Could "chain gangs" work in Detroit?

**Magnatomicflux** · June-20-11, 07:23 PM

With all the money troubles the city has.....wouldn't it be a cash saver to put all these prisoners to work? Isn't it time they gave something back to the city they've taken so much from? Taking graffiti off of the walls, cutting and cleaning up the parks and overgrown, abandoned feilds, helping community centers and churches with lawn care or basic maintenance? There's a whole list of things they could take care of that would help them learn a trade and prepare them for real life.I've seen that some human rights activists think this is modern slavery,inhumane. Others that think you're endangering the public by putting hundreds of criminals in the parks and neighbourhoods. Why do it when they have work programs right in the prison doing laundry and stuff like that.I don't really see it that way though. Slavery? IWhatever...they're in prison, they're criminals. They have raped and pillaged the city, they owe the people as a whole, not just the ones they victimized. Inhumane? Noone will be asking them to do anything any honest, hard working citizen isn't doing already.Endangering the community? Well...they won't be out there by themselves, right?I guess chaining them together could potentially be a safety concern for them...but there has to be a way to keep them under control. How about the good ol' ball and chain and a couple guards with shotguns or rifles? That should do just fine.I think it would help most re-intergate into society. Who's going to be able to go from constant 6x8 to freedom in a normal way? It just makes them harder to deal with when they're released when you remove them from interacting with society for years at a time. Maybe it would give them a sense of community and a willingness to want it to stay nice and safe after they see how much damage they've caused by being out there and experiencing what kind of energy is required repairing the damage.I don't know...it's just a thought. What are yours?

**wolverine** · June-20-11, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by Magnatomicflux

With all the money troubles the city has.....wouldn't it be a cash saver to put all these prisoners to work? Isn't it time they gave something back to the city they've taken so much from? Taking graffiti off of the walls, cutting and cleaning up the parks and overgrown, abandoned feilds, helping community centers and churches with lawn care or basic maintenance? There's a whole list of things they could take care of that would help them learn a trade and prepare them for real life.I've seen that some human rights activists think this is modern slavery,inhumane. Others that think you're endangering the public by putting hundreds of criminals in the parks and neighbourhoods. Why do it when they have work programs right in the prison doing laundry and stuff like that.I don't really see it that way though. Slavery? IWhatever...they're in prison, they're criminals. They have raped and pillaged the city, they owe the people as a whole, not just the ones they victimized. Inhumane? Noone will be asking them to do anything any honest, hard working citizen isn't doing already.Endangering the community? Well...they won't be out there by themselves, right?I guess chaining them together could potentially be a safety concern for them...but there has to be a way to keep them under control. How about the good ol' ball and chain and a couple guards with shotguns or rifles? That should do just fine.I think it would help most re-intergate into society. Who's going to be able to go from constant 6x8 to freedom in a normal way? It just makes them harder to deal with when they're released when you remove them from interacting with society for years at a time. Maybe it would give them a sense of community and a willingness to want it to stay nice and safe after they see how much damage they've caused by being out there and experiencing what kind of energy is required repairing the damage.I don't know...it's just a thought. What are yours?

No need to convince us. Statistically, inmates involved in prison work programs are less likely to reoffend. I'm not sure where the human rights angle comes from since I thought prisoners volunteered to be in the program...and they aren't exposed to hazardous work. I think it's great. Prisoners should be paying off their debt to the taxpayers for free room and board.

**Johnnny5** · June-20-11, 07:33 PM

I think it's a great idea as long as we're talking non violent inmates that are not a flight risk. In Milford we have crews of inmates that weed whip, pick up trash, paint, etc. If I remember correctly they are from the Oakland County jail, and the Township hires them from the county. The money goes to pay for the expenses involved in transporting, guarding them, etc and they collect a very small hourly wage.

**oldredfordette** · June-20-11, 07:55 PM

What would be more awesome is if you were allowed to throw rocks or bricks or anything at these prisoners as they pick up after your mean-spirited ass. Fuck yeah! With dogs! Awesome! We can't be Mississippi soon enough!

**BagAJellyDonuts** · June-20-11, 08:01 PM

God damn it would be great to see Kwame and Monica throwing gravel.

**Autoracks** · June-20-11, 09:21 PM

chain gangs put inmates to work. I rather see residents put to work

**Django** · June-20-11, 09:50 PM

The majority of todays prison system is obsolete and unnecessary. I understand its fun thinking about ppl like KK on a ball and chain by the side of the road sweating and picking up trash. I dont believe non violent offenders should be locked up, but could be used for the benifit of the city state or country. Todays prisons should be saved for the worst of the worst.
Years ago I served Macomb county 45 days for driving on a suspended license, I may not be the sharpest spoon in the toolbox but they could have probably made better use of my time working for the state rather than sitting in a box being fed for that 45 days.For the record, this happens all the time due to the wonderful Drivers Responsibility Act that Granholm brought us.
With todays technology we should be able to phase out traditional prisons and jails, especially for non violent offenders.
I understand the thought of putting someone in a cell for their crimes can seem pretty gratifying and we can all congratulate ourselves for punishing those that have hurt us, but come on, this is the 21st century right?

My mom always taught me that two wrongs do not equal a right. Our prison system has become a reallife hell on earth, where rape is acceptable, being stabbed is common justice. I for one believe we can become a better people that that.

As for the death penalty, its proven not to be a deterrent, and more co$tly.

**Autoracks** · June-20-11, 10:06 PM

i just read somewhere today that since California decided to put the death penalty back into the swing back in the 70s its cost 4 billion dollars.

**English** · June-20-11, 10:14 PM

Chain gangs in Detroit? I mean, I know we're looking for solutions, but if you all really want Jesse and Al camped out here along with the international media, you couldn't have devised a better plan.

**Django** · June-20-11, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by English

Chain gangs in Detroit? I mean, I know we're looking for solutions, but if you all really want Jesse and Al camped out here along with the international media, you couldn't have devised a better plan.

Lowell needs to add a "LIKE" button as Facebook has.
Ditto for Autoracks.

**wolverine** · June-20-11, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by Autoracks

chain gangs put inmates to work. I rather see residents put to work

What...the positions that go entirely unfilled you mean?

**Meddle** · June-20-11, 10:35 PM

1) The courts would never allow it.

2) The city worker labor unions would never allow it.

This is something I've been in favor of for years though. They could work the alleys downtown cleaning up the trash. They could sweep the streets and sidewalks. They could shovel snow. Patch potholes.

**wolverine** · June-21-11, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

1) The courts would never allow it.

2) The city worker labor unions would never allow it.

This is something I've been in favor of for years though. They could work the alleys downtown cleaning up the trash. They could sweep the streets and sidewalks. They could shovel snow. Patch potholes.

What courts where? Michigan cities already have prison workers cleaning up trash in downtowns and tending to landscaping. It goes back as far as I can remember in various communities in Saginaw Co.

And what labor unions? The scope of streets and sanitation does not include picking up trash on sidewalks. How is this labor competitive?

**Meddle** · June-21-11, 12:41 AM

Work details, Yes.

Chain Gangs, No.

**gazhekwe** · June-21-11, 07:13 AM

I agree, the terminology needs to describe what is happening. Nobody is in chains. If they need chains they need to stay in house and can't earn for their release. I agree they should be paid with the money going into escrow for their release [[but that assumes honesty in management of the escrow accounts), and extra costs to transport them.

One of the worst problems is releasing indigents back out onto the street with no support, so if they could save up a few bucks to help them out on release, that would be great.

I already see inmates out cleaning the sides of the freeways, so I believe that is already happening in Oakland County, and maybe in Wayne County,

**Locke09** · June-21-11, 07:27 AM

I see "work details" cleaning up Outer Drive in Detroit periodically. People in jail for non-violent offenses like unpaid tickets are offered the opportunity to work on such details rather than sitting in cells. Even female prisoners are out there.

**Zacha341** · June-21-11, 07:31 AM

Yeah the ACLU might even get a bit agitated on this one... should an inmate put for specific 'social IN-justice' complaint they could get some mileage out of for responding too....

....

Originally Posted by English

Chain gangs in Detroit? I mean, I know we're looking for solutions, but if you all really want Jesse and Al camped out here along with the international media, you couldn't have devised a better plan.

**Danny** · June-21-11, 07:47 AM

Chain Gangs in Detroit. FOR HEAVEN SAKES NO! Detroit is not a slave labor camp for perps. Michigan or Detroit doesn't need this community punishment. Community services is the hope for a prisoner to get back into society and live a productive healthy lifestyle.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Prison is more than a person living behind bars, its outside in the ghettoes, barrios, slums and other mentalities.

NEDA, I MISS YOU SO

**Richard** · June-21-11, 08:15 AM

Community service,get caught scrapping then you get to join the crew deconstructing derelict houses sense you seem to have that skill set already,but i think it boils down to insurance if you are in the cities "care" they are liable for you I believe.

Not referring to anybody in particular with the you part.

**old guy** · June-21-11, 09:10 AM

I could see people cleaning up the city or something, but there's always a good chance the system would be abused. Privatizing of jails out west has come under scrutiny for essentially hiring out people to friendly contractors. The practice goes back as far as we know. Need cheap labor? Got a friend in the jail or prison system? It's a slippery slope that would have to be monitored closely. During the sixties I remember when judges would sometimes offer an offender jail time or join the army. These were usually somewhat minor offenders that couldn't afford attorneys. There was a lot of controversy as to why some people were arrested in the first place and ended up in Vietnam. It just opens up a lot of doors that I thought we closed years ago.

**Lowell** · June-21-11, 09:29 AM

It isn't going to happen but it it were to happen it certainly would reinforce the "Michissippi" slam being laid on us.

And let's not forget that we once had the Chene gang.

**jackie5275** · June-21-11, 09:42 AM

If you see people cleaning freeways & major surface streets in Wayne County, these ARE NOT jail inmates. These are folks sentenced to the Alternative Work Force program. These are the folks convicted of misdemeanor offenses & usually their first offense. This is the equivalent of community service. They primarily serve there time on the weekends cleaning the roads. Some however, do serve time during the week where they'll do things within the County system such as move furniture for an office move or put file boxes into storage. During the winter, they will do snow clearing & are usually part of the "Bob's [[Ficano) or Bill's [[Spencer) Big Dig" shown on Channel 7.

**Django** · June-21-11, 10:49 AM

Privatized prisons are essentially creating slave labor. Whether stamping license plates or working the phones for travel agents and other businesses, when we start building prisons in the hope of filling them up like California has, it becomes a fucked up situation. Between the three strikes law, the mandatory minimums combined with the drug war, ,profiteers are rampant.
What happens when these ppl are released and cant get a job because of their record? Generally they go back to crime and prison has given them the tools they need to become a better criminal and the connections to other criminals.
This whole situation is so frustrating. I could go on and on.
Chain gangs Pffffttttt!