The New Improved Jail

[D2Cat]

If jails were like this today would there be less crime?

From the South Dakota State Historical Society:

The Turton Jail building was newly listed in the National Register of Historic Places - NPS this month (Jan 2024). The two-cell, vault-roofed concrete jail is estimated to have been constructed in 1911 (extrapolating from deed research and town board minutes).
One-room jails throughout the Great Plains were often utilitarian designs, using local and/or affordable construction materials like log, stone, brick, lumber, and/or concrete. The cells themselves could be ordered from manufacturers and made of strap iron assembled by a cold riveting process.

 

[OntheRidge]

The answer is no, criminals do not think of consequences, which is why antigun laws, anti murder laws, etc, do not work. Cool pics, tho.

 

[D2Cat]

I don't agree. Do you really think all people who are incarcerated have no conscious and don't think about consequences? A large percentage are not murderers.

 

[GeoHorn]

Grapevine, TX (the community immediately adjacent to DFW airport) still has it’s “hoosegow” dating from it’s early days…. They abandoned it for a much larger facility when it became necessary… and therefore likely answers the question that they DO consider consequences….just don’t think they’ll be CAUGHT:

I believe most of these early “hoosegows” were used to confine drunks…not serious or long-term criminals.
Robert Lee, TX (town of the book/movie “All the Pretty Horses”) is about 20 miles North of San Angelo, and for the years before it could afford a proper jail,….simply chained prisoners to the large tree in the courthouse square.

 

[jampy00]

There was a time where you'd loose a hand if you got caught stealing...
Nothing will ever deter crime and/or criminals...

 

[GeoHorn]

There was a time where you'd loose a hand if you got caught stealing...
Nothing will ever deter crime and/or criminals...

You can still get that treatment… all you have to do is move to the middle-east. I hardly agree with such draconian measures. There’s a movie depicting such theocratic laws, in which an Arab princess (Suzanne Abou Taleb) and her lover (Hatem Fakhr) are executed in 1977 for her rejection of a husband chosen by her parents.
In real life, Princess Misha Abdul Aziz and Musleh Shaer were executed by beheading/public-stoning in accordance with Koran law.

 

[jampy00]

You can still get that treatment… all you have to do is move to the middle-east.

Ha! I'm good. Living in Canada is bad enough...

 

[Flintknapper]

If jails were like this today would there be less crime?

First offense.....probably not. Pretty sure no one would want to go back a second time though.

So.....maybe have some 'deterrent' effect. That or cause criminals to just try harder to not be arrested (flee or fight).

 

[Vlach7]

It is amazing how some in our society want to let the bad just go free so they can do bad things again.

 

[Hkb82]

Ha! I'm good. Living in Canada is bad enough...

Ouch. As a fellow Canadian if it’s that bad nobody is holding ya down forcing ya to stay. Don’t have to go to the Middle East but you also don’t have to stay here. Try your luck around the world. We have it pretty good in Canada. Sure we got issues but not as bad as some.

 

[skeets]

A small town near were I grew up, had a one time stage coach stop, and over the years it went from stage coach stop over to a boarding house to a home for wayward girls,, coff coff,, to an Adult beverage establishment.
And in the basement they had 2 or 3 cells, now there were no stairs, just a ladder to get in or out, and the cellar walls were 2 or 3 foot thick sand stone slabs. I dont know how many bad guys ever stayed there but dark and cold and not being able to move around, sure would deter my wanting to get involved on the wrong side of the law.

 

[GrizBota]

There was a time where you'd loose a hand if you got caught stealing...
Nothing will ever deter crime and/or criminals...

Actually, your example penalty would probably deter a third offense as seemingly it would be more difficult to steal with no hands. Regardless, giving up and embracing illicit activity (or accepting it) probably isn’t the solution a civilized populous desires.

 

[P0234]

Come on you guys, since we've defunded the police and embraced mental health, crime is pretty much non existent, look the the police report metrics!

 

[DustyRusty]

It is amazing how some in our society want to let the bad just go free so they can do bad things again.

It is my opinion that the largest amount of our criminals are currently being housed in Washington DC in buildings called the House of Representatives, Senate, and White House. I am an equal opportunity disliker of politicians no matter where they are, whoever they are, and no matter what political affiliation they espouse to be. Who of us would spend thousands of our own money to get a job that pays so little by comparison to what it costs to get elected?

 

[D2Cat]

It is my opinion that the largest amount of our criminals are currently being housed in Washington DC in buildings called the House of Representatives, Senate, and White House. I am an equal opportunity disliker of politicians no matter where they are, whoever they are, and no matter what political affiliation they espouse to be. Who of us would spend thousands of our own money to get a job that pays so little by comparison to what it costs to get elected?

If you're of that mindset you have to take into consideration the net worth accumulated after a few years, the health benefits, pension, insider trading, lobbyist perks, etc. Ever wonder why they don't quit?

 

[GeoHorn]

My Father used to tell me “Quit Complaining unless you are willing to do the job properly YourSelf”.

Blamers, Whiners and Moaners don’t change anything for the better…they only contribute to the problem.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

this is NOT 'political', rather oberservational over the decades...

The problem is the new 'golden rule'..

Those with the gold, make the rules...
Those that make the rules, get the gold.

I've voted in every election since the year 'capital punishment' was on the ballot.My MP Linc Alexander,got up in Parliament and said' even though 80% of my constituents said YES to death, I can't agree,so vote NO'.
hello ??? You're supposed to do what WE tell you. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Sadly we can't get the 'bad apples' OUT.....

 

[GeoHorn]

this is NOT 'political', rather oberservational over the decades...

The problem is the new 'golden rule'..

Those with the gold, make the rules...
Those that make the rules, get the gold.

I've voted in every election since the year 'capital punishment' was on the ballot.My MP Linc Alexander,got up in Parliament and said' even though 80% of my constituents said YES to death, I can't agree,so vote NO'.
hello ??? You're supposed to do what WE tell you. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Sadly we can't get the 'bad apples' OUT.....

Unfortunately, that is the common misunderstanding of what “representative gov’t“ means.

Reprensentatives do not have to follow “majority polls” or perceived majority-opinions. When a Representative is being chosen for a gov’t office… the voters are turning Their Power …over to that Representative…to cast His/Her vote in accordance with that Representatives logic. The voter passes their power to another…. There is no Constitutional requirement for a Representative to determine what the majority of his constituents feel about issues…and to represent that majority opinion in casting his vote.

That is one of the Most Common misunderstandings of voters. It ain’t that simple. You must Investigate any potential representative’s background, reputation, personal opinions, etc etc before casting a vote for that individual.

 

[D2Cat]

Unfortunately, that is the common misunderstanding of what “representative gov’t“ means.

Reprensentatives do not have to follow “majority polls” or perceived majority-opinions. When a Representative is being chosen for a gov’t office… the voters are turning Their Power …over to that Representative…to cast His/Her vote in accordance with that Representatives logic. The voter passes their power to another…. There is no Constitutional requirement for a Representative to determine what the majority of his constituents feel about issues…and to represent that majority opinion in casting his vote.

That is one of the Most Common misunderstandings of voters. It ain’t that simple. You must Investigate any potential representative’s background, reputation, personal opinions, etc etc before casting a vote for that individual.

The statement I highlighted sure sounds good but nearly impossible. If one could investigate all those qualities and approved, what's to keep that individual from being bought off by various activities/pressures of long time members? And we end up with the samo-samo!!

 

[GeoHorn]

The statement I highlighted sure sounds good but nearly impossible. If one could investigate all those qualities and approved, what's to keep that individual from being bought off by various activities/pressures of long time members? And we end up with the samo-samo!!

That’s another facet of the crystal, also. One should consider what political party, what PACs, and what other assoc’ns the politician adheres to. The R-party is largely supported by large corporations and business interests, and evangelical religious groups (not necessarily “Christian” in their dogmas), while the D-party is largely supported by organized labor, salaried and blue-collar workers, and PACs of minority groups.
When I do not have “very strong” feelings of support for any particular politician in a race… I rely on which party the politician belongs-to… compared to what social/political class to which I belong.
If some construction-worker who works for hourly wages is driving a work-truck to the jobsite but has a R-bumper sticker on it…. He doesn’t understand the difference between the parties.