Comment by gmarx | Hacker News Reader

Comment by gmarx | Hacker News Reader

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I don't see this as especially outrageous. The part that bothers me is that it isn't available to poorer criminals. But I don't agree with the ex-gang fellow who said getting your ass beat is part of the punishment. That seems unfair to weaker criminals in the same way this scheme is unfair to poor ones. I think the state has an obligation to keep inmates physically safe. If physical violence is something we want as an official part of the punishment let's just bring back corporal punishment.

Also can't help but notice the problem with making this more widely available. The violence in regular jail is a consequence of being locked up with violent people. If you move them to these easier jails they would bring the violence with them

I think exposing rich people to the same conditions as poor people in jail is extremely important.

Monetary wealth translates to social power more often than not.

If rich people experience the same jail as poor, they will push in society to improve it. If you let the rich opt-out they'll never see it and won't be motivated to induce change.

I have spent a couple nights in jail. I know what it's like, and it's not acceptable for anyone to be exposed to this. Change is needed whether you're rich, poor, black, white or purple.

I agree in principle but I doubt enough rich people would ever get sent to jail to make a difference.

Sad, but appears to be true. I did some cursory googling and found this[0].

[0] https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/income.html

I don't think that will work the way you think that will work --rich people in Jail have less power than a gang member in the pen. Law and order people really don't care who's who when it comes to punishment --there are cases where jailers are corrupted, but it does not matter to them whether it's rich white collar dirty money or blue collar dirty money.

> The part that bothers me is that it isn't available to poorer criminals.

Isn't that the only part that's even there?

No. The article seems mostly intended to generate outrage that bad criminals might get out of the ass-beating experience of real jail and have access to flat screen TVs

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