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NYC jails want to ban physical mail, then privatize scanning of digital versions

theintercept.com

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Re: NYC jails want to ban physical mail, then privatize scanning of digital versions

#41

Post by ahoy »

cat_plus_plus wrote: post #31

Hmmm, this one seems Ok / good idea? The bad part is jails that try to replace in person visits with paid video calls. Besides obvious humanitarian part, preserving inmates ties to family and community is obviously important for eventual reintegration and for reducing offense rates of inmate's children. But here? A letter is a letter and free individuals don't get much physical mail anymore. There are obvious angles…

Man, this is one of the more soulless comments ive read on HN. Imagine the father who's been locked up on trumped up drug charges, now unable to get a letter from his kid.

You could only arrive at your opinion if you think that the US Justice system is fair, and that inmates aren't people. I strongly suggest you rethink this.

Re: NYC jails want to ban physical mail, then privatize scanning of digital versions

#42

Post by SllX »

cat_plus_plus wrote: post #31

Hmmm, this one seems Ok / good idea? The bad part is jails that try to replace in person visits with paid video calls. Besides obvious humanitarian part, preserving inmates ties to family and community is obviously important for eventual reintegration and for reducing offense rates of inmate's children. But here? A letter is a letter and free individuals don't get much physical mail anymore. There are obvious angles…

The privatize the digital scanning part is the issue. It’ll just be another thing for some company to charge for. Just deliver the damn mail and stop trying to turn jails and prisons into a profit center.

Re: NYC jails want to ban physical mail, then privatize scanning of digital versions

#43

Post by rando404 »

ceejayoz wrote: post #30
rando404 wrote: post #14

Prisons are a racket, but physical mail is also an exploitable loophole for getting drugs into the system by sending paper laced with fentanyl. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/bronx-jail-officer-hosp...

> On Friday night while sorting mail in the Bronx, the officer's hands went numb despite wearing gloves. Workers administered Narcan, a drug used to help reverse an overdose, and sent her to the hospital. She was treated and released. Fentanyl. Does. Not. Work. Like. That. Cops are having panic attacks, not fentanyl exposures - in most cases the described symptoms don't even match fentanyl's effects. https://www.nyti…

[dead]

Re: NYC jails want to ban physical mail, then privatize scanning of digital versions

#45

Post by kneebonian »

sokoloff wrote: post #33
flerchin wrote: post #23

I cannot imagine being a software dev for these projects. I'd rather work on a porn-site.

What’s wrong with working on a porn site? I’d feel better about working on a porn site than at least one of FAANGs.

Many people consider porn fundamentally immoral, not to mention most porn has connection to sex trafficking.

Re: NYC jails want to ban physical mail, then privatize scanning of digital versions

#47

Post by epicureanideal »

user3939382 wrote: post #39
epicureanideal wrote: post #8

Somehow the left has become incredibly radical about every other issue, but isn't dealing with the basics like this, which have been discussed for many decades and most of the public would support reforming?

The establishment left i.e. "The Democratic party" is on many issues left in name only, and actually comprised of pro-war, pro-censorship, anti-labor, right-wing corporatists. This is much more of a problem with the party in DC than the People. The focus is exclusively on social issues as a diversion from the corrupt theft of our tax dollars for their executive buddies.

Awesome reply. That makes sense. Thanks for sharing.

Re: NYC jails want to ban physical mail, then privatize scanning of digital versions

#49

Post by CerieXerox »

dwater wrote: post #17
dylan604 wrote: post #12

How else is one supposed to sneak in LSD blotter if they can't disguise it as a letter?

Through the guards like all the other drugs.

Rikers specifically has a reputation for this

> [A] guard-turned-federal cooperator described how he struck a deal with [an] inmate, who allegedly sold drugs to hundreds of his fellow inmates

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-how-rikers...

Re: NYC jails want to ban physical mail, then privatize scanning of digital versions

#50

Post by themitigating »

epicureanideal wrote: post #8

Somehow the left has become incredibly radical about every other issue, but isn't dealing with the basics like this, which have been discussed for many decades and most of the public would support reforming?

Biden just signed a bill to reduce the cost of Prison phone calls by a significant amount [1]. Here's more details on how excessive the charges were. https://harvardpolitics.com/jail-phone-calls/ . Is your argument that because the Democrats haven't tackled the issue with privatization of mail and/or haven't spoken out about it they don't care? Maybe they will, maybe not, at least they have done something.

All the sponsors of this bill are Democrats or independent. To be fair it was approved by voice vote so some number of Republicans might have been ok with it? (I'm not sure how that works)[2]

[1]"Biden signs a bill to fight expensive prison phone call costs." https://www.npr.org/2023/01/01/1146370950/prison-phone-call-...

[2]https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1372341

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