Prison Reform Committee (Polnut TNF and Cranberry Elected)

[Cranberry]

As I have stated in the voting thread, I too would like to partake in this panel.

[Cranberry]

I will serve.

...

[Cranberry]

Is there a need for a vote with just three people applying? Oh well:

1 Polnut
2 TNF
3 Cranberry

[Cranberry]

Very well.
Fellow committee members, I assume we should put ourselves a time plan, maybe even elect a chairman, if there is a need for it.
We have less than four weeks to go, so I propose we start early.

[Cranberry]

I would have proposed Polnut as chairman, since he is the author of the bill, but if you want to do it, TNF, I'll back you.

Still, setting ourselves a time plan is probably the thing we should do at the beginning. I would propose that for a certain period of time that will be determined by us, maybe for a week, or until February the 14th or whenever, we should try to gather as much information about the current status of the points outlined in the bill, posting all of it in here. Then, we could go on to start crafting a document, and voice our reccomodations and concerns, which lastly could be voted on whether to be included in the final document.

It certainly is a deal of work in little time, but I am sure we will manage it.

[Cranberry]

Okay then, so TNF is chair.

[Cranberry]

So, for making the process easier, here once again the points we are supposed to discuss:

a) the administration of justice in relation to victimless or petty crimes
b) the for-profit prison network
c) the fiscal impacts of current systems
d) greater national harmonization


Anyway, so I browsed the internet a bit for information about for-profit prisons. This Global Research article gives us shocking details about the private prison and prison industry network, showing that inmates are basically forced to work for little wages and no benefits regular workers enjoy, while the firms employing prison workers often lobby for longer and stricter prison sentences - increasing their workforce. Private prisons often also give out "infraction points", that are longer sentences of until 30 days, for bad behaviour, feeding its own need for workforce in the process, while often those prisons safe money on less and worse equipped guards.

I may also link you to this ACLU page, which gives us a number of reports and links on the private prison system.

[Cranberry]

Regarding the last point, I found this very interesting article, which gives us records for incarceration rates in the different states from 1978 onwards. Perhaps not so surprisingly, rates skyrocketed extremely in the South, Louisiana and Alabama standing out in particular; while in some Northern/Midwestern states, for example Minnesota, incarceraton rates did grow, but steadily behind the national average. Finally, incarceration rates especially in big states, like California or New York, grew throughout the eighties, nineties and sometimes even the psot-millenium decade, with the national average, but have in the last years drastically reduced their incarceration rates, being the main source for the overall national stagnation or even drop of incarceration rates.

Relevant for us, are especially, I believe, this graph (We'll have to take MW/PA as West; and ME as Midwest on that graph)

The article states that especially incarceration in local and state prisons grew, thus, we are able to locate the main differences in incarceration rates between states on respective laws and criminal statutes of the respective states/regions. As such, I propose that in the final report we include a provision that it is recommended that the AGs of the Atlasian regions sit together and try to adapt their region's respective criminal statutes accordingly, that they are more coordinated.


Finally, I would have that proposal in mind for the opening of our final report once crafted (too early?)

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[Cranberry]

I'm currently putting together some information and some proposals for private discussion with the rest of the panel. I believe the three of us need to present a united front and proposals.  

This could be wise yes. I had guessed no harm would come if I publicly posted sources and a summary of those sources, but the actual discussion on what to include in the report and how to word it is probably better done in private, you are right with that.

[Cranberry]

No further input here?
I will try to come up with something this weekend...

[Cranberry]

No further input here?
I will try to come up with something this weekend...

I haven't finished with the work I've been doing. I hope to get it to you and TNF this weekend.

Okay great. Sorry for my impatience, it just seemed to me that nothing was going on here.

[Cranberry]

Oh my, I totally forgot about this!

Good, I will try to come up with something as well.

[Cranberry]

My deep and sincere apologies, this near complete absence on my side should not have happened. I thank you, Senator, for doing all the work alone, and congratulate you for producing such formidable work; yet this does not away with my inapologiable inactivity here.

If I may say so, it looks great, though. I like that you take into consideration every issue mentioned, from minority rates in prisons, the correlation with income, the problems with the private prison system, to the rising of the question on who exactly should be imprisoned. Your reccomodations are sensible to me, I especially like the reccomodation to outlaw private and for-profit prisons.