Comments on: Something to Read in the Can http://donklephant.com/2006/03/27/something-to-read-in-the-can/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:46:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: reader_iam http://donklephant.com/2006/03/27/something-to-read-in-the-can/#comment-9958 reader_iam Tue, 28 Mar 2006 17:49:45 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/03/27/something-to-read-in-the-can/#comment-9958 Given that people tend to like to read what reinforces their personal views, why not get creative? Why not determine the political/social etc. views of prisoners and then set up a tiered incentive system, from nothing to read, to being able to read only stuff with which a prisoner utterly disagrees, to having access to a "balanced" array, to--nirvana!--being able to read only that which reinforces one's own beliefs. Yeah, I'm kidding. Then again ... ; ) Given that people tend to like to read what reinforces their personal views, why not get creative?

Why not determine the political/social etc. views of prisoners and then set up a tiered incentive system, from nothing to read, to being able to read only stuff with which a prisoner utterly disagrees, to having access to a “balanced” array, to–nirvana!–being able to read only that which reinforces one’s own beliefs.

Yeah, I’m kidding. Then again …
; )

]]> By: Meredith http://donklephant.com/2006/03/27/something-to-read-in-the-can/#comment-9945 Meredith Tue, 28 Mar 2006 17:17:44 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/03/27/something-to-read-in-the-can/#comment-9945 Prisoners get bored, so you would be surprised at how many of them would behave just in order to have something to read, especially something that lets them have a window to what is going on in the real world. And, it's actually state's rights vs. 1st amendment. Equal protection is something different. Prisoners don't have the same freedoms as everyone else, but that doesn't violate equal protection whatsoever, so states can limit this kind of stuff, especially if it's secular. Freedom of religion is something that is much trickier, so it's going to be more OK for the state to ban secular things. Opponents are worried that eventually, the prisons will start taking away the prisoners' religious freedoms, which are still somewhat intact at the moment. On the other hand, limits on the number of books, magazines and newspapers are completely within the discretion of most state correctional facilities. Prisoners get bored, so you would be surprised at how many of them would behave just in order to have something to read, especially something that lets them have a window to what is going on in the real world. And, it’s actually state’s rights vs. 1st amendment. Equal protection is something different. Prisoners don’t have the same freedoms as everyone else, but that doesn’t violate equal protection whatsoever, so states can limit this kind of stuff, especially if it’s secular. Freedom of religion is something that is much trickier, so it’s going to be more OK for the state to ban secular things. Opponents are worried that eventually, the prisons will start taking away the prisoners’ religious freedoms, which are still somewhat intact at the moment. On the other hand, limits on the number of books, magazines and newspapers are completely within the discretion of most state correctional facilities.

]]> By: Callimachus http://donklephant.com/2006/03/27/something-to-read-in-the-can/#comment-9658 Callimachus Tue, 28 Mar 2006 01:22:01 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/03/27/something-to-read-in-the-can/#comment-9658 Why not let the convicts run the state liquor stores if they behave? Oh, wait, we already do that. Why not let the convicts run the state liquor stores if they behave? Oh, wait, we already do that.

]]> By: GN http://donklephant.com/2006/03/27/something-to-read-in-the-can/#comment-9654 GN Tue, 28 Mar 2006 00:08:05 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/03/27/something-to-read-in-the-can/#comment-9654 Oh, and by the way, they are opening a Casino in Chester ... right next to the brand new State Prison. Maybe they would like to read the racing forms. Oh, and by the way, they are opening a Casino in Chester … right next to the brand new State Prison. Maybe they would like to read the racing forms.

]]> By: GN http://donklephant.com/2006/03/27/something-to-read-in-the-can/#comment-9653 GN Tue, 28 Mar 2006 00:06:26 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/03/27/something-to-read-in-the-can/#comment-9653 Come on, Cal, not our great state .. the one with salsry increases in the middle of the night? Hey, I have an idea ... let's bring back the "Blue Laws" Come on, Cal, not our great state .. the one with salsry increases in the middle of the night? Hey, I have an idea … let’s bring back the “Blue Laws”

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