I pretty much agree with that, yes.

Draugnar wouldn't allow them one old paperback novel, so no way would they get a deck of cards in his system.

Care to defend yourself here, Draug?

@DIGID - were are talking about people who will never return to society. How can their being "mentally and physically unhealthy" harm a society they aren't in and which they had already harmed through their own actions?

P.S. My anniversary is this weekend which is why I was out all yesterday or I would have responded sooner. I'll probably be posting several posts as a catch up on a couple pages of this discussion.

@BBanner - I spent a night in jail, so I can speak on this. And yes, I deserved the night for the actions I committed.

It has been legally pronounced time and time again to *not* be torture to deny priviledges like reading, tv, radio, movies, or even free movement. We are under no obligation to grant a lifer access to entertainment of an external nature. Of course, I also advocate the death penalty for lifers. No chance of parole? Why the fuck should we pay for the waste of human DNA to live. Dump them on an island with periodic airdrops of supplies. Make the supplies be just enough for the basic sustinance of the islands optimal capacity. If cannibalism and murder occur on the island, then only murderers and others wastes of DNA have been killed.

For an example, see Escape from New York or Escape from LA...

Defend myself? They are subhuman murderers who were sent away with no chance of parole or release. Subhumans don't deserve humane treatment. They are lower on the life cycle the the algea I clean out of my aquarium or kill off in my lake.

That being said... Prisoners who may return to society *should* be given opportunity and reason to reform, so a rewards and punishment system is appropriate for them, along with education and reform programs.

DNA does not a human make. The ability to get along in society and treat others humanely is a requirement for humane treatment. It's a give and take system. If all you do is take (like serial rapists, psychopathic murderers, etc) then you get removed from society and all its rights and priviledges and become less than human. When you have given up your hamunity as those people have, you have no right to expect or demand humane treatment.

Yes but our point, and topic of argument, is that all prisoners are protected from insanity caused by lack of mental stimulation. Knowingly inducing insanity is torture!

1 Ektelon Racquetball + 1 Deck of Standard Playing Cards = 3.75 USD
1 Average Paperback Novel = ~ 4.00 USD

Is that really too high a price for someone's sanity, regardless of their crime?

Give em the deck of cards. The ball bouncing can be too muc of a distraction and annoyance to others. The book only lasts for one or two readings, and a new paperback is more like $8 US. I know as I just bought Ender in Exile for $7.99 plus tax.

It is still cheaper to provide distractions for the prisoners than to deal with the consequences of them being bored to the point of madness. Also by law ( or at least court rulings) prisoners must have access to an legal library.

Racquetballs bouncing off cinderblock does not make noise in the adjacent room.

Trust me. I've won several local racquetball tournaments.

If they can find enjoyment out of reading legal texts, more power to them...

@ Draugnar: "It has been legally pronounced time and time again to *not* be torture to deny priviledges like reading, tv, radio, movies, or even free movement."

References, please?

@ Draugnar: "Dump them on an island..."

Yeah we tried that. We called it 'Australia'. These days that kind of thing is considered a fairly out-of-date solution.

"If cannibalism and murder occur on the island, then only murderers and others wastes of DNA have been killed."

What if the inmates breed? (as they certainly would) - what rights do their offspring have, and who would enforce / guarantee those rights?

Jamiet, don't encourage him. He's being completely irrational.

It's rare that me and TMW are on the same side...

Two islands. One for men. One for women. I seriously doubt that primate DNA would allow them, like frogs, to spontaneously change sexes for reproductive purposes.

Yeah. And a channel full of sharks in between the islands! They could earn the right to reproduce by making it across the channel. It's Darwinism in action - they'd get a chance to redeem their DNA, and it would make great reality tv.

That last was intended as irony, for the irony-deficient.

The waters off the Alueutians is cold enoff sharks are not needed. They would need a thick layer of fat to survive in the water. Perhaps they would start a new race of killer whales. ;)

Bounce. I was offline for a while, sorry.