S8: Free Range Prison Act

[NeverAgain]

I will point out, that with Labor fees, management, and other building costs (adding an extra 4-5 B, according to a Rutgers study on costs of all prisoner confinement programs), and still not including the cost of the land. This will cost upwards of $50B, which is about $300 for every Southern person. The costs entirely outway the benefits. And I won't even get into the windfall this would give the contractor of the program.

No matter the scale, I still feel very uncomfortable wasting taxpayer money on a Hunger Games type program for our criminals. If we want to talk real criminal justice reform, let's do expand prisoners' access to mental healthcare, rehabilitation programs (which may include survival skills), and of course increased outdoor access. We also need to look banning solitary confinement, a practice which is entirely ineffective and is counter-intuitive as studies show it actually increases aggressiveness, exacerbates mental health problems, and is entirely inhumane.

On the issue of giving skills to prisoners, who do not get them as they are locked in a cell. My great aunt, who lives in West Virginia, was very involved in some of the Criminal Justice Reform programs proposed in that state. Things like expanding access to basic skills like cooking, wellness, and I would assume basic survival skills (not like hunting to kill bears, but things you would actually need after you get out of prison, if you're not Bear Grylls.) It was EXTREMELY successful, I hear. And I think it would be great to do here.

Anyways my biggest things to build on this bill, instead of passing this, and for criminal justice reform would be as follows:

1. Banning Solitary Confinement
2. Ban the private prison monstrosity
3. Promote "job entry" programs for inmates
4. Establish new skills programs for inmates
5. Include the idea of "labor points," make it similar to the way that prisoners can make money currently.
6. Expand outdoor access for prisoners
7. Expand access for prisoners to received mental health assistance

These are my ideas, but I'd to hear thoughts. As it stands, I will not be able to support this Hunger-Gamesesque type survival arena for prisoners. I feel it both takes away their dignity, and our, collective Southern morality. And is a silly idea.

[JustinTimeCuber]

I will point out, that with Labor fees, management, and other building costs (adding an extra 4-5 B, according to a Rutgers study on costs of all prisoner confinement programs), and still not including the cost of the land. This will cost upwards of $50B, which is about $300 for every Southern person. The costs entirely outway the benefits. And I won't even get into the windfall this would give the contractor of the program.

No matter the scale, I still feel very uncomfortable wasting taxpayer money on a Hunger Games type program for our criminals. If we want to talk real criminal justice reform, let's do expand prisoners' access to mental healthcare, rehabilitation programs (which may include survival skills), and of course increased outdoor access. We also need to look banning solitary confinement, a practice which is entirely ineffective and is counter-intuitive as studies show it actually increases aggressiveness, exacerbates mental health problems, and is entirely inhumane.

On the issue of giving skills to prisoners, who do not get them as they are locked in a cell. My great aunt, who lives in West Virginia, was very involved in some of the Criminal Justice Reform programs proposed in that state. Things like expanding access to basic skills like cooking, wellness, and I would assume basic survival skills (not like hunting to kill bears, but things you would actually need after you get out of prison, if you're not Bear Grylls.) It was EXTREMELY successful, I hear. And I think it would be great to do here.

Anyways my biggest things to build on this bill, instead of passing this, and for criminal justice reform would be as follows:

1. Banning Solitary Confinement
2. Ban the private prison monstrosity
3. Promote "job entry" programs for inmates
4. Establish new skills programs for inmates
5. Include the idea of "labor points," make it similar to the way that prisoners can make money currently.
6. Expand outdoor access for prisoners
7. Expand access for prisoners to received mental health assistance

These are my ideas, but I'd to hear thoughts. As it stands, I will not be able to support this Hunger-Gamesesque type survival arena for prisoners. I feel it both takes away their dignity, and our, collective Southern morality. And is a silly idea.

I agree with basically all of this, and if we're going to do it, which is seeming less and less likely, we need to make it very small scale, voluntary of course, and allow people to leave to a normal prison, and have it be heavily supervised. If any of those provisions​ aren't in there, I'm not voting for it. I might not anyway.

[White Trash]

What I propose is a voluntary program in which non-violent inmates live and work on a state owned farm site. The program will provide inmates with education and experience in agriculture and give them contacts for employment in the industry after their sentence is served.

[fhtagn]

What I propose a voluntary program in which non-violent inmates live and work on a state owned farm site. The program will provide inmates with education and experience in agriculture and give them contacts for employment in the industry after their sentence is served.

I like this idea.

[JustinTimeCuber]

That's fine, but I don't think Ben will like completely changing the tone of the bill like that, so we'd have to vote on the amendment, then vote on final passage within 2 days.

[JustinTimeCuber]

14 hour final vote on this and S7?

[diptheriadan]

Anybody going to introduce that amendment?

[JustinTimeCuber]

According to the Chamber Rules, Article 4, Section 4, as amended,

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So this and S7 are no longer on the floor.