Could this happen in the UK

Limey Linda · 21 April 2007, 03:10

Some info. about our local head cop. He is one of the good guys.

This guy is referred to as America's toughest sheriff. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Arpaio for additional info...

NO MORE JAIL BREAKS

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Update on Joe Arpaio

TO THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH JOE ARPAIO

HE IS THE MARICOPA ARIZONA COUNTY SHERIFF
AND HE KEEPS GETTING ELECTED OVER AND OVER

THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY:
Sheriff Joe Arpaio
(In Arizona)
who created the
"Tent City Jail":

He has jail meals down to 40 cents a serving and charges the inmates for them.

He stopped smoking and porno magazines in the jails. Took away their weights Cut off all but "G" movies.

He started chain gangs so the inmates could do free work on county and city projects.

Then He Started
Chain Gangs For Women
So He Wouldn't Get
Sued For
Discrimination.

He took away cable TV Until
he found out there was
A
Federal Court Order
that
Required Cable TV For Jails.
So He Hooked Up The Cable TV Again
Only Let In The Disney Channel And The Weather Channel.

When asked why the weather channel
He Replied,
So They Will Know
How Hot It's Gonna Be
While They Are Working
ON
My Chain Gangs.

He Cut Off Coffee
Since It Has
Zero Nutritional Value.

When the inmates complained, he told them, "This Isn't
The Ritz/Carlton.
If You Don't Like It,
Don't Come Back."

He bought Newt Gingrich' lecture series on videotape that he pipes into the jails.

When asked by a reporter if he had any lecture series by a Democrat, he replied that a democratic lecture series might explain why a lot of the inmates were in his jails in the first place.

More On The Arizona Sheriff:

With Temperatures Being Even Hotter
Than Usual In Phoenix
(116 Degrees Just Set A New Record),
the Associated Press Reports:
About 2,000 Inmates Living In A Barbed-Wire-Surrounded Tent Encampment
At The
Maricopa County Jail Have Been Given Permission To Strip Down To Their Government-Issued
Pink Boxer Shorts.

On Wednesday, hundreds of men wearing boxers were either curled up on their bunk beds or chatted in the tents, which reached
138 Degrees
Inside The Week Before.

Many Were Also Swathed In Wet, Pink Towels As Sweat Collected On Their Chests And Dripped Down To Their PINK SOCKS.

"It Feels Like We Are In A Furnace,"
Said James Zanzot,
An Inmate Who Has Lived In The TENTS for 1 year.
"It's Inhumane."

Joe Arpaio,
the tough-guy sheriff
who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic
He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates: "It's 120 Degrees In Iraq And
Our Soldiers Are Living In Tents Too,
And They Have To
Wear Full Battle Gear,
But
They Didn't Commit Any Crimes,
So Shut Your Damned Mouths!"

Way To Go, Sheriff!
Maybe if all prisons were like this one
there would be a lot less crime and/or repeat offenders.
Criminals should be punished for their crimes - not live in luxury until it's time for their parole, only to go out and commit another crime so they can get back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy things taxpayers can't afford to have for themselves.

If you agree, pass this on. If not, just delete it.

Sheriff Joe
was just re-elected Sheriff in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Nos4r2 · 21 April 2007, 06:54

I particuarly like his attitude to immigrants-"if you come here illegally you've broken the law and you're going to jail"
It does seem that your cut/paste above is somewhat engineered to look OTT though-acording to the wikipedia article the 'chain gangs' are voluntary.

It'd never happen over here. Too many bloody lefties whining about prisoners rights. If you can't do the time don't do the crime.

codprawn · 21 April 2007, 11:46

All looks great on paper BUT

What happens if you have been sent to prison for recovering golf balls from a lake on a golf course - man was done for theft and put in prison. Of course someone kicks your back door in and raids your house they get off with a warning.

Quite a few people go to prison as a principle for not paying taxes etc.

Many people are convicted of "crimes" that are often not crimes at all. Tony Blair has brought in 3000 stupid crazy laws in 1 year alone. How many people know what they are? It is now illegal to have sex with your wife in the back of a car in "any public place" - even down a deserted lane.

The worst thing is 3 strikes and your out. Sounds great but what it means in practice is that if you get caught doing the 3rd crime then you have nothing to lose at all. You will get a life term no matter what so you may as well cause as much mayhem as possible. Then again it makes great TV for the American Police STOP type videos!!!

Limey Linda · 21 April 2007, 14:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I particuarly like his attitude to immigrants-"if you come here illegally you've broken the law and you're going to jail"
It does seem that your cut/paste above is somewhat engineered to look OTT though-acording to the wikipedia article the 'chain gangs' are voluntary.

It'd never happen over here. Too many bloody lefties whining about prisoners rights. If you can't do the time don't do the crime.

I agree with Nos; it does come across as a bit OTT, but that is also part of his style. People put up with his style because he gets results. The chain gangs are voluntary and when the "do gooders" made a fuss about them the inmates told them to shut up and mind their own business as they wanted to be in the chain gangs.
Codders, there you go again; drifting off into outer space.

codprawn · 21 April 2007, 16:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

I agree with Nos; it does come across as a bit OTT, but that is also part of his style. People put up with his style because he gets results. The chain gangs are voluntary and when the "do gooders" made a fuss about them the inmates told them to shut up and mind their own business as they wanted to be in the chain gangs.
Codders, there you go again; drifting off into outer space.

In what respect? You have no idea what Blair has done to this country. People are now being prosecuted for putting the rubbish bags out a day early or the wrong sort of rubbish in their bins!!!

whiteminiman · 21 April 2007, 17:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

In what respect? You have no idea what Blair has done to this country. People are now being prosecuted for putting the rubbish bags out a day early or the wrong sort of rubbish in their bins!!!

ASBO's.... can be issued for a variety of reasons.

Let's take the example of someone with Tourrettes (a mental illness that makes people use inappropriate language), who swears loudly in public.

This may well distress people, and theoretically (although unlikely) the person could be given an ASBO for it.

Breach of an ASBO is a criminal offence, which can lead to a prison sentence.

So the logical conclusion... being mentally disabled is a crime.

This is the law (although no sensible magistrate would enforce it in this way).

As far as Joe Arpaio's tactics go... no, several of his policies would breach the European Convention on Human Rights.

WMM

Limey Linda · 21 April 2007, 18:22

What Human rights would be breached? please

Poly · 21 April 2007, 18:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

What Human rights would be breached? please

Linda - we compensate our prisoners in Scotland because they had to shit in a bucket in their cells and empty it themselves (known as slopping out) - this was apparently humiliating and degrading and therefore a breach of their human rights.

There are also claims in progress at the moment from prisoners claiming their human rights are violated because they can't vote in elections...

Limey Linda · 21 April 2007, 19:13

I cannot count the number of times I have " slopped out" either boating or camping. You must be joking????. tell them to try sailing across the Atlantic with no potty for 5 weeks-- hanging over the side. Done that, and I was not degraded at all. Bunch of wimps I guess!!!
Thanks for reply

Poly · 21 April 2007, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

I cannot count the number of times I have " slopped out" either boating or camping. You must be joking????. tell them to try sailing across the Atlantic with no potty for 5 weeks-- hanging over the side. Done that, and I was not degraded at all. Bunch of wimps I guess!!!
Thanks for reply

they have been doing it for years - we must have banged up some bent lawyer who realised there was money to be made!

whiteminiman · 21 April 2007, 19:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

What Human rights would be breached? please

Have a look at the European Convention on Human Rights:

http://www.hri.org/docs/ECHR50.html

Article 3 is what would be claimed under.

"No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

The ECHR is applied in the UK by the Human Rights Act 1998

http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content...ilesize=110022

Not saying I agree it is a breach of human rights... but it would be very easy to argue in a court.

WMM

Simon B · 23 April 2007, 08:24

So what is degrading about the "voluntary work on community projects in the environment" I think it's a top idea.

The girlfirend worked as a chef in the prison kitchen it certainly killed off any fear I had about prison life, still wouldn't fancy it myself though.

whiteminiman · 23 April 2007, 11:01

That part... nothing, I think it's a good idea as well.

In fact, there is a specific exemption in the ECHR to permit forced labour in the context of penal servitude.

It's more - inappropriate clothing for the environment, inappropriate living accommodation, unsanitary conditions.

Ultimately, these people are still humans too.

Why do we get upset at the sight of little African children running around in barely any clothing? Yet, in this context it's acceptable for prisoners to be doing the same?

I'm not saying that they should be given Nike trainers and so forth... but if they are living in outside accommodation (tents), then protection from the elements is required - otherwise in 20 years, there will be claims from ex-cons that the prison caused their skin cancer.

WMM

John Kennett · 23 April 2007, 11:59

OK, thats enough thanks. I think I've made it quite clear that there are more appropriate places than RIBnet for this sort of discussion.

Limey Linda, take it somewhere else please.

Thanks
John