let's put our seniors in prison and our inmates in nursing homes

[alocispepraluger102]

Let's Put The Seniors In Jail And The Criminals In A Nursing Home

Senior Humor

By Dana Anspach, About.com Guide

The more I read this the more it makes perfectly good sense.

Let's put the seniors in jail, and the criminals in a nursing home.

This way the seniors would have access to showers, hobbies, and walks, they'd receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment, wheel chairs etc. and they'd receive money instead of paying it out.

They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly if they fell, or needed assistance. Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and returned to them.

A guard would check on them every 20 minutes, and bring their meals and snacks to their cell. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose. They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counseling, pool, and education.

Simple clothing, shoes, slippers, P.J.'s and legal aid would be free, on request. Private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard, with gardens. Each senior could have a PC, a TV, radio, and daily phone calls.

There would be a board of directors, to hear complaints, and the guards would have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to.

The "criminals" would get cold food, be left all alone, and unsupervised -lights off at 8pm, showers once a week, live in a tiny room, pay $5000.00 per month and have no hope of ever getting out.

Justice for all.

Contributed by Linda Thompson, President, Life Path Solutions, Inc.

Edited April 14, 2012 by alocispepraluger102

[Pete C]

What may seem "amusing" on the surface is really pernicious at the core. Yeah, prisoners in the U.S. are really pampered. They're really whooping it up about this at the tea party.

[alocispepraluger102]

what we should very seriously discuss someday is why this country has more people imprisoned than any other nation, including china and russia.

not a subject for a saturday night........

many of us have some ideas.

Edited April 14, 2012 by alocispepraluger102

[Pete C]

Getting rid of draconian drug laws would cut the numbers considerably.

[JETman]

Getting rid of draconian drug laws would cut the numbers considerably.

Really?

Are you another guy who is making excuses for bad behavior?

It's not that difficult to stay away from drugs, ya know. And I'm a New Yorker who has seen it all.

[ejp626]

Getting rid of draconian drug laws would cut the numbers considerably.

Really?

Are you another guy who is making excuses for bad behavior?

It's not that difficult to stay away from drugs, ya know. And I'm a New Yorker who has seen it all.

Why should they be criminalized in the first place? There are presumably some that are so lethal and/or contribute to such impaired behavior that they could be strongly regulated like methadone, but it's more or less a historical accident whether marijuana or cocaine or tobacco or caffeine or speed are legal or not.

[Pete C]

Are you another guy who is making excuses for bad behavior?

Sorry, that doesn't warrant an answer.

[Shawn]

Are you another guy who is making excuses for bad behavior?

Sorry, that doesn't warrant an answer.

Agreed. He was probably drunk when he posted it.

[JETman]

Are you another guy who is making excuses for bad behavior?

Sorry, that doesn't warrant an answer.

why did u answer then?

And Shawn, what I have found consistently throughout my life is that the majority of people who adopt the "live and let live" credo are usually the ones who are struggling to deal with their own demons (ie. justify their own behavior).

[sonnymax]

Getting rid of draconian drug laws would cut the numbers considerably.

Changing the inherent racism in drug sentencing laws would also reduce the prison population. Consider the following:

1) Two-thirds of all persons in prison for drug offenses are people of color.

2) According to a Fed study in 2002, there were approximately 14 million white Americans who had used drugs in the previous month, compared to about 2.6 million African Americans who had done so. In other words, there were five times as many whites using drugs as African Americans.

3) Despite this disparity, African Americans were admitted to prison for drug offenses at nearly 10 times the rate of whites.

[alocispepraluger102]

Getting rid of draconian drug laws would cut the numbers considerably.

Changing the inherent racism in drug sentencing laws would also reduce the prison population. Consider the following:

1) Two-thirds of all persons in prison for drug offenses are people of color.

2) According to a Fed study in 2002, there were approximately 14 million white Americans who had used drugs in the previous month, compared to about 2.6 million African Americans who had done so. In other words, there were five times as many whites using drugs as African Americans.

3) Despite this disparity, African Americans were admitted to prison for drug offenses at nearly 10 times the rate of whites.

thx for your superb explanation.

[Jazzmoose]

Personally, I think anyone who thinks prison is such a wonderful place and says so ought to be allowed to spend a couple of weeks there so they can enjoy this wonderful life themselves.

[rdavenport]

Personally, I think anyone who thinks prison is such a wonderful place and says so ought to be allowed to spend a couple of weeks there so they can enjoy this wonderful life themselves.

Exactly.

[Pete C]

Getting rid of draconian drug laws would cut the numbers considerably.

Changing the inherent racism in drug sentencing laws would also reduce the prison population. Consider the following:

Indeed, and one dimension of the problem is the different treatment of drugs that are used by lower economic classes vs. the preferred drugs of the well off.

[AfricaBrass]

Personally, I think anyone who thinks prison is such a wonderful place and says so ought to be allowed to spend a couple of weeks there so they can enjoy this wonderful life themselves.

I agree!

I'm really tired of right wingers vilifying everyone other than themselves. It's amazing that some even resent prisoners. I've watched those prison documentaries and I feel deep sadness for many of the prisoners. I couldn't think of a worse existence.

I personally believe that the people who run the prisons should personally be liable for any crimes that occur in the prison (such as rape or murder). I'm not proud to live in a society that sends people to prison for victimless crimes and then exposes them to hellish conditions of prison.

They need to legalize drugs and all other victimless crimes. It's funny how people who are against big government are the first ones to take away the rights of others. It's my body and I should be able to do WHATEVER I want with it. If any of my free will actions hurt someone else, than that is a different story and then I deserve the consequences of them.

[AfricaBrass]

Are you another guy who is making excuses for bad behavior?

Sorry, that doesn't warrant an answer.

why did u answer then?

And Shawn, what I have found consistently throughout my life is that the majority of people who adopt the "live and let live" credo are usually the ones who are struggling to deal with their own demons (ie. justify their own behavior).

The only time I've ever felt the need to justify my behavior was when I was dealing with judgmental people. Usually I tried not care about how these people, but judgmental family members have gotten to me. Actually, it's always difficult to not be accepted.

I'm grateful for the "live and let live" of this world because often they are trying to follow their hearts. The ones I've known have been amazing musicians and artists. Yes, many including myself have struggled because our society doesn't appreciate its artists and free thinkers.

It would be interesting if drugs were decriminalized and the people who take them were no longer treated like criminals. I've been sober for 16 years, but when I took drugs, I felt like a criminal and was often paranoid of getting in trouble. Back then, I had long hair and drove a VW hippie van (I'm a white guy) and I got pulled over every couple of weeks. The cops would always ask me if I had drugs with me. I had a good friend who looked like a frat boy, yet was a bigger addict than I was, and he never got any grief.

[Pete C]

Bill Evans didn't have a druggie's haircut until rather late...

I guess some people want to define "bad behavior" and then imprison people for whatever it is. I didn't think that was the purpose of the criminal justice system. Next thing you know "inauthentic" musicians will be getting mandatory sentences.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Pete C

[JETman]

The common misconception is that taking drugs and drinking alcohol excessively are always victimless crimes. We all define "crimes" in different ways, I know. But hurting oneself can often lead to crimes which aren't so apparent. We all make choices in life, some better than others. I have for better or worse, like the rest of us, chosen a certain road to follow. If standing up for my principles and having integrity makes me judgmental, then so be it. I can live with myself and my kids can look up to and respect me, and that's what matters most to me at the end of the day. It's really time that we in this country got back to teaching our kids something valuable again. I, for one, have gotten sick and tired of coming across kids in everyday life who seem to value nothing at all.

Making blanket statements like "we should legalize drugs" or "let's change the draconian drug laws" are cop outs in my book. They are lazy ways out of doing the real work. I know that the penal system in the US has failed miserably. The only way to make this failure matter less is to lead by example.

[JSngry]

Let's put our dogs in eggplants and our TVs in spacesuits!

[JETman]

Let's put our dogs in eggplants and our TVs in spacesuits!

are you in the men's room again?

[AfricaBrass]

The common misconception is that taking drugs and drinking alcohol excessively are always victimless crimes. We all define "crimes" in different ways, I know. But hurting oneself can often lead to crimes which aren't so apparent. We all make choices in life, some better than others. I have for better or worse, like the rest of us, chosen a certain road to follow. If standing up for my principles and having integrity makes me judgmental, then so be it. I can live with myself and my kids can look up to and respect me, and that's what matters most to me at the end of the day. It's really time that we in this country got back to teaching our kids something valuable again. I, for one, have gotten sick and tired of coming across kids in everyday life who seem to value nothing at all.

Making blanket statements like "we should legalize drugs" or "let's change the draconian drug laws" are cop outs in my book. They are lazy ways out of doing the real work. I know that the penal system in the US has failed miserably. The only way to make this failure matter less is to lead by example.

I respect that you stand up for your principles and have integrity.

I think the real work is creating a society that is inclusive and whose greatest failure would be to let someone fall through the cracks. I've lost friends from drugs. I know how difficult it is to get over an addiction. I know that many people are unable to do so. The last thing I want is for anyone to chose drugs. At the same time, making a person who is an addict into a criminal, I believe, is the wrong course of action. Just think of the jazz musicians who wasted some of their best years in prison. I wish we had more recordings of Dupree Bolton and others.

I'm not copping out at all. I completely believe that our drug laws are unfair. As it was pointed out earlier, you don't see a lot of upper class people going to prison for drug crimes. At the same time, by making any drug user a criminal, you limit their possibilities for success. I know a lot of high functioning alcoholics, such as a attorneys, who are very successful. They don't have to worry about prison unless they drive drunk or do something really stupid. I think, as a society, instead of throwing these people away in prison, we need to do everything we can to bring them back from addiction and empower them to truly live.

I like your point about leading by example. I used to drink, smoke and use drugs, but I quit years ago. I try to teach my son the consequence of drug and alcohol abuse. I have taught him that he should never give his power to anything, be it drugs, alcohol, religion, etc...

I think one of the biggest problems in the USA is hopelessness. We should start a war on that instead of one on drugs. If people know they matter and have opportunities, the drugs and alcohol won't look so tantalizing.

My stepfather is in his 70's and spends his day watching Fox news. He went to college in the 50's, was in a fraternity, and has had a somewhat privileged life. Yes, he worked for it, but he had a lot more opportunities than most. He's really dismissive of the struggles of others. His attitude is, "Not all salmon make it upstream." I couldn't live with myself if I had that attitude. He thinks because he worked hard in college and others didn't than they deserve what they get. I've told him, that these people that he looks down on, work ten times harder than he ever did. I've seen it. He has no problem generalizing people and fitting them into categories. He is for harsh drug laws and tea party ideals. He is completely polarized and has forgotten that the everything isn't black and white. There are grey areas and much of life exists here.

My problem is that I can't generalize drug users. I've known them and have been one myself. They are people just like you and me. Yes, some are extremely lost and may never recover, but there are others that can be brought back with love and support. Some of the best people I've ever known were addicts while some of the worst I've known were pillars of their communities and churches. It is not right to generalize about drug users being criminals. Some become criminals to get their drugs, yet if they were legal, maybe the drugs would be much cheaper and the addict could work, and contribute to society, in order to purchase their drugs.

Every person born on this planet is valuable and we, as a society, need to remember this and fight for each person. These are the principles I live by.

[JSngry]

Let's put our dogs in eggplants and our TVs in spacesuits!

are you in the men's room again?

Shoes for industry!

[Pete C]

If standing up for my principles and having integrity makes me judgmental, then so be it. I can live with myself and my kids can look up to and respect me, and that's what matters most to me at the end of the day.

Congratulations. It must be great to be you. Your name isn't Bill Bennett by any chance?

[Jazzmoose]

Shoes for industry!

Shoes for the dead!

[Jazzmoose]

The common misconception is that taking drugs and drinking alcohol excessively are always victimless crimes.

1. Drinking alcohol, even excessively is not a crime. Out of control behavior from those who partake can certainly break the law, but prohibition of alcohol was repealed long ago.

2. Please explain who the victim is in a drug crime, and explain to me how the said crime is exclusive to the drug. (To explain what I mean, I've heard the argument that drugs are bad because drug addicts burglarize homes to pay for their fix. The crime here is burglary or breaking and entering, not the drug.) I see no reason to make a drug illegal when the action being blamed on the drug is the fault of the user, not the drug, and is already illegal besides. When we look at the history of drug laws in this country, it becomes apparent that drug laws were created, not to stop drug use, but to control all those scary nonwhite people out there.