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

theintercept.com

391–400 of 410 posts

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

#391
post #369

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This scandal was widespread. A LOT of people could have put a stop to it, and all but 2 were government officials. A LOT of people were warned this was happening, and sometimes went so far as to abuse it (ie. schools would threaten kids). The district attorney apologized regularly to victims. But yeah, this sort of thing is widespread. https://apnews.com/article/prisons-us-department-of-justice-... https://www.justic…

>But yeah, this sort of thing is widespread. > https://apnews.com/article/prisons-us-department-of-justice- ... > https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/final-defendants-includin ... > https://scheerpost.com/2022/01/23/the-scandal-of-u-s-prisons ... > https://www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/prison-ame ... I agree that these are all examples of justice system employees abusing their positions, but the examples g…

No I agree the problem is MUCH more the state sending people to prison for absurdly long terms without cause make the state, rather than any individual, a (usually tiny) amount of money without embarrassing politicians.

That problem is endemic, and occurs everywhere, and is also individuals enriching themselves, just a bit more indirect.

But these individuals that DO abuse the system for personal enrichment, they are the worst of all.

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

#392
post #81

I feel like the prison system is the victim of perverse incentives. The goal given to them is "house this person securely for a specific length of time at the lowest cost possible ". They are rewarded for cutting costs. But the total cost we pay is the cost to imprison this person the second and third time when they re-offend. It's the policing costs when they're homeless because they can't find housing or get a job.…

Private prisons should be banned. Too many perverse incentives.

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

#393

I'm sure reducing prisoner contact with loved ones will surely reduce crime! /s

That's a feature, isn't it? Must keep the revolving door spinning!

The higher the recidivism rate, the higher the private prisons profit!

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

#394
post #81

I feel like the prison system is the victim of perverse incentives. The goal given to them is "house this person securely for a specific length of time at the lowest cost possible ". They are rewarded for cutting costs. But the total cost we pay is the cost to imprison this person the second and third time when they re-offend. It's the policing costs when they're homeless because they can't find housing or get a job.…

Prison creates absolute animals. We shouldn't put people in prison unless they're going to be there for their entire lives. Singapore-style caning is probably much better for both the convict and the broader society -- take the incorrigible violent criminals and lock them up for life without parole, and cane the rest.

Caining is plain torture and outlawed by United Nations Convention Against Torture

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

#395

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

Why work for either? I mean, money, obviously, but if you can get paid to code porn you can get paid to code for a lot of other things too. Edit: Ah, I didn't realize this was a safe space for perverts who hate women. Cool. Cool cool cool. Very cool. Why am I even surprised?

> Ah, I didn't realize this was a safe space for perverts who hate women. Cool. Cool cool cool. Very cool.

"Eschew flamebait. Avoid generic tangents."

"Please don't sneer, including at the rest of the community." It's reliably a marker of bad comments and worse threads.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

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

#396
post #395

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why work for either? I mean, money, obviously, but if you can get paid to code porn you can get paid to code for a lot of other things too. Edit: Ah, I didn't realize this was a safe space for perverts who hate women. Cool. Cool cool cool. Very cool. Why am I even surprised?

> Ah, I didn't realize this was a safe space for perverts who hate women. Cool. Cool cool cool. Very cool. " Eschew flamebait. Avoid generic tangents. " " Please don't sneer, including at the rest of the community. " It's reliably a marker of bad comments and worse threads. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Yeah? Want to know a reliable marker for a history of abuse, fraud, violence, and criminal tendencies?

Pornography.

Like many here, I have several adult daughters, and I’ve given a lot of thought to what role pornography has in our society.

You can sit there and act like my position is unreasonable, but while you do so, women are being trafficked for porn, suffering violence for porn, being drugged for porn, being coerced by their boyfriends and spouses for porn, and more.

Frankly, you can all spare me the bullshit, as if there could be one iota of legitimacy to the entire adult entertainment industry. Absolutely sickening.

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

#397
post #81

I feel like the prison system is the victim of perverse incentives. The goal given to them is "house this person securely for a specific length of time at the lowest cost possible ". They are rewarded for cutting costs. But the total cost we pay is the cost to imprison this person the second and third time when they re-offend. It's the policing costs when they're homeless because they can't find housing or get a job.…

The Prison Industrial Complex is aware that with rehabilitation many offenders will repeat. Furthermore, in the USA a fair percentage of the incarcerated suffer from mental illness. We could mitigate both of these. But we don't.

Oops. Typo. *without* rehabilitation

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

#398
post #395

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Ah, I didn't realize this was a safe space for perverts who hate women. Cool. Cool cool cool. Very cool. " Eschew flamebait. Avoid generic tangents. " " Please don't sneer, including at the rest of the community. " It's reliably a marker of bad comments and worse threads. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Yeah? Want to know a reliable marker for a history of abuse, fraud, violence, and criminal tendencies? Pornography. Like many here, I have several adult daughters, and I’ve given a lot of thought to what role pornography has in our society. You can sit there and act like my position is unreasonable, but while you do so, women are being trafficked for porn, suffering violence for porn, being drugged for porn, being co…

Would you please stop posting like this? It's very obviously not what HN is for, if you'll read https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html.

You may be completely right but this is not the way to go about showing it to everyone. We don't want garden-variety internet flamewar here—it's exactly the opposite of curious conversation.

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

#399

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do we have any silver bullets? My understanding is most social services show very small effects once replicated.

I think this understanding is incorrect. My understanding is that housing services, mental health services, medical services, transportation infrastructure, and related things like maternity and paternity leave, good labor rights, good pay and fair working conditions all lead to a reduction in low level crime and homelessness. There is no need for a single silver bullet if we have a collection of policies that work.…

The fact that some places with affordable housing have much lower crime rates is incredibly far from a replicated RCT (or RCT like data).

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

#400
post #398

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah? Want to know a reliable marker for a history of abuse, fraud, violence, and criminal tendencies? Pornography. Like many here, I have several adult daughters, and I’ve given a lot of thought to what role pornography has in our society. You can sit there and act like my position is unreasonable, but while you do so, women are being trafficked for porn, suffering violence for porn, being drugged for porn, being co…

Would you please stop posting like this? It's very obviously not what HN is for, if you'll read https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html . You may be completely right but this is not the way to go about showing it to everyone. We don't want garden-variety internet flamewar here—it's exactly the opposite of curious conversation.

Dang, garden variety is normalization of extremely victimizing behaviors surrounding an industry?

My posts haven’t been rude or unclear. I never made a sharp or crass remark directed at anybody in particular.

You’re characterizing my dismissal of defensive statements about pornography as inciting a flamewar?

I’ve read the guidelines. I need for you to explain to me in clear and unambiguous terms exactly what I’ve said that is not acceptable for HN and why it cannot be allowed whilst speech supporting an industry that systematically abducts, trafficks, abuses and exploits women is acceptable and not say, garden-variety misogyny.

Curious conversation? This place has a point system, fake names, and a voting mechanic, so, give us all a break with the platitudes.

I’m looking forward to your explanation.

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