US inmates go on strike, demand wages and education

Inmates in a prison in the US state of Georgia are striking, demanding the justice system provide them with better medical and health care, wages, and additional educational opportunities.
Thus far the strike has been peaceful and non-violent, with inmates refusing to do their assigned work duties, opting to leave their cells only for food and showers.

Link to article:
RT


This article is about a week old. The latest news on this is that officials are now meeting to negotiate with the prisoners and families. Anyway,the subject of justice and incarceration is complex so I'm only going to address my take on a small part of it.

I think this astounding just in the fact alone that prisoners were able to set aside their sometimes staggering differences and join together in a peaceful and intelligent manner in order to be heard. Prisoners have long been stigmatized as mostly being low-brow,self-serving,feral animals. While this may be true in a few cases,this articles shows us that prisoners aren't all stupid and that people can change,whether willingly or by force.

In this case, I believe the prisoners had simply had enough and realized that by being socially divided,they were hurting their chances at getting anything beneficial done for the prison system as a whole. I also think the prisoners have been hearing about how bad things are on the outside and simply want a chance at a much-needed head-start on things for if,and when, they are released. They probably realize that the lowly jobs many of them used to take after being released are being given to people with Ph.D.s and are scared enough by this to finally want to take charge of their lives and start being productive.

The irony is that society has been howling for decades for inmates to do something with themselves and become more productive and rehabilitated and now the inmates have decided to do so at what is absolutely the worst possible time economically,socially and politically,not just in America, but the world as whole.

Even if the their demands are met, it seems highly unlikely that it will make any real difference once they get out. There simply isn't enough time,money or political will-power left in this country to make room for them in what is now a rapidly crumbling country. I fear they will become bitter and hateful and commit more crime to simply return back to the relative comfort and safety of their former prison routine.

No matter your take on this, I hope we can all agree on the that fact that prisoners aren't just failures to themselves or society,but society is a failure as a whole when America has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Pity and shame unto to all of us.

time for lockdown, no commissary, no phone calls, their attitude will change FAST

reply to post by HomerinNC


Yeah, I mean why would we want to teach these folks to not be "bad"...

I hope they get what they are after, hopefully an education will keep them from re-visiting the institution. Of course, I know how my kinsman will feel.

Alas we just don't want the criminals to get better. We just want them to "pay"

umm? I am split between they broke the law the should be in there cell for 23 hours.
and this is amazing! how can so many wont to turn over a good new leaf?
some one is very good at organising them.
um good luck!

Provide jobs program (on the inside) pay them for their work and then charge them for the cost of their incarceration.

Win/Win

I didn't realize that inmates couldn't get an education if they didn't want to. I have a relative who was in jail for 25 years. He was charged with armed robbery. Got a life sentence and was let out after 25 years for good behavior.... He put that time to amazing use. He now has 4-5 masters degrees in different things. Learned a few trades and is a really amazing artist... He was able to get that education because they paid for him to get it.

Nice guy. Just made a horrible mistake. And on a side note, he was even on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries years ago.... Why? Because there is actually strong evidence to suggest he was innocent. Even his parole officer thinks he is innocent... But I digress.

reply to post by HomerinNC


Do you personally know people who've been in jail?

Our society has a bad habit of locking people up and forgetting about them as a form of "punishment". It doesn't work because once these folks get out, they just go right back to a life of crime. Give them the opportunity to further their education and job skills and they might just reconsider returning to a life of crime.

Why do you think some people get locked up in the first place? They probably had no access to jobs or education and turned to the life of crime!

By all means provide them with education and food. But wages? No.

reply to post by Somehumanbeing


I agree, this country needs more slave labor!

(Seriously? You are promoting slavery?)

I say pay them for their work, and take much money out to pay for their housing/food/education/etc.

I'd rather them pay for it, than me. But I can pay for it if no one else will.

reply to post by The Sword


Actually, I spent time in jail and prison and yes I agree they should get an education/job training, but I also agree with a previous poster, pay them a wage then use it to defray costs of their incarceration

reply to post by HomerinNC


Woo! I am so glad to see this!

I figured you had been "in the know" due to the sentence

I am also glad to see that I was WRONG!!! People seem to be for educating the criminals, at least so far! Thank you small thread, you have given me a smile.

According to the 13th Amendment, slavery is legal as a punishment for a crime!

en.wikipedia.org...

I suspect that's why black men are targeted for prison time, eh? People may change, but institutions can hold a grudge forever.

reply to post by SmedleyBurlap


Yes, now that's an interesting point to ponder indeed! You know what they say:'The more things change,the more things stay the same.'

Unfortunately,the for-profit prison system helps perpetuate the problem by targeting vulnerable demographics through the legal system and opposed to focusing on productive intervention and education measures,ensuring a steady supply of inmates. The more inmates and the longer the sentences,the more money the whole system makes. Simple at that.

The new age business model is building prisons for profit. Must yield well because we are terrific at establishing them at an incredible pace.

I am sure they are not happy the "help" are looking to cut into that profit margin.

Education and health care? Of course why not. Wages? Only after they pay back the cost of their imprisonment with they work.

Originally posted by The Sword
reply to post by HomerinNC

 

Do you personally know people who've been in jail?

Our society has a bad habit of locking people up and forgetting about them as a form of "punishment". It doesn't work because once these folks get out, they just go right back to a life of crime. Give them the opportunity to further their education and job skills and they might just reconsider returning to a life of crime.

Why do you think some people get locked up in the first place? They probably had no access to jobs or education and turned to the life of crime!

edit on 22-12-2010 by The Sword because: (no reason given)

You know - I just realized: What's the point of education in prison if you can't get a job anyway when you're released because of your record?

reply to post by impaired


Got to love that right? A guy gets out of jail, WANTS to do the right thing, work, and not go back. The backround checks keep the guy from getting a job, prettymuch forces criminals to find alternative sources of income... Wonderful system we have here, you continue paying for crimes, for the rest of your life, even after you have "paid your debt to society". Prison for profit lobbyists, and politicians in their pockets are to blame for this crap.

this is VERY TRUE, when I got out, i lost a many good opportunity when they ask if you have a record.....

reply to post by FlyingJadeDragon


Just for the record...

I live in Georgia and this is not anything that has been on our local news. And before anyone comes along and says "Well, of course not, MSM would never...", trust me when I say that we have a two very competitive news stations here that both cover stories - strenuously - that even the local papers won't touch.

But that isn't to say there is no possibility that this is true.

Unfortunately the only references to this, on the web, are on RT, a few sites, like ATS, and blogs that link back to the Nation of Islam and a professor who appears to be a radical activist. So I am left wondering what the whole truth of the story is.

I'll reserve judgment until I see some sources that aren't seemingly agenda driven, biased, or faux news sites.

~Heff

As many of you know I'm a Corrections Officer so I may have some insight on this topic. Education, recreation, medical/dental, religious programs are hugely important. It may surprise some of you but I believe there should be more of them not less. Lack of those programs/benefits are some of the leading causes of prison violence. If we wish them to change and not return then we must provide the means to change; some will and sadly most won't. If those programs help just one to not re-offend then they were worth every penny of my taxes.

Inmates aren't for the most part animals; they are people who have made mistakes; in my unit the majority are pretty horrific mistakes but they are still people and as such should be treated decently. Given the opportunity many will do the right thing. For example; every quarter we have a fund raiser that they may participate in if they have the money and the desire. This quarter it is Wishing Star; inmates are able to buy special food such as doughnuts, pizza or calzones. It is strictly voluntary but it's pretty amazing how many will save their money cause it's a good cause. I've also had some who have the good paying jobs ask if they can buy an elderly inmate or one who doesn't have a job or family hygiene items, hot pots and coffee. I've no issue if they wish to do so as long as it is "no strings attached". They tell me one of the worst things about being in prison is not being able to give gifts.

Locking them down as has been suggested unless needed is a great way to increase prison violence not prevent it. We do lockdown but only as a last resort to gain control or some semblance of control. Eventually they have to come off lockdown and if they think it was unjust it's a guaranteed way to have some more violence.

So, cutting programs not a good idea.