"Idaho ponders having prisoners sleep in shifts"

[GreenPartyVoter]

BOISE, Idaho (Reuters) - With space scarce as the U.S. prison population grows, a top Idaho lawmaker is proposing that inmates share beds by sleeping in shifts, a practice sometimes used by the U.S. military.

"Why does every inmate need his or her own bed?" asked State Sen. Robert Geddes. "The military does it all the time."

The issue arises as Idaho and other states stiffen penalties for drug-related crimes, putting a premium on prison space. Idaho has nearly 7,000 inmates, and that number is growing by nearly 7 percent a year.

http://reuters.iwon.com/article/20060111/2006-01-11T143609Z_01_EIC152580_RTRIDST_0_ODD-PRISONS-BEDS-DC.html

[progressivebydesign]

1. I agree... shifts are more comfortable for sleeping. They don't bind. n/t

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Heheh.. I think they meant hotbunking *lol*

[RaleighNCDUer]

9. Hotbunking --

that just sounds so...so unRepublican.

[enid602]

3. shifts

Mumu's are even better.

[Tesha]

4. That idea is just Zippy.

> Mumu's are even better.

That idea is just Zippy.

Tesha

[TalkingDog]

6. Nekkid. Drawbacks....if the house catches fire at 3am...toasty buns. n/t

[RagingInMiami]

5. Yeah, it's not like there's any room left in Idaho to build anything

[graywarrior]

7. That's how my family did it.

Not enough beds.

[benburch]

8. Release all the marijuana offenders...

and you'd have plenty of room for the real criminals.

[TalkingDog]

10. AAAaaa-men, brother ben, Amen!!! War on Terror is the new War on Drugs

Neither can be won. Both create multiple levels of bureaucracy and generate hundreds of thousands of jobs.

[ninkasi]

15. Amen!

The growing prison population, and the stiffer penalties for non-violent, recreational drug offenders, should be a signal that we are putting too many people in prison for things that are unnecessary. It's a terrible drain on society, because not only do we have to spend tax dollars to keep them in prison, in most cases it shifts the cost of supporting their families onto society, as well.

If a single mom is convicted, who takes care of her kids? Chances are, it's a grandparent, who might not be financially able, or they are put into the foster system, which is another nightmare. Our drug laws are draconian, and completely irrational.

[madinmaryland]

11. End the War of Drugs.

Start early release on non-violent offenders. Get the treatment so they can get back into society and be productive members again.

[High Plains]

13. Shocking as it may seem, there are drug users who don't need

treatment.

Coerced drug treatment should be limited to those people who have proven their drug use is problematic, by getting caught driving while wrecked, for example.

[benburch]

14. If you listen to Liberal Radio...

you daily listen to several users of marijuana who need no treatment...

[High Plains]

12. Sorry, Idaho, but you're gonna have to pay up

if you want to throw so many people in prison.