Prisoners wearing old-fashioned, horizontal black-and-white stripes

[Ladyhawk]

Today as I was walking in the downtown area of small town, California, I saw a pair of prisoners being transferred from a county building into a van. I'm not sure, but I think they might also have been chained together.

Why is the black-and-white stripe thing making a comeback?

[Lars39]

1. It never went out of style in some places.

It's jarring to see it, though. Makes me feel like I've been transported to the '30s.

[incapsulated]

3. Really?

I didn't know. I would've thought they were filming a movie or something if I saw this!

[Vektor]

I also live in "small town" California.

:hi:
Are you north or south?

I haven't seen the striped prison suits, though.

[LisaL]

2. Not around here. All the prisoners are wearing orange.

[LeftyMom]

4. Humiliation and appeal to law and order types

My Dad used to work corrections and the facilities he worked at either had the orange jumpsuits or blue jeans and color-coded t shirts to indicate what unit they belonged in.

[unrepuke]

5. I saw that in Florida, late '60s. Road crews, guards with shotguns and

mirrored sunglasses, just like in Cool Hand Luke.

[soothsayer]

6. I like it! It's a cute look.

[cynatnite]

7. Prisoners here wear it...

The particular one I saw with it deserved it and far more, IMO.

[chelsea fc]

8. Nice

I think it's good for them, that way no one gets confused who they are.

[titoresque]

9. They wear blk/wht stripes here and pink underwear

Good 'ol Joe Asswipe Arpaio.
He likes to drive his big boy tank in the Electric light Parade at Christmas....sort of like some crazed Santa. Anyhow a few years back he brought a chain-gang with him. They walked in line chained together at the back of the tank. It was complete silence when they drove/walked by the section my family was sitting at. Arpaio is a nut case! We've been taking our kids to see the Christmas parade for 14 years and had never seen such a thing at a family oriented holiday parade. I think he must have gotten a lot of angry feedback about that little stunt because the chain-gang hasnt been back.

WTF?! was he thinking? "Look kid's, if you're naughty boy's and girls Santa will dress you in stripes and pink undies and chain you to his sleigh"