San Quentin's Gym Becomes One Massive Cell (NPR report)

[Muttocracy]

Sorry if this was posted before.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92296114

All Things Considered, July 7, 2008 · From the moment you walk through the metal doors of what was once San Quentin's gymnasium, all you can see are men and bunk beds. Packed together from front wall to back, more than 360 inmates live here because there's no room anywhere else.

A lone correctional officer, Michael McClain, sits on a riser in the middle of the gym, about 6 feet off the floor. Below, the conversations are loud and tense.

"It can get ugly. It can go at any moment, just at the drop of a hat," he says, watching the floor.

continues at link.

Text and photos at link, and the audio itself is striking.

[YOY]

1. Warehousing...

How much to educate and how much to warehouse these men.

Fricking prison system is a joke.

[Muttocracy]

2. yep, talks about how without education or activities they're more likely to end up BACK in prison. n

[renegade000]

3. Heard that report on Monday

Was an excellent piece. Of course the next day on All Things Considered they read some of the responses they got, most were quite positive, but there was the obligatory, "Why are you sympathizing with the prisoners, they should take personal responsibility for their actions."
:eyes:
I really don't understand the whole "holier-than-thou" mindset. Prison is not supposed to be a comfortable retreat, but you cannot treat humans like animals and expect any good to come out of it.

[Muttocracy]

4. The long format was great - not just sound bites.

And yeah, what was striking to me is people were absolutely going to come out of that more angry, less able to make their way in the world, more racially polarized - if they survive and get out that is. The guy who kept getting into trouble on parole - after original auto theft charge - back in San Quentin - seems good for noone. And the expense of the prison system is just disgusting.

[renegade000]

5. Generalizing things a bit

The story I feel is another example about how our political process does not lend itself well to balanced and rational policies. Elected officials tend to play a game of "one-up-manship" to be more tougher-on-crime-than-thou, etc, because these pathos-based arguments are unfortunately what resonate with the electorate. This leads to more extreme policies. We need to think more rationally about what our goals as a society are. Are our priorities to reduce crime and make a more civil society? Or is our priority to exact severe communal retribution against those who break laws? The latter may make us feel good, but I don't think it is the right course of action.

Btw, Nice picture of Joe. Was a Biden supporter myself before Iowa. Ended up voting for Obama in the primary though, since Biden had dropped out already. Pity the MSM doesn't cover all candidates equally. The biggest question I faced when talking to people about Biden before the primaries was, "Joe who?"