Conference back40::soapbox

    	And apparently Janet Reno is looking into the use of chain gangs
    	for federal prisoners.

    	For the record, I support the concept.

    The infrastructure of our country os falling apart as we speak.  Repair
    costs are exorbitant.  I say put em to work.  

    They are taking from society, even as they sit in their Club Fed and
    other similar resorts.  The rest of us don't receive free room and
    board just for being pretty, why should convicts?  Put them to work - a
    little outdoor work never hurt anyone.  What did hurt about chain gangs
    of earlier times was the way they were brutalized by sadistic guards. 
    If that kind of treatment can be avoided, I'm all for this idea.

>                            The rest of us don't receive free room and
>    board just for being pretty

Dick, speak for yourself.

    I will support the consept if it comes to NH. 

    re .0:  Torture.

    	Torture?  How so?  Because of forced physical exertion?  Or
    	perhaps humiliation?  Or because the state is "stealing" 
    	production value from the prisoners?

    What exactly is a chain gang?
    
    

Story on NPR pointed out to me that there's major-league emotional stuff for
blacks in chains.

    	And it takes away from union jobs.

    Years ago, men in prision were forced to do road work on public roads,
    for state buildings etc. If you watch some of the old black and
    whites, you can get a crash course in the issue. Some folks feel its a
    means to indentured slavery, again. Others, like me, feel that we are
    getting a double slapping, one to pay to ware house them because they
    have social problems that cannot be corrected. And we also have to pay
    for road and other public places to be maintained. And where many can
    get a college education at our expence, and work out in prision at our
    expence why not put some of that hard earned muscle and mind to doing
    task to the common folk who puts clothing on their backs, food in their
    tummys, and a warm place to sleep. Like earning room and board vs
    getting it free...
    
    
    

>    What exactly is a chain gang?

Crew wearing shackles connected by chains, doing outdoor labor.
Since it's harder to run away, the authorities need fewer guards.
From what I gather, unchained prisoners have been used for such
labor in recent years, but this is the first use of chain gangs
in many years.

>    	And it takes away from union jobs.

Of prison guards.  They can use half as many guards with chain gangs than
with regular work details.

    
    
    i have always thought that prisoners should do some sort of community
    work as part of their sentence...and if that mean helping build better
    roads or bridges or picking up trash on the highway or whatnot, i am
    for it.  it seems that some prefer an 'easy ride' as opposed to having
    to work for a living...
    
    put them to work.  but i don't think chains are either necessary or
    useful...too restriving to get a job done...
    
    
    just my 2cents

BTW, the prisoners on the Alabama chain gangs are the less violent repeat
offenders.

    County governments in Georgia have been using county prisoners to
    pick up roadside trash for years.  These are not the dangerous
    prisoners, most in for DUI, petty theft etc.  They are not in chains,
    but there is an armed guard over-seeing the work.
    
    When I saw the article I wondered if Alabama would actually use chains.
    As much as I would like to see the end of prisoners just sitting
    around in a cell; if these prisoners are deemed dangerous enough that
    chains are required in addition to armed guards, then I'm not so sure
    these guys should be taken outside prison walls.
    
    

Yes, they began yesterday to great media fanfare.

I am in favor of the concept of using prison labor for public works projects.
Chains or no.

They already do make use of prison labor forces on road cleanup projects
in New Hampshire. Each year, at least once, and sometimes oftener, there
is an (unchained) work detail from the Goffstown Correctional facility
in my neighborhood in Mont Vernon cleaning up the roadsides.

    Just think of it.... if O.J. gets convicted... Maybe you can get a road
    side autograph.;)
    

    Prison SHOULD NOT consist of waking up, eating breakfast,
    turning the T.V. on, lifting weights, etc... Sure they have 
    to eat.   But TV?   Weights?  Some people even purposely 
    commit crimes to get into jail to get  health care.  
    
    I can see something wrong with shackels - so my answer to
    that - GET SOME OF THEM ELECTRONIC ZAPPER NECKLACES AND
    TAKE 'em OUT INTO THE DITCHES AND PUT THEM TO WORK!
    Wireless - maybe we could invent/sell something here?
    
    Someone wants to WALK----- ZAPP! ZZ   ZZZAPP!   
    
    On a side note, states have also started implementing 
    boot camps for youths and they do change the mindsets
    of some wouldbe career criminals! 
    
    Alot of $$$$$ could be saved - I believe some state in
    the south is in the process of implementing this - saves
    $$$$$$$ to...
    
    

Shakin' the bush, boss!  

Well, so as not to hobble the guys, I think the chains
should be worn around the neck, rather than the ankles.

Signed,

C.H. Luke

    
    >Yes, they began yesterday to great media fanfare.
    
    ...and not a moment too soon.
    

    Are there going to be women chain gangs??!!
    
    ...Tom (initiator of rathole)

    I'd be afraid of  links  to organized crime.

    > Are there going to be women chain gangs??!!
    
    Yeah, around my place, about 11:00...
    

>    Are there going to be women chain gangs??!!

Not in Alabama at present.  The law forbids it.

Only if the chains are worn around the ankles,
otherwise it would be difficult to accessorize.

    >>    Are there going to be women chain gangs??!!
    
    >Not in Alabama at present.  The law forbids it.
    
    This is sexist. I think that the prisoners should sue. The women
    especially, equal pay for equal work and all that :-)
    
    ..Tom

It is indeed a sad state of affairs.
But that's Alabama for yer.

    I lived in Huntsville for awhile and I liked it. Except that I just
    wouldn't eat catfish. :-{
    
    ...Tom

Have they more affairs in Alabama than elsewhere?
Largely of the incestuous variety?

    No it's Arkansas where fogged up windows are called 'relative
    humidity.'

Do girl catfish have whiskers too?

Hmmmm, never tried catfish myself.
Wasn't he a ball player or somethin?

Oh yeah, Catfish Hunter.

Shouldn't it be Catfish Fisherman?

I'll take a reel and a rod over a rifle any day.

> I'll take a reel and a rod over a rifle any day.

You're being attacked by a grizzly...

    Well, it wasn't a media fanfare in Atlanta.  Downtown Atlanta is
    only 1 1/2 hrs from Alabama state line; never saw it mentioned on
    11 o'clock news. 
    
    Our news was saturated with coverage of 4 DOT workers mowed down
    went truck went out of control on I85; 2 dead, 2 injured.....maybe
    there will be some mention of it tonight.
    
    Probably falls under category of "no big deal" to natives :-)
    
    

    > I'll take a reel and a rod over a rifle any day.
    
    Yeah, but will you tie a fly or unbutton your dickie?
    

>    Our news was saturated with coverage of 4 DOT workers mowed down
>    went truck went out of control on I85; 2 dead, 2 injured.....

I don't mean to be gruesome, but this gives me cause to wonder -

    When the chain gangs are out on the road will they still use
    the signs that say "Reduce speed - Work area"?

Unbutton my dickie?

I'll keep it buttoned, especially if I'm attacked
by a grizzly...

    Just don't unbutton your fly and tie your dickie. 

    	re .38
    
    	Poke him in the eye?
    
    	Hope that you learn fencing real fast?

I should think that tying one's dickie would be 
quite painful...

    
    RE: .38  
    
    Maybe ask him if he's havin' any luck?
    

    DelBalso,
    
    Same thought occurred to me.  When chain gangs were common 40 years
    ago, we didn't have interstates with the speeds we see now.  
    
    One spectator of yesterday's tragedy said aside from the 4 hit, 
    other DOT workers were jumping anywhere they could to avoid the
    truck (almost getting hit by other traffic).  I wondered what would
    have happened if that had been a chain gang, the entire crew would
    have been mowed down.
    
    For the county prisoners, typically the guard is watching them
    facing the on-coming traffic so he can alert them if it looks like
    a vehicle is barreling their way.  Who knows, maybe they won't use
    chain gangs on the major interstates, but confine them to county
    and local roads.
    
    

They have interstates in Alabama?

    Yes, two.  One goes East-West (and vice-versa) the other goes
    North-South etc.  

    Hmmm, I know E/W is I-20.  What's the N/S?
    
    Gerald, you are being unkind to Alabama :-)  Actually, I got
    Bonkers and Peanut from a breeder who lives outside of Anniston.
    The area is gorgeous and growing rapidly; fortunately for now it's
    not as crowded as Atlanta.
    
    

    >tying one's dickie
    
    Since this isn't the Chain gang topic anymore, the word dickie makes me
    think of "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" when Eddie gets dressed
    for Christmas day wearing a white sweater and a black dickie. I loved
    it :)
    
    ...Tom

All this stuff about chains sounds a bit kinky to me.

Chris.

    
    people work off traffic fines with community service in kaliph.
    usually this consists of donning an orange vest and policing up
    grabage from the sides of roads, etc.
    
    this Alabama style chain gang stuff, with men wearing ridiculous 
    outfits, shackled, and under armed guards, sounds positively 
    midaeval. 
    
    but then, that is the south for you. 

    -1 yup, they do know how to treat criminal alright!
    
       Chip

 medieval or mediaeval

    RAH,
    
    Chain gangs were invented to prevent boredom in pre-TV era :-)
    

    I-65 I believe.  

    
    
       As was noted earlier,........most of the chain gang prisoners 
       are repeat non violent offenders. Many of them are being 
       incarcerated for marijuana and cocaine possession. Not trafficing,
       .......I imagine some are found with "intent to distribute". But
       most of the sentences are "short time",......six months,...
       ....fourteen months etc.,..If someone is a repeat offender,....
       ......with a couple of ounces of marijuana,......should we lock
       em' up?? Are these peple threats to society?? Same goes for the
       person with a couple of grams of cocaine. Lock em' up??
    
       
       I'm not putting "pushers" or "dealers" in this catergory. Am I
       missin' something?? Can't we find a more effective way?
    
    
       Ed

I-65 [Nashville] Decatur Birmingham Montgomery Mobile
	I-565 Hunstville-Decatur

I-59 [Chattanooga] Birmingham
	I-459 South Birmingham bypass

I-20 [Atlanta] Birmingham Tuscaloosa [Meridian]

I-85 [Atlanta] Montgomery

I-10 [Pensacola] Mobile [Biloxi]

    Well, there you go.

And there are plans for a Mobile-Atlanta Economic Development Corridor,
which would mean another east-west Interstate across the northern part
of the state.

/john

    
    They plan to make Atlanta mobile?
    

    Hey the truck driver who mowed down the highway workers will probably
    join the chain gangs for sleeping at the wheel.... How ironic!
    

re .58

> Many of them are being incarcerated for marijuana and cocaine possession. 
> ......with a couple of ounces of marijuana,......should we lock em' up?? 

sure. you could legalise the stuff but with substantially less convicts then,
you'd risk loosing a lot of cheap labour. and what about the guards then? 
they'd be out of work too.


andreas.

    Hmmm, I thought "asleep at the wheel" was a Texax boogie band....
    
    
    

 ..and a fine one at that!

the current policy of prohibition puts the wrong people into prison.



andreas.

    .65
    
    Yes, they played with Comander Codie and his Lost Planet Airmen.:) I
    heard them years ago! Great band!:)
    
    
    

    Oh Yes!!! Snarf on that .69!!!:)
    

 Asleep at the Wheel's tribute to Bob Wills is one of the finest CDs in
 my collection.




 Jim

    I lived in the south in the '40s and 'early '50s and remember chain
    gangs.  They were used quite frequently.  What I remember was that they
    were all male and all black, not a whitey among them.  This was in
    Florida.
    
    Thought -- hard labor of this sort has been used in Ft Levenworth for
    years with not a peep from the public.  What's the difference?  Inside
    walls vs. outside and the associated security?  Military vs. civillian?
    Taking jobs away?

The fuss isn't over hard labor (which is used in Alabama and elsewhere).
The fuss is over the chains.

    There is nothing wrong with chain gangs.  I happen to think they are
    good.   I love watching those men in chains.  I used to go out of my
    way to drive by and pretend I wasn't looking. :-) :-)
    
    JUST KIDDING!!
    
    I can see their merit though.
    
    

    
    Tom, are you listening?

    DEBRA!!!! you are in deep sneakers woman!!

    Where can I buy some chains??!!
    
    ...Tom

    ... Tom if you think in any way I'm making up to you just cause you're
    being intuitive now, you are full of prunes! :-)

    
    On principle, prisoners MUST earn their room & board (at the 
    minimum) plus pay restitution to their victims. I am all for
    prison labor for obvious reasons mentioned here, but more so
    I think prisoners and extreme bleeding hearts have the tendency
    to forget that the inmates end up there BY CHOICE (subsequent
    to their anti-societal activities), and even though they are
    still people, they have in fact squandered away part of their
    rights while in prison. What's the average room & board/year/
    inmate  --- abt $25,000 TAXPAYERS' dollars, if I'm not mistaken.
    That's obscene! Why am I subsidizing them and their bennies -
    health care, gyms, schooling (esp jailhouse lawyers to-be's),
    and of course their families they have neglected , etc.
    
    YEP - they must work, just like you and I.
    

    re: .78, Nancy dearest
    
    I told you, I like prunes. In fact they make me amorous. :)
    
    ...Tom

    chains, prunes, who could tell the difference????

    
    I'm so glad to see you two have made up over here 8^}.

    
    
    Anyone read the article about one of the chain gang members suing the
    Alabama Correctional Inst. because of "Mental anguish"??

    >chains, prunes, who could tell the difference????
    
    Nancy, I never realized you were soooooooo kinky!!!!! :)
    
    ..Tom

    But Tom, should she really be feeding you prunes, then keeping
    you chained  up?  Send those flowers and send them quickly! :-)

    They're going to start chain gangs in Arizona too.  We also have state
    legislation that prevents inmates from filing frivolous and
    time-wasting lawsuits.
    
    Mike

    >But Tom, should she really be feeding you prunes, then keeping
    >you chained  up?  Send those flowers and send them quickly! :-)
    
    I'll get a long chain !! :)
    
    ...Tom

    i thought Nancy was the one who got tied up, or you swing both ways?
    
    ric

    You guys are incorrigible!!!!!
    
    /me blushing.. 
    
    
    well sort of.. :-) :-)

Swingin' on a chain,
Just swingin' on a chain,
Such a glorious feelin'...

    >i thought Nancy was the one who got tied up, or you swing both ways?
    
    Nancy is so creative that I just let her decide!! :-O
    
    ...Tom

    So, Tom what does your wife think about our little relationship here?
    
    Just curious...

    She is kinky too, at least I hope she would be if I told her. :))
    
    ...Tom

    
    Look at that, I go away for a few hours and what happens but Nancy
    starts right up prancing and teasing.

	Deb, maybe Nancy waited until you left cuz she wants to prance and tease
without worrying about her spelling!!!!! :-)

    Me thinks its time to change your personal name again Deb!

    
    Oooo
    Ahhh
    That's the sound of the men
    Workin' on the chain
    Gang
    
    We just started this in Ontario last week; low risk offenders are 
    dressed in orange coveralls, cleaning trash from the roadsides.
    
    They are not actually in chains, however.
    

    > low risk offenders are dressed in orange coveralls
    
    How do you distinguish them from hunters? :-)
    
    -b

chain snarf

	Madonna does this, right?

    Snarfs or cleans trach?

    I mean trash.

| <<< Note 406.103 by MKOTS3::JMARTIN "I press on toward the goal" >>>

| I mean trash.


	Do you really need to talk about yourself so much????

    Blahhhh!

    
    >> low risk offenders are dressed in orange coveralls
    >
    >How do you distinguish them from hunters? :-)
    
    
    	Hunters, offenders ... does it matter?
    
    	You blow them all away, or run them over with a big truck, and
    	either way you save the lives of lots of innocent people.  8^)
    

>     <<< Note 406.106 by BUSY::SLABOUNTY "A swift kick in the butt - $1" >>>

    
>    	Hunters, offenders ... does it matter?
    
>    	You blow them all away, or run them over with a big truck, and
>    	either way you save the lives of lots of innocent people.  8^)
 
Time to pay Shawn a visit. I tried to ignore the fact that he's in this
building but now it's time to track him down.

I'm gonna hafta kill you li'l buddy(with thanks to Mz_Deb) :-}   

    
    	8^)
    

    
    I was doin' that "bustin' rock" chit last night....
    
    It ain't so bad, if I can do it why can't we make convicted criminals
    "turn big ones into little ones"?