Would you rather be in prison or homeless?

reply to post by bates

Would you rather be in prison or homeless?

Reminds me of one of those adolescent age choice questions from long ago...

'Would you rather slide down a 40 foot razor blade into a bottle of rubbing alcohol... or suck a pig's nose until its head caves in?'

I don't recall which I picked from those but... I think I'd take homeless. At least that way, you have a chance to make your own bed.

To be fair the way the justice system in the UK is at the moment you would probably end up committing a crime, and not actually go to prison.

More likely you would get a suspended sentence, this coupled with the fact that these days it is an employers market with regards to jobs, will result in you being homeless with a criminal record, possibly prohibiting you from getting a job for a few years.

You won't benefit either way...

Seems like an easy answer...but as some have kinda hinted at...it's complicated.

I would prefer to be homeless. That is...if I weren't in the middle of a metropolis. I am an old school country boy...grew up in the woods and mountains. I am not going to say it would be an easy and wonderful life, but I am pretty sure I could survive...just not sure that I would want to.

I know how to make a shelter...I know how to set a snare...I know how to fish and even spearfish....not saying the "catch" would be the most palatable...but I could survive on it.

I know most of the plants in the Appalachians that you can eat...again, not like I am going to try and box it up as a gourmet meal...but it IS nutrition.

I could do that and so therefore I would prefer homelessness....BUT...

TPTB are trying to cull people from the National parks...you know those blocks of land that is supposed to belong to "us"...the people...I have a problem with this. I think we should allow people to live in the national parks if they are not damaging the ecosystem....and crapping and p!ssing in the woods is not damaging the eco system...if someone can live in harmony with nature...we should let them...the seizure and control of the lands that 'we the people" agreed to set aside and support should be a haven fr the homeless...

But I digress....the agenda is coming and there is nothing anyone can do about it but hide or die....

reply to post by redoubt


if you look at the situation through the eyes of a child, you'll see a childish question.

Originally posted by bates
reply to post by redoubt

 

if you look at the situation through the eyes of a child, you'll see a childish question.

I was sharing an old memory that had a quirky little connection to your question. It wasn't meant to suggest your question was in any way childish.

Getting dangerous to do that kind of thing anymore. My bad.

I have been in jail for long term about 75 days.. but i have not been homeless before...

So.. IDK I would have to say from experiencing jail which is very boring and not fun at all, I didn't get to go outside, everyone is mean...

I would have to go with homeless because I do have the skills that I would probably have a good homeless lifestyle compared to most. With jail you are provided food/shelter but everything about it sucks...

I would prefer to be free and even just live off the land if thats what I had to do to survive I could do it.

There is always the third option. Go live in a Monastery probably of the buddhist kind for me. A life with little material things but you might go back to basics and grow some food.

reply to post by bates
I'd rather be homeless than in prison. I've been homeless twice many years ago and it didn't take long to figure out ways to remedy the situation- all it took was motivation and determination. In prison you are left to the whims of the court system, guards and fellow prisoners and have no freedom. A warm bed and a hot meal mean nothing if you can't come and go as you like- I'd rather dumpster dive!

reply to post by bates


Prison no, but Jail yes, jails have much more freedom with so many things to do, some jails are actually pretty modern with all kinds of amenities for the inmates.

This is a hypothetical, most likely the crime you would commit would be small to go to a jail and not a fed or state prison. If i was starving and cold why not rob a 7/11 unarmed and go to county (if they have room) for 30 days. You would have countless phone calls to plan for a move when you got out, meals and showers for a homeless person this would be ideal.

Homeless. My wife and I were homeless for a time. It was difficult but we grew very close to each other and now know what we are capapble of. Left to our own, we would do just fine. In prison, you are barely exicsting. True you don't have to work for anyting,but nothing is yours, not even the time you are spending. You do not belong to you, you belong to the state. eat when they tell you to, sleep when they say, shower when you are told and strip search as needed. Yeah, no thanks. You can keep that "easier" life. I choose the hard path.

Homeless. No Question!

However, there in Britain the weather would be tough on homeless. And I can only assume the prisons aren't as bad as in the U.S.

Our prisons are higher learning facilities for gangs. Go to jail for smoking pot, and come out a profesional criminal. Besides, many people who escape our prison system end up homeless anyway.

Location is everything. Here in Las Vegas it almost never rains (60 degrees/parltly cloudy today) and there is a huge system of tunnels. You can make a living on the sidewalks of the L.V.strip with a little entertainment skill or simply the right costume.

Best homeless sign ever...
If you fly into Vegas look for this guy. Leaving the airport, the first traffic light you stop at will be Swenson St. and Tropicana Ave. an old homeless man has a sign that reads " Why lie, I want beer ". He is at the right spot to get money from tourists who came to party. Every time I see him he is making money, with a big smile on his face. He always has a beer too. The homeless here like that it's legal to have an open container. But then again, so does liver failure.

reply to post by bates


...Is this thread for real?

"Would you rather be dirt broke but completely free, or fed crap food and completely enslaved"

This is definitely the most abstract April Fools thread of today.

I have an ex-wife with whom I've had 4 beautiful children with.

I can only afford one house hold, and I vomit in my mouth around
my ex. So I'm homeless its not bad though I'm a truck driver so I
got a place to sleep.

No responsibility, except when I have the kids, just send the ex away.

Nope homeless is pretty nice, prison would suck! Plus I'm way to pretty,
I don't want my hand in a large mans pocket. No thank you!

Homeless.

At least I would still be free.


Take it from someone who has been in both situations.....Homeless is better.

Homeless. I may be fending for myself but I have fresh air and the freedom to move as far as I want. I would have a better time getting a job than a convicted felon since my record wouldn't be marred for life. It's a tough choice, though. Do I want to be pitied as a homeless person or do I want to be feared by society because I'm a criminal?

If I were homeless I would probably make the trek to Florida where it's warm year-round.

I have a terrible fear of being homeless, though. My current job is very unstable.

It depends on where you are located. As a teen I was homeless in a fairly homeless friendly area. In the town where I live now, being homeless within the city limits is a crime. I would take jail over being homeless any day because I have seen how the homeless are treated here. Being homeless here means you have no options, it doesn't matter what skills you possesses. No one is going to hire you if you don't have a residency with a home phone. It is just the general attitude of the people around here.

Weather and natural resources of the area would also make a difference.

Homeless. Although it wouldn't be easy in the cold Irish weather it would be better than being locked up ..

prison with out a doubt you get fed, your warm and free gym membership i have been to prison and thought it was just like my boarding school only with bars, i have never been homeless neither would i ever be

Much rather be homeless.

Personally I think jail is a very inhumane place.

A month ago I was earning £30,000 a year and had been in that job for 12 years . I was happy and had no idea that a month later I would be unemployed for the first time in 30 years . Now I feel afraid and unsure that I will never find employment to that degree again , even though I have a glowing CV .

I face losing my flat ( apartment if you are in the US ) . I am living on my savings to pay my rent and bills until I receive some kind of benefit to help me . My savings won't last much longer . I could take a lesser paying job and I would , I have no pride in that respect , but employers are taking advantage of the current situation and are expecting people to work for next to nothing .

I feel like packing my things , my camera and my guitar and just heading off over to Europe and taking my chances over there until I can find work and a place to stay . Bare in mind I'm 48 .......

The new social reforms in the UK will only lead to honest people reverting to a life of crime , just to keep their heads above water .