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Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons

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Re: Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons

#121

Post by kybernetyk »

Confusion wrote: post #85
kybernetyk wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A different view: In Germany you are usually locked up for 23 hours/day in your (1 or 2 man) cell when you're serving a prison sentence. There are some exceptions to this like being able to visit another prisoner for one hour every day or use the kitchen for one hour every few days, etc. (Or if you are really lucky you can get a job inside the prison.) I'd say being imprisoned is inhumane in every country on this pla…

I don't know where you get your information from, but the source is unreliable and you're now spreading disinformation.

Please explain. My source is someone I know who was imprisoned in Aachen, NRW.

Re: Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons

#122

Post by Someone »

columbo wrote: post #81
scrapcode wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm kind of glad that this is your perception. This should be everyone's perception of prison. You should have an extreme necessity to keep your ass out of prison. You should be scared absolutely shitless of prison, so much that you play exactly by the rules to keep yourself from ever going there. Our prison system does a pretty good job at driving this perception home. Prison is not a rehabilitation center. If it we…

> Prison has to be scary. No it doesn't. The problem with chest-thumping-ego-driven-bullshit like this is that it is very fact-adverse and causes more problems than it solves. Your type of prison is nothing more than a gang training camp. Start here: https://www.google.com/search?q=rehabilitation+vs+punishment... And don't stop until about page 200ish.

For an example of a not so or at least less scary prison: http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&...

TLDR version: "the punishment is being locked up; we do not add to the suffering."

Google translate is decent at times, funny at other times (the vulture entering the scene is a translation of the prison director's surname), and woefully incorrect at others ("e.g. The IBT'ers still put their helmets on and not ask first what's going on" should be "don't put their helmets on but ask first what's going on"), but I think the message comes across.

Two things to add:

1) the "for life system" (rightfully, IMO) is under scrutiny from the EU because, effectively, nobody ever is pardoned.

2) there are stronger regimes in some prisons.

Re: Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons

#123

Post by honzzz »

kasra wrote: post #94
alan_cx wrote: post #43

Get past the comedy, listen to the facts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPZed8af9RI The facts stated have never been refuted. Be ashamed. Either Americans are the most criminal in the world, or the US justice system has a real problem. I mean, worse than Iran? Worse than China? South Africa? Are Americans really that bad? Perhaps now we know a certain hacker preferred death. I know I would. As a British citizen, I…

"I mean, worse than Iran? Worse than China? South Africa? Are Americans really that bad ?" You should be ashamed of your prejudices (obviously I'm not commenting on US justice system here).

What prejudice are you talking about? Countries can be measured and compared through many different ways. One factor that can be measured is prison population rate. Compared to other countries Iran, China and South Africa are really bad at this, US is even worse. Measurable fact, not prejudice.

Re: Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons

#124

Post by melindajb »

irahul wrote: post #64
maeon3 wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the prisons were focused on fixing the root problem in the criminals, as if they were some sort of refuge for edification, conditioning and correction then a large body of the homeless would commit a strategic crime in order to get there so they can at least get three meals and an opportunity to move up in the world from rock-bottom. Like slavery in the 18th century, prisons are a necessary evil to punish people w…

> If the prisons were focused on fixing the root problem in the criminals, as if they were some sort of refuge for edification, conditioning and correction then a large body of the homeless would commit a strategic crime in order to get there so they can at least get three meals and an opportunity to move up in the world from rock-bottom. 1. Prisons as correctional center far outweighs some homeless guy pick-pocketin…

your reply gives me faith in humanity.

Re: Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons

#125

Post by klibertp »

maeon3 wrote: post #54
InclinedPlane wrote: post #44

People often ask the hypothetical of what sorts of behavior we consider normal today that people in the far future will regard as barbaric or bizarre. Our prison system is probably near the top of that list, for a variety of reasons. Not least of which is the sheer size of the prison population these days due to the war on drugs. Even more significant is the widespread societal belief that prison experience should be…

If the prisons were focused on fixing the root problem in the criminals, as if they were some sort of refuge for edification, conditioning and correction then a large body of the homeless would commit a strategic crime in order to get there so they can at least get three meals and an opportunity to move up in the world from rock-bottom. Like slavery in the 18th century, prisons are a necessary evil to punish people w…

Minority report?

Nice, I was moved enough to reply, so as a satire it's a good piece.

Re: Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons

#126

Post by thoughtcriminal »

So what the hell is Obama doing anyway? He's done nothing but wring his hands and give lip service to human liberties.

You have to give Obama credit though, he is supernaturally charismatic and completely amoral, not to mention the best centrist in US political history.

I think that when he is gone and his powers of charisma and diversion have long dissipated, history will not be kind to him. He never had the courage and compassion to do the right thing.

Re: Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons

#127

Post by grecy »

rdl wrote: post #71

I think I'd rather spend 3 years in solitary (given adequate books, ability to write, etc.) than in general prison population. I accept that I'm probably an outlier, though.

What's the longest time you've actually gone in your life without seeing another human?

I've done 10-12 days a few times, and routinely do ~5 days.

You need to experience it for yourself before you make such bold claims. It's a very intense experience.

Re: Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons

#128

Post by honzzz »

rdl wrote: post #71

I think I'd rather spend 3 years in solitary (given adequate books, ability to write, etc.) than in general prison population. I accept that I'm probably an outlier, though.

1. According to that article, books, ability to write etc. would be out of the question. That's the part of the problem that we are discussing here - that the lack of stimuli (basically absolute boredom) can be torturous. Your argument seems to be like 'I would be OK with them torturing me if they just did not do things I don't like to me'.

2. I think that you would be really surprised how cruel the lack of social contact can be. We are wired to be social but it's hard to even imagine spending prolonged time without talking to others etc. because most of us have never experienced it.

Someone who has never experienced hunger could think that they would be OK without food... but I am pretty sure they would change their mind after three days without a bite.

Re: Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons

#129

Post by tomjen3 »

rthomas6 wrote: post #99
_account wrote: post #93

Prison is society's recourse for anti-social behavior. Does it have to be a violent and horrible place? No. The residents tend to make it that. In addition, I am against pampering in anyway, with my tax dollars, people whom I've had to remove from proper society...for anti-social behavior. Prison is supposed to be a deterrent. My biggest gripe is that I have to pay for it at all. I support banishment or death.

Does this view not presuppose that the exhibitors of the anti-social behavior cannot be fixed or remade into useful members of society? If you believe that, fine, but if you think that some could be reformed, why is that not worth the money? "Reform", in my mind, has nothing to do with pampering. It could be even more torturous than now...For example A Clockwork Orange. Not that I'm advocating that. Does this view al…

If people can be changed then they will change given the right incentives, which can be achieve simply by making prison sufficiently harsh and long enough.

Re: Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons

#130

Post by igravious »

rdl wrote: post #109
Confusion wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think that, until you've spent a few months, perhaps only a week, in solitary confinement.

I spent 6 continuous months on Sealand with one other guy (who I avoided as much as I possibly could, saw him about 3 minutes a day if I didn't correctly time my hallway trip to avoid running into him). Lots of space, and the Internet, though.

> with one other guy

so not solitary

> Lots of space, and the Internet, though

and not (physically or mentally) confinement either

---

The only way in which you are an outlier is that you have an inflated sense of your own awesomeness.

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