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US prisons are more like torture centers than a traditional rehabilitative institution. If the prisoner doesn't behave just right, he could end up locked in a s

US prisons are more like torture centers than a traditional rehabilitative institution. If the prisoner doesn't behave just right, he could end up locked in a small room 23 hours a day. He could end up assaulted and abused. He could end up being taken advantage of. In the US we have institutions for the mentally ill and he would be better off there, but it's becoming increasingly more only for the wealthy to use.

creato 8y ago
> US prisons are more like torture centers than a traditional rehabilitative institution. If the prisoner doesn't behave just right, he could end up locked in a small room 23 hours a day. He could end up assaulted and abused. He could end up being taken advantage of. Is this really true? This seems to be a popular assessment but every now and then I see first-hand accounts of people who went to jail/prison and my main takeaway from them is that it's simply boring and nothing really happens, and that the average joe is just going to go in, be bored, and get out. There are definitely big stories/issues that come out every so often but they seem to be the exception rather than the rule.
- crimethought 8y ago
  LA county jails are dangerous especially if you aren’t white. Depending on the unit, your pod will be ran by either a Hispanic or Black gang member who runs the “program”. I was arrested on a minor misdemeanor and thanks to the magic of corruption, got thrown in jail for 35-days when my plea deal was 0. I was in jail with convicted murderers, people on murder trial etc. I was handcuffed to a man that was savgely beaten by gang members for a minor offense involving a newspaper. The process to goto court was insane — including dry runs where you basically sit in a small cold holding room with up to 50 people from 6am to 5pm but are never called to court. In that room, inmates had been murdered and yes they’re cameras now but people cover them up for a fight. This was my 1st arrest, for a dubious crime. I even called the police for help, was unjustly arrested than put in jail with violent criminals and violent deputies whose behavior has improved since the FBI installed video cameras.
  - bilbo0s 8y ago
    >I was arrested on a minor misdemeanor and ... got thrown in jail for 35-days when my plea deal was 0... And... >This was my 1st arrest... Wait? What? Are you a black guy or something? Because if not, I'm not understanding how that could have happened to you?
    - chrisseaton 8y ago
      Not an American, so can't tell if you think 35-days custody is a lot or a little for a first offence?
      - bilbo0s 8y ago
        For a 1st offense, minor misdemeanor, 35 days is a LOT. So either the misdemeanor was not minor, or this guy has something else going on? Like maybe he's black? Maybe he's dating the arresting cop's ex? But if this kind of thing were the case, you'd normally see more charges. (And no plea bargains.) I'd say maybe it was a political thing, but it's not an election year. Who knows? But 35 days is way outside the mean. The average person would not get that much for a 1st offense on a minor misdemeanor.
        gnhrgkai 8y ago
        Being black does not net you a longer sentence. That's just stupid.
        DanBC 8y ago
        It's well researched that black people get longer sentences than white people for the same crime. https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/research-publications/2017/20171114_Demographics.pdf https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-pu...
        gnhrgkai 8y ago
UnpossibleJim 8y ago
Inpatient mental health facilities are mainly for the wealthy since deregulation in the Reagan era. That was almost 40 years ago. At this point, you have to be a danger to yourself, at which point they admit you to a hospital for treatment, or a danger to others, at which point they put you in jail. Both of these facilities have become defacto mental health facilities for the poor and lower middle class, I'm sorry to say. This isn't a "becoming" issue, this issue already happened.
cronix 8y ago
> US prisons are more like torture centers Torture: > the act of inflicting excruciating pain, as punishment or revenge, as a means of getting a confession or information, or for sheer cruelty. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/torture https://www.dictionary.com/browse/torture Please stop with the hyperbole and misapplication of defined words. You degrade the actual meaning of the word when used improperly in this context. Also, you state that it's a voluntary action, entirely controlled by the prisoners behavior. > If the prisoner doesn't behave just right So - behave if in prison. Seems reasonable. Contrast what you claim is torture, with actual torture that does go on: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/23/lawyer-torture-china-secret-jails-xie-yang https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/23/lawyer-torture... I'd take your version of torture any day of the week, because it's actually pretty tame compared to real torture.
- fzeroracer 8y ago
  Not only is this classic whataboutism, but it ignores the reality of the US prison system being an absolute horrific nightmare for many people. We still use solitary confinement here in the US which is absolutely considered torture in many circumstances. It's far from hyperbole and far from voluntary, especially when you start considering the needs of the mentally ill with regards to prisons and how they're supposed to behave.
  - j16sdiz 8y ago
    solitary confinement is quite common in Asia. And no, we don't consider that as torture.
    - phren0logy 8y ago
      Given the psychological effects of extended, externally-imposed isolation, it should be considered a form of mistreatment everywhere.
    - behringer 8y ago
      Many countries and people consider it torture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solitary_confinement#Torture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solitary_confinement#Torture And solitary confinement is one small part in the overall torture scheme perpetrated by US prisons. It's not hyperbole, it's the facts.

creato 8y ago

> US prisons are more like torture centers than a traditional rehabilitative institution. If the prisoner doesn't behave just right, he could end up locked in a small room 23 hours a day. He could end up assaulted and abused. He could end up being taken advantage of. Is this really true? This seems to be a popular assessment but every now and then I see first-hand accounts of people who went to jail/prison and my main takeaway from them is that it's simply boring and nothing really happens, and that the average joe is just going to go in, be bored, and get out. There are definitely big stories/issues that come out every so often but they seem to be the exception rather than the rule.

crimethought 8y ago
LA county jails are dangerous especially if you aren’t white. Depending on the unit, your pod will be ran by either a Hispanic or Black gang member who runs the “program”. I was arrested on a minor misdemeanor and thanks to the magic of corruption, got thrown in jail for 35-days when my plea deal was 0. I was in jail with convicted murderers, people on murder trial etc. I was handcuffed to a man that was savgely beaten by gang members for a minor offense involving a newspaper. The process to goto court was insane — including dry runs where you basically sit in a small cold holding room with up to 50 people from 6am to 5pm but are never called to court. In that room, inmates had been murdered and yes they’re cameras now but people cover them up for a fight. This was my 1st arrest, for a dubious crime. I even called the police for help, was unjustly arrested than put in jail with violent criminals and violent deputies whose behavior has improved since the FBI installed video cameras.
- bilbo0s 8y ago
  >I was arrested on a minor misdemeanor and ... got thrown in jail for 35-days when my plea deal was 0... And... >This was my 1st arrest... Wait? What? Are you a black guy or something? Because if not, I'm not understanding how that could have happened to you?
  - chrisseaton 8y ago
    Not an American, so can't tell if you think 35-days custody is a lot or a little for a first offence?
    - bilbo0s 8y ago
      For a 1st offense, minor misdemeanor, 35 days is a LOT. So either the misdemeanor was not minor, or this guy has something else going on? Like maybe he's black? Maybe he's dating the arresting cop's ex? But if this kind of thing were the case, you'd normally see more charges. (And no plea bargains.) I'd say maybe it was a political thing, but it's not an election year. Who knows? But 35 days is way outside the mean. The average person would not get that much for a 1st offense on a minor misdemeanor.
      - gnhrgkai 8y ago
        Being black does not net you a longer sentence. That's just stupid.
        DanBC 8y ago
        It's well researched that black people get longer sentences than white people for the same crime. https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/research-publications/2017/20171114_Demographics.pdf https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-pu...
        gnhrgkai 8y ago

UnpossibleJim 8y ago

Inpatient mental health facilities are mainly for the wealthy since deregulation in the Reagan era. That was almost 40 years ago. At this point, you have to be a danger to yourself, at which point they admit you to a hospital for treatment, or a danger to others, at which point they put you in jail. Both of these facilities have become defacto mental health facilities for the poor and lower middle class, I'm sorry to say. This isn't a "becoming" issue, this issue already happened.

cronix 8y ago

> US prisons are more like torture centers Torture: > the act of inflicting excruciating pain, as punishment or revenge, as a means of getting a confession or information, or for sheer cruelty. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/torture https://www.dictionary.com/browse/torture Please stop with the hyperbole and misapplication of defined words. You degrade the actual meaning of the word when used improperly in this context. Also, you state that it's a voluntary action, entirely controlled by the prisoners behavior. > If the prisoner doesn't behave just right So - behave if in prison. Seems reasonable. Contrast what you claim is torture, with actual torture that does go on: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/23/lawyer-torture-china-secret-jails-xie-yang https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/23/lawyer-torture... I'd take your version of torture any day of the week, because it's actually pretty tame compared to real torture.

fzeroracer 8y ago
Not only is this classic whataboutism, but it ignores the reality of the US prison system being an absolute horrific nightmare for many people. We still use solitary confinement here in the US which is absolutely considered torture in many circumstances. It's far from hyperbole and far from voluntary, especially when you start considering the needs of the mentally ill with regards to prisons and how they're supposed to behave.
- j16sdiz 8y ago
  solitary confinement is quite common in Asia. And no, we don't consider that as torture.
  - phren0logy 8y ago
    Given the psychological effects of extended, externally-imposed isolation, it should be considered a form of mistreatment everywhere.
  - behringer 8y ago
    Many countries and people consider it torture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solitary_confinement#Torture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solitary_confinement#Torture And solitary confinement is one small part in the overall torture scheme perpetrated by US prisons. It's not hyperbole, it's the facts.