least thats my opinion... off the top of my head at 3AM.

Click here for more information.

reply to post by Xtrozero


You; cannot sue the government for not protecting you.

The police, the military, the fire departments etc etc etc. Anyone directly affiliated with the government has no legal liability to protect a citizen let alone, a incarcerated individual.

Wake up, the government is not here to protect you. The government is here to collect from you. Period.

If you do not believe me, I will give you the court cases.

[edit on 5/20/2010 by endisnighe]

I guess the people who rape other inmate dudes prefer to stay on. Cause they feel hell-better than outside world.

No condom needed and they can rape more dudes in future

Originally posted by dalan.
I would like to see better educational programs in prisons. The only way that you can rehabilitate anyone is by and through knowledge. Programs for reading, writing, history, geography, mathematics, and the sciences should be mandatory in all prisons.

Ignorance is usually our collective downfall.

With spiralling costs of adult education in free society, perhaps committing a crime that carries a custodial sentence could become a rational choice for some? Access to all those free courses! Three square meals a day and no overheads!

I do not agree that law abiding taxpayers should foot the bill for personal or academic development of the prison population. Mandatory prison education should be limited to the 3R's and redactive behavioural coaching.

Any prisoner who wants to pursue further education should be held accountable for the cost themselves and have to apply for student loans etc, just as anyone else.

I"m going to try and likely fail and clearing up some erroneous ideas. First of all our prisons are designed to provide as safe an environment as we can.

Education and job training is provided as is medical, dental and mental health care. We offer AA/NA and any number of self-improvement classes such as Victim Awareness and Anger Management just to name two; there are more. Should an inmate arrive without a GED he is required to work towards one.

We also offer all religious services from Native to Wiccan; all an inmate need do is sign up. There are a wide variety of recreation programs available from art to weight training. We have many who draw, create some very very nice jewelry, leather working and basket weaving.

Our job is to keep them there; that is the punishment we don't go out of our way to make their lives harsh; that would be silly as it would make my job harder if nothing else. It's hard to describe what it's really like to people who aren't there and never will be. The Long Green Mile is Hollywood not real life.

As to the percentage incarcerated for drugs I don't know. The unit I work is Protective Custody and Mental Health so my numbers would not be representative of the entire facility. Many P/C inmates are there for three basic reasons 1) they are weak 2) their crime is either so heinous or so well publicized that they can't be kept safe any other way or 3) they have a long sentence and no desire to play the games they would have to on the Mainline. Mental Health inmates are kept their not only for their safety but the safety and security of the entire institution. Mental health inmates are the most difficult and challenging group in prison.

I will attempt to give a glimpse of a typical day for me. We start the day with a count; while count is clearing I have time for the last hot cup of coffee I'll have that day and do my computer work as well as check the call outs for accuracy and check to ensure breakfast is on track. After count clears we have pill line and feed breakfast. After breakfast we have unit workers out to clean the unit, then we pass out cleaning supplies. At 8:30 we have yard, from 8:30 to 9:00 I do security/tier checks. At 9 we run dayroom and supply gate. At 10 we run another gate and close the dayroom at 11:15; yard comes back in about 10:30. In between all these gates I'm dealing with property, medical, dental and mental health issues. In addition to all that I also look at inmate family pictures and admire their handcrafts. Then at 11:15 we start the noon pill line and noon meal. After lunch we have unit workers again and prepare for the afternoon education and rec gates. Now mind this is a typical day and I really can't remember the last time we had one. Typically I don't have time to take my lunch break because there is ALWAYS something going wrong be it an inmate having a mental health meltdown, major medical issue or a fight it still has to dealt with all the while dealing with hourly tier checks and maintaining security.

Many ask how I can laugh and joke with inmates or look at family pictures and admire handcrafts. It's simple really; they may have done some horrible things but they are still people and treating them with respect and dignity is simply the right thing to do. It makes life easier for all of us.

To those who would say that inmates deserve to be raped I would say no they do not. Two wrongs do not make a right and that which you wish on someone else will surely come back on you. As one of our counselors is prone to saying karma is rarely obvious.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


You have painted a beautiful prison heaven that would make Al Capone smile

The truth of the matter is that the states don't have the money to even house violent criminals & have been releasing them as states are running out of money & laying off COs in great numbers.

At the rate that the US & other places are crumbling, the most affordable option to eliminating prison rapes is to fit each prisoner with a penis ring fitted with electrodes. He gets an erection, he gets shocked. Down, Fido!

I'm sad to say that this device wouldn't deter the REALLY violent prisoners from raping someone. These types of animals would become creative & grab the next broom or mop to commit a rape.
Let's all remember that rape is about violence & control.

[edit on 20-5-2010 by Afterthought]

reply to post by gallopinghordes


Correctional Officers themselves are doing ‘time’ they are just doing it in 8 hour shifts. As a rule of thumb because both Correctional Officers and Inmates have to share the same space, both tend to try to establish an atmosphere of mutual respect.

This in fact can pay dividends as the only thing that has saved some Correctional Officers from becoming victims of violence in prison riots are some of the inmates who chose to protect them, during a break down of authority, when the numbers of Inmates in fact far outweighs the number of Correctional Officers.

You do though only have the tools that you can work with, that the State or Federal Government provides you with.

It is true that all Prisons offer educational and religious opportunities, and at least some recreational opportunities.

However the biggest problem is is over crowding, and the stacking of inmates on top or within extremely close proximity in facilities that the majority of the time the prisoners are locked down.

The only time a prisoner should really be confined to their cells is during ‘counts’ and ‘sleep periods’.

Prison Camps often jokingly or scornfully referred to as Club Fed, house prisoners in a dormitory environment little different than a college campus, on expansive grounds that offer more recreational opportunities than many world class resorts do.

They offer a very wide variety of educational opportunities and vocational training as well, and strive to keep a pristine and esthetically pleasing environment in all common areas.

This reduces tensions and stress, and I dare say can even make doing time, fun! No wife and kids to nag you, plenty to do, and your greatest punishment is simply you have been removed from society and confined to a place you can not leave.

These facilities are most often part of military instillations, and share some common portions of the base with military personnel. Yet the only thing that usually distinguishes which parts of the base are in fact a prison is a yellow or red line painted on the ground or makers in the fields.

Prisoners who don’t work maintaining the prison portion of the base, often work directly for the military 8 hours a day, 5 days a week maintaining other portions of the base, to free up military personnel from having to do so, so they can concentrate on training.

Most of the military personnel, who come in contract with the prisoners, see little difference between someone who is being forced to work for the government for infractions, than they do someone who has volunteered to work for the government for a pay check.

So once again as with the Correctional Officers there is an atmosphere of mutual respect.

No one serving time at such a facility, really wants to be shipped to a warehouse type facility, so they do in fact control themselves, solve their arguments peaceably, don’t rape one another, or any thing else that might constitute an infraction that would have them transferred to a more restrictive, more crowded, and less pleasant place.

Rather than worry about how to survive in Prison, they actually have all that stress off them, so they can really concentrate on acquiring life skills and perspectives, to help them better cope with life in a productive way outside of prison.

You really can only work with the tools that they provide you with, and I am sure you do the very best to do the most with the tools they provide you with, and do your job to the best of your ability.

But the truth is that our prison system really does have a very high recidivism rate, and in part that’s because most prisons are warehouses, where going to crime school, is more fun than going to a vocational or educational class. They are often full of violence, and gangs, and the kind of social networks that extend beyond the prison walls, if you have to join the White Aryan Brothers, or the Bloods or the Cripps, or a Mexican, Columbian, Jamaican, or Italian Gang in prison for your own protection, you aren’t ever going to get out of those gangs easily, even once released.

Much like Gitmo is really just a terrorist training school; our prisons are for the most part crime schools.

That’s not a reflection on you, after all, once again, you can only work with the tools that you have.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


I'm curious as to your background but never mind. We have virtually eliminated double man cells in our new facility; the only ones who are double bunked are those that ask to have a "cellie" as states can afford them knew facilities are being built to replace the old ones you may be familiar with.

It may surprise you to know that in one 8 hour shift the inmates can choose approximately 6 hours of out of cell time. You vision of prison is a little off kilter.

Also any officer who relies on inmates to keep them safe under any circumstance is a fool. I cannot and do not expect any inmate to risk themselves to help or "save" me. Yes, it's happened but only an idiot would expect or rely on that. I've been called many things idiot isn't one of them

reply to post by dalan.


I couldn't agree more with you, however, that alone will not end rape in prison. Violent offenders are generally the rapists...

reply to post by Shark VA84


why not just ask god to do it.... and if he chooses not to awsner your prayer... you should take that as a sign that he loves the function rape serves in prison and spciety as a whole.

dont drop the soap because god wont help you!

Originally posted by Shark VA84
reply to post by dalan.

 

I couldn't agree more with you, however, that alone will not end rape in prison. Violent offenders are generally the rapists...

Right, I know it would not end rape, but it sure would save taxpayers a ton of money.

Originally posted by gallopinghordes
reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

 

I'm curious as to your background but never mind. We have virtually eliminated double man cells in our new facility; the only ones who are double bunked are those that ask to have a "cellie" as states can afford them knew facilities are being built to replace the old ones you may be familiar with.

It may surprise you to know that in one 8 hour shift the inmates can choose approximately 6 hours of out of cell time. You vision of prison is a little off kilter.

Also any officer who relies on inmates to keep them safe under any circumstance is a fool. I cannot and do not expect any inmate to risk themselves to help or "save" me. Yes, it's happened but only an idiot would expect or rely on that. I've been called many things idiot isn't one of them

Currently my Background is a computer desk, a cpu a monitor some speakers, a wooden floored room, with lots of windows and some questionable pictures of flowers hanging on mauve painted walls a printer and a mirror, but I am planning on changing this background for the grocery store here in a minute.

As far as being out of the cell for 6 hours out of 8, are they controlled movements from point a to point b, or do they have the option of wandering from various places to do various things at their own leisure unescorted once out of the cell on their own schedule.

No one is suggesting you are an idiot, but the truth is that most prisons operate on the gaurds respecting the inmates to the greatest extent they can while maintaining authority over them, and the inmates respecting the guards to the greatest extent that they can, to curb excessive use of authority over them.

The prison industrial complex, is an industrial complex, that does use prison labor for industry. It makes a lot of money. The corporate entities that profit off of that, could in fact afford and likely benefit from creating a better prison environment for that labor.

It's the humane thing to do.

I am not judging you, or the prisoners, or the coggs in the machine, just the machine.

Thanks.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


Nice smart aleck answer; tells me much about you.

I fear you don't want to understand the reality. Being free to wander and do things at their leisure is how rape and injuries happen. It is for their safety and your that they are indeed monitored.