So I just read an interesting article that, quite frankly, leaves me slightly disturbed.
Ok. I understand the need for shackling inmates. I do.
Really.
I understand that this is a woman who had previously violated her parole.
However, I also believe that everyone has the right to be treated humanely.
I don't understand why they would believe that a woman in labor is prone to run away from a prison. I myself have never been had a child, so I don't know what labor is like. From what I understand of it though, it's quite a painful experiance.
The article says that women are routinely shackled during childbirth. For what? If there are guards there, then of what use are the shackles? Are you going to convince me that the guards can't stop a woman who is in labor from running away?
The article then goes on to say that one inmate, Casandra Brawley, was shackled until the doctor protested.
Really? Where is the common sense of these correctional officers? If a woman needs shackling, then by all means. But I doubt that a woman who's going to giving birth imminently is very much of a threat, so long as security protocal is followed appropriately.
Really? Where is the common sense of these correctional officers? If a woman needs shackling, then by all means. But I doubt that a woman who's going to giving birth imminently is very much of a threat, so long as security protocal is followed appropriately.
Which leads me to my next point. It seems like everyone seems to like to forget that inmates ARE people.
Let me tell you a little personal story. Story time!! Woot!
A few years ago (we won't say how many), I worked in a kitchen. I got along with most of the people there, and all was good. The only person I can truely say that I abhored was my supervisor.
He was kind of a douche.
We had two cooks in the kitchen - one of whom was E.
He was a great guy. He once gave up his Superbowl tickets (the Steelers, his favorite team, had been playing) because his mother was sick - so he stayed home to watch after her.
Yea, he was that type of guy. He adored his mother. Now mind you, he wasn't a saint. Cursed like a sailor, hated the supervisor. Did everything he could to piss off Douchebag. He did, however, stand up for all the girls in the kitchen (let's just say that the douchebag supervisor liked to hit on the girls...all the damned time. He also hired people who apparently didn't know what the term 'personal space' meant). Now whether E. did this because he was generally disgusted with their behavior, or whether he thought he could get some tail out of it, or maybe he just wanted to piss our supervisor off more...who knows.
I, of course, thought he was great.
Until, one day, he stopped showing up for work. I think ya'll can gather where this story is going.
Turns out that the police were looking for him. For murder.
Insert a dramatic pause here and maybe a gasp or two.
Insert a dramatic pause here and maybe a gasp or two.
Yep, that's right. He apparently shot a guy...and the guy died as a direct result. E's in jail now for life.
Which he should be.
The point of this little story was that inmates aren't the monsters we make them out to be. They deserve to be locked away, don't get me wrong. But to be treated like animals?
Hell. Something about that just doesn't sit right with me.
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