Is prison rape a Bad Thing?

[Sava]

Originally posted by Donegeal


It is my experience that the only people who get prison time for drug offenses are either dealers (Possesion with intent to Deliver) or repeat possesion offenders. Hell, I have yet to even see someone in my county get jail time for a possesion offense (maybe they get Huber). Most of the time the offenders are given some type of probation. Problem is that they then violate their probation (usually repeatedly) and they get their original 5 year probation (just a number I picked out of the air) revoked and get sent to prison until their probation is over. So they are NOT their because they smoked some weed, its because they continued to do things after the fact.

But this is a prison rape thread, not a war on drugs thread.

Yes. I know how law enforcement works. Possession with intent is what you get charged with based upon the amount of stuff you have on you... regardless of whether you are actually a dealer or not.

Also, drug addicts (users) are mostly likely to be repeat offenders. Hence, eventually they will get prison time for minor, non-violent offenses.

Then they get put in the situation where they can be victimized by violent criminals.

And the War on Drugs is related to this issue whether you want to admit it or not. The WoD is related to ANY issue involving American prisons.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by BlackCat


If rape is supposed to be part of the punishment, then it should be executed by special educated officers paid by the state.

And what kind of education would they need -- a stint in gay porn??

Oh and would these special officer need to be endowed particularly large or small ??

[Elok]

Originally posted by Flubber
Oh and would these special officer need to be endowed particularly large or small ??

For the purposes of regularized, efficient punishment, I suspect the officers would need to be women with strapons. You know, "I sentence you to fifty thrusts with an eight-incher."

Not that I approve of rape as a punishment; the methodical part of my brain just couldn't resist the puzzle.

[Jonny]

Originally posted by Az
Yes, it's a terrible thing.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Donegeal


It is my experience that the only people who get prison time for drug offenses are either dealers (Possesion with intent to Deliver) or repeat possesion offenders. Hell, I have yet to even see someone in my county get jail time for a possesion offense (maybe they get Huber). Most of the time the offenders are given some type of probation. Problem is that they then violate their probation (usually repeatedly) and they get their original 5 year probation (just a number I picked out of the air) revoked and get sent to prison until their probation is over. So they are NOT their because they smoked some weed, its because they continued to do things after the fact.

yup, that's what I see, and I deal with these jokers on a near daily basis. Never get time, rarely get probation, which they inevitably violate. And, in my jurisdiction, a misdemeanor (really any sentence under a year) will only put you in the local jail, which I can't see having the rape problems that prisons do, due to the constant turnover in prisoners and fluid movements.

[Shi Huangdi]

Prison rape is a bad thing for many different reasons. For one, due to AIDS, in can take people who are sentenced to prison for 5-10 years and change into a death sentence.

While prison rape can deter people who would be on the receiving end of it, it provides no detterance against those who are tough enough to avoid victimization, and can perhaps work against detterance for those who get be on the giving end of the rape. Prison should be a harsh place, but the harshness should administered by the State, not by prisoners.

Moreover, the threat of prison rapes and assaults makes people more likely to become hardened criminals when they get out. It makes prisoners more likely to conform to prisoner culture to avoid becoming a target for victimization- with prisoner culture emphasizing defiance to authority and agressivness- so the traits that make people more likely to be criminals are reinforced. The threat of assaults and rape also make people more likely to join gangs for self-protection, and gangs then keep people in the criminal lifestyle.

[Daz]

Is prison rape a Bad Thing?

Not for convicted rapists... Let them try it out themselves...

[Pekka]

Is it even a question? Yes it's a bad thing.

Prisoners are still citizens and they have rights. And prisoners still have responsibiltiies and are subjected to the criminal laws, so it's not like they are supposed to break them in prison. Justice should be blind, no matter who the victim is. We have already set the rules for paying back certain crimes, and those crimes are settled there, and getting raped is not included in those rules, so NO, it's not somethign that comes along with it. It's extra and it's wrong.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Kaak
well, it is the single biggest deterrent keeping me from doing anything that would get me thrown in prison! I think it is cruel and unusual punishment. Prisons certainly don't make an effort to stop it, so even if only passively, they are endorsing it.

But, if it deters people from committing crimes, maybe it isn't all bad.

I hear you. A small guy like me would not fare well in prison. I'll committ suicide before I ever go to prison. Even if I'm innocent and wrongfully convicted.

[Capt Dizle]

There has been a lot of ignorance shown on this thread.

Rape is not common in prison outside of 1) facilities that house younger offenders, and 2) facilities that house the most difficult inmates and are prone to have well defined gangs.

In other words, Oz has created a false impression of what prison life is like.

Most inmates do not want trouble because they realize that they live in a fishbowl and everyone is vulnerable. Even most gangs keep a tight reign on the behavior of their members. The common rule is to respect others and carry yourself as a man. If you adhere to that then you will see little trouble.

The image of a yard boss picking on the helpless is overblown. It happens rarely in the majority of prisons.

On the other hand, troublemakers are quickly singled out and taught tough lessons by the "alpha males", who ordinarily behave quite sociably.

For the most part, someone is always looking out for the weaker inmates, including the guards.

And also, it’s not an easy thing to be locked up. The threat of violence is certainly not the worst thing about being in prison.

Child molesters are more likely to be treated badly but not so likely to be sexually molested. Mostly, they are ostracized.

Sexual abuse occurs in the form of men bullying others into consenting, but seldom by force. If a man is willing to fight he is usually respected and left alone. Not that he won’t get hurt in the process but most inmates understand that if they physically force someone then they stand a good chance of retaliation. Cause everyone knows where everyone else lives and in prison, men live on the edge and the least is capable of violent behavior.

Prison etiquette on fighting is that you don’t humiliate a man. Its okay to nearly kill him, but don’t humiliate him (and rape would). Compare it to soldier’s courage, where men in combat act bravely in action though terrified inside because it is far less hurtful to die than to be shown a coward.

So, for the most part, the whole rape thing is overblown.

[Q Classic]

Even if it is overblown, prison rape is about as bad as say, rape in a concent-prison camp would be.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Capt Dizle
There has been a lot of ignorance shown on this thread.

Rape is not common in prison outside of 1) facilities that house younger offenders, and 2) facilities that house the most difficult inmates and are prone to have well defined gangs.

In other words, Oz has created a false impression of what prison life is like.

Most inmates do not want trouble because they realize that they live in a fishbowl and everyone is vulnerable. Even most gangs keep a tight reign on the behavior of their members. The common rule is to respect others and carry yourself as a man. If you adhere to that then you will see little trouble.

The image of a yard boss picking on the helpless is overblown. It happens rarely in the majority of prisons.

On the other hand, troublemakers are quickly singled out and taught tough lessons by the "alpha males", who ordinarily behave quite sociably.

For the most part, someone is always looking out for the weaker inmates, including the guards.

And also, it’s not an easy thing to be locked up. The threat of violence is certainly not the worst thing about being in prison.

Child molesters are more likely to be treated badly but not so likely to be sexually molested. Mostly, they are ostracized.

Sexual abuse occurs in the form of men bullying others into consenting, but seldom by force. If a man is willing to fight he is usually respected and left alone. Not that he won’t get hurt in the process but most inmates understand that if they physically force someone then they stand a good chance of retaliation. Cause everyone knows where everyone else lives and in prison, men live on the edge and the least is capable of violent behavior.

Prison etiquette on fighting is that you don’t humiliate a man. Its okay to nearly kill him, but don’t humiliate him (and rape would). Compare it to soldier’s courage, where men in combat act bravely in action though terrified inside because it is far less hurtful to die than to be shown a coward.

So, for the most part, the whole rape thing is overblown.

Charles Manson raped a man in prison. And he pimped other inmates.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson

[Capt Dizle]

Charles Manson. Well, how is that relevant?

[Dis]

he raped a man. And he's not even that big of a guy. He looks kind of skinny.

[KrazyHorse]

He's short as hell too.