Missouri Pulls (Violent) Video Games From Prison

[Tab]

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri's most violent criminals can no longer play video games that simulate murders, carjackings and the killing of police officers, a decision reached after prison officials were told about the content.

"We didn't closely review these," Dave Dormire, superintendent of the Jefferson City Correctional Center, told The Kansas City Star. "We were told these games had more like cartoon violence."

The Star reported Thursday the state's new maximum-security prison pulled dozens of violent Sony PlayStation 2 games from its recreation center on Wednesday, after officials were alerted to their content by a reporter. Inmates had been using them for months.

In fact, the prison's PlayStation offerings included one of the most violent games on the market, "Hitman: Contracts," in which players use everything from meat hooks to silencer-equipped pistols to carry out brutal contract killings.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=528&ncid=528&e=3&u=/ap/20041202/ap_on_hi_te/video_games_prisons

[xultar]

1. WOW they have Video Games. I think there are better ways to spend

tax dollars, say on prescription drugs and children's healthcare.

[prayin4rain]

3. I didn't know they were sitting in there playing video games either.

How strange.

[Tab]

4. No

It goes on to say:
The games were paid for from inmates' purchases — mostly of snacks — at the prison canteen. The canteen generates up to $20,000 monthly and a committee of corrections officials, prison staffers and several inmates decides how to spend it.

Much of the cash is used for weightlifting and exercise equipment. Video games are a new purchase in Jefferson City; prison officials say other facilities have done the same, though it doesn't appear to be the norm.

Although why you would allow inmates in a maximum security prison to play games that glorify violence is beyond me (and apparently the prison officials thought so too).

[shoelace414]

5. You DO know someday

many of those inmates will be getting out.

[Voltaire99]

13. Oh, get over that Puritan sanctimony

Around half of those inmates are in stir because of the nation's racist "war on drugs." The US disgracefully warehouses such people by the millions.

Let them play their video games. You want money for "prescription drugs and children's healthcare," speak up about the Pentagon budget.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

2. Well, DUHHH!

Hey, I have an idea! Let's install shooting ranges, that will keep them busy! :eyes:

[George_S]

9. Prisons aren't not that right wingnut.

Though the staff may have shooting ranges.

[Blue_Tires]

6. wow...i thought prison was supposed to be a place

you DIDN'T want to go

[Moloch]

7. What a wonderful idea, let's take away all of the inmates

privileges and make sure they're more angry, violent and anti-social when they are released!

[Columbia]

8. Better to let their minds and bodies atrophy

Then have them bulk up at the gym.

[Endangered Specie]

10. What the fuck are ANY video games doing in prison in the FIRST

place?

Jesus H Christ!

[enki23]

11. and why in hell are we feeding these fuckers?

waste of damned money. let 'em eat each other. no television, no video games, no books but the bible and a few other religious tracts. i want them to go completely fucking insane. more rape, more killings. torture those god damned drug addicts, and pot dealers, and crack dealers, and cokeheads, and all those guys who got caught with too much weed, and the ones who were selling bongs. make them fucking PAY!

[Az_lefty]

14. thanks for the laugh !!!!!

[DS1]

16. hahah, best followup title today

:7

[Endangered Specie]

17. There is a differnece between feeding a man, and giving him video games...

Insane? Imagine how their reality was shocked when they get to play Vice City in jail? What you want to turn them into a resort? "Hey, Warden, can I stay another month or two?, I need to get 100% on GTA!"

you know I dont really approve of locking up guys for a little drugs, but thats a policy issue, prisons are for two things, punishment, then, rehabilitation.

Prisoners ought to have to WORK or get EDUCATED in prison (no I dont mean slave labor), like the REST of have to do in the real world.

edit: and if you want to play the sarcasm game:

Lets let them play VIDEO games all day, that will REALLY rehabilitate them for the real world! Oh, poor prisoners, I mean they are all really innocent right? I mean, what could be wrong with a rapist or a murder playing games all day, I bet that would really give the victims faith in the justice system all right.

[Voltaire99]

12. What the--? Waitta second here!

If violent inmates are not the ideal target audience for games about violent criminality, I don't know who is. ;-)

[Ian David]

15. If ex-cons voted Republican

They would have shooting ranges in prison already.

[St. Etienne]

18. Instead of letting them play violent video games...

how about we give prisoners weapons to kill each other and use the technology employed for sports video games, and attach those sorts of sensors to the criminals and take footage while they slaughter each other and create the new GTA game :eyes:

More money misplaced in prison systems.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. Is there any evidence that violent video games

influence adults to commit crimes?

Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of these games; but what if they actually served as healthy outlets for aggression, and kept would-be offenders from committing crimes?