All Games Banned From MO Prisons

A while back we mentioned that Missouri pulled violent games from prisons on the basis that hardened criminals shouldn't be practicing their sharpshooting technique. Now, the new governor has removed all video games from the MO prison system. From the AP story: "Blunt, a Republican who took office two weeks ago, called video games 'a luxury that inmates should not be allowed to enjoy.'"

Comments

Re:Give Inmates Skills

[damian cosmas]

Said inmates could just as easily resort to developing further the skills that got them in there in the first place. Illiteracy rates in prison are, what, 5x those of the general population?

Re:Learning is expensive

[Ayaress]

Did I mention I live in Saginaw? The prison out by the airport has a lower rate of violence than the schools. When I was in 8th grade, Heritage High School was closed for two weeks due to riot damage.

I agree

[Dark Paladin]

I've hoped that someday we reform our "correctional institutions" (which are anything but) more like this:

(Note: first and second felonies assume proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt, ect, ect, ect.)

First felony offense:

5 years mandatory sentence
Job, skills, and educational training to prepare for the work force
Therapy (daily faded to weekly by the end of the sentence) to deal with issues and overcome whatever may have inspired the crime
Upon release, set up with a place to live, a job at a true "living wage" in a new town far from where any "original corruptive influences may reside" (ie: "The gang made me do it!" excuse will not work, since you will be removed from the gang/hood/whatever)
Checkups once a month for the next 5 years.

Mandatory for all felonies, "white collar", or otherwise. You rip of your stockholders, you get the same 5 years as a murderer.

2nd Felony Offense:

You are executed after being found guilty. There is no sentence plea, only "guilty or not guilty" appeals, and once those are exhausted, you are executed. If after 5 years of training, therapy, new job, practically new life, plus 5 years of checkups to get you help if you need it, you have proven you either can not or will not be taught.

For this system to work, however, we would need a better infrastructure of taking care of the homeless, the sick, the poor, hungry, orphans, and so on. If we fixed up these problems, we could implement a "get touch" prison policy the way conservatives dream of because the excuses of society would no apply.

Based on the last requirements, I predict this system will be in place by the year two thousand never.