Phones in the Big House

Yesterday in the Statesman was an article that kind of shocked me. (link here) At the time I really had nothing to write about other than my amazement and shock but today another article came out and I changed my original blog to this subject, Phones in the Jail Cell (link here).

Now I understand life in a jail is hard, you gotta watch your own back and the amount of drama and stress can be difficult for most, but it seems we are getting easier and easier on people. We will not go into that and Allen McDuff issues that plagued Texas in the 1990's, but are phones really necessary?

They say it will help pay for taxes and other funds. They say it will help with rehabilitation. (link here) They do not say how often they will get access to it, nor do they mention times, or prices.

On the Statesman a "wife of inmate" writes a compelling argument for why inmates need a phone. Her husband took 4 years in the pen instead of the 10 years probation for a DWI, but should that allow him a phone while in prison?

I am no lawyer but per this website (link here) it seems that it may be a 3rd offense, or a combination of offenses. I have friends with DWI's and on the first offense 4 years jail time has never been mentioned, so I am guessing this is more than one offense. To me that means he did not learn after the first "warning", and in my mind should not get the full comforts of home. Would the family of the victims get a chance to call their child after his drunk car swerves and kills them? I think not, and things like that tick me off.

But it will make the state money and pay for other things. Well, that I am ok with but there has to be a line. Life in jail is not fun and may sometimes create worse offenders but that is another issue and not going to be solved by a phone in the cell.

I will admit first hand that I sit at home and watch a TON of Gangland on TV. If you have not seen it I suggest turning on your Tivo and watching a few episodes before you sign on the phone in the cells idea.

Almost every single episode is about a gang in some major city and how the gangs are run from members within the jail system. Now we all know these phone calls would be monitored but the codes can sometimes be complex and take time to figure out. Mean while gang leaders in the cells are able to call out gang hits and some where able to make MILLIONS of dollars all while in a jail cell.

It would seem most gangs on the outside are run by gangs on the "inside" to provide protection and safety while members are in the jail. This to me just seems to promote business while in the pen. Some want and need that connection with missing family members and children and so on, that I understand, but over-charging mostly impoverished families, and allowing criminals rights that may make business easier is a stretch in my book. I highly disagree with phones in the cells.