Pantagraph.com | Letters | Jail overcrowded? Try Arizona sheriff's tactics

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Chicken Bone wrote on Nov 19, 2007 1:53 PM:

" It was just in the paper a week or so back. He had cut off cable TV. However, the prisoners complained, and the Supreme Court said he had to supply cable TV to the inmates. So he did. Unfortunately, the only channels on the inmates line up are preachin' and the Disney Channel. "

Patty...I am all for the wrote on Nov 19, 2007 12:49 AM:

" kind of law enforcement that Sheriff Arpaio uses. Personally, I think prisoners should be treated the way they were when I was a kid more than 50 years ago. I had a second cousin who spent a lot of time in and out of the pen. In later years he talked about the filthy conditions, the rats and roaches, nothing but bars on the windows, etc. Those are the conditions under which prisoners should be kept now instead of living in luxury and much, much better than I can afford to live. If I wasn't paying for the criminals, I might have a little easier life trying to buy food. "

Crime and punishment wrote on Nov 18, 2007 3:16 PM:

" I agree with the tactics and law enforcement enforced by Sheriff Arpaio! Too bad a few of these ideas aren't being used in other parts of the U.S. I can only imagine that a jail/prison with minimal accommodations, as well as making inmates work and not just sit around, would make going there much less desirable. We have grown way too soft and liberal in our treatment of prisoners. I say they should only have the bare minimum in every way. Maybe some of them will think twice before committing a crime. "

to: one problem wrote on Nov 18, 2007 2:29 PM:

" The ACLU is not a government agency. They have no more legal power than you or I. The only thing the ACLU can do is go to court, and it is the court who interprets the law. Simple as that. "

Greed wrote on Nov 18, 2007 11:01 AM:

" Sheriff Joe Arpaio is world famous for his tactics. Not only does he run a good jail, but his deputies will arrest suspected illegal aliens, something most local policing agencies won’t do. If the INS compensated local law enforcement agencies, for their expenses, and issued guidelines, there would be no illegal immigrants in our country. "

Free Willy wrote on Nov 18, 2007 10:32 AM:

" I like that guy! hes got his act together with those prisoners. "

Facts wrote on Nov 18, 2007 8:21 AM:

" Sheriff Arpaio was re-elected for another subsequent term as Sheriff, not just re-elected. The citizens of Maricopa County, AZ like him and what he is doing. The ACLU has attacked him several times and most of the time he wins those law suits. Yes, the lessor criminals are in tents to make room in the " bricks and mortor" jail for the heinous and violent prisoners, but it still saves money and it still deters the would be hardened from becoming so, at least in Maricopa County, AZ. Yes, bring back the chain gangs, the working prison farms, and other punishments that help to offset the cost of housing, feeding and clothing criminals, AFTER they are sentenced in Court. We wouldn't want to offend the alledged criminals awaiting trial. "

one Big problem wrote on Nov 18, 2007 3:41 AM:

" with people who post silly things like "Another thing that would drop the murder rate" is that history has already proven them wrong. America once had lynch law, it did not work. England once had harsh penalties for everything, they had to open Australia to clear the prisons and jails. France once kept their own prison excess in rat-infested and rotting wooden ships. The King and Queen (and thousands more) lost their heads in more ways than one. No simple-minded and easy answers to social problems exist and yet people keep on ignoring the facts. "

one problem... wrote on Nov 17, 2007 10:33 PM:

" the ACLU. I am surprised this group is allowing the sheriff to do this. First, I'm all for what he has done and is doing. However it is this kind of stuff that around here the ACLU would be filing suits over. Until the public demands that criminals are treated like criminals and not guests at the local hotel/motel things won't change. Another thing that would drop the murder rate is doing away with all of the appeals that they get. Let them appeal once and if they are still found guilty, then schedule their execution within a week. No more sitting on death row (saving the public tons of money). I know people are saying there will be a lot if innocent people put to death but many will think twice about what they do. "

To IF (TIF) wrote on Nov 17, 2007 10:13 PM:

" Good comeback! Why is it that liberals can't think? "

to:bring back wrote on Nov 17, 2007 4:31 PM:

" good idea! but everybody is to worried about the rights of criminals.never mind what they've done to their victims.punisment should fit the crime. "

two: Fachna wrote on Nov 17, 2007 3:19 PM:

" Wu sez wee konservatives kant spel? Yur krazee! "

Meh wrote on Nov 17, 2007 11:57 AM:

" I agree with Lug Nut. This is more of a publicity stunt than anything else. If these truly were the "worst of the worst", the inmates would likely have killed each other and the guards by now. These are more likely petty, nonviolent criminals busted for having a dime bag or something. "

About this letter wrote on Nov 17, 2007 11:00 AM:

" I just got a chain email sent to me a couple weeks ago about this sheriff. I looked it up on Snopes, and it's true he's done many of these things. But it seems like the letter writer lifted her comments almost directly from that chain letter. It's still a valid point, but it would be more interesting if she'd used all her own words and researched the situation a little more before just copying something out of a chain email and submitting it as a letter to the editor. "

The Irascible Fachna wrote on Nov 17, 2007 10:36 AM:

" Why is it that conservatives can't spell? "

Lug Nut wrote on Nov 17, 2007 9:05 AM:

" In spite of what the public thinks, the Arizona tents do not house the "worst of the worst." You can't put maxiumum security inmates in tents. To do so would jepoardize put only inmates, but staff, at risk The people you see in the Arizona tents are the lesser security risks. So, the worst inmates in Maricopa are in "brick and mortar" buildings, not in tents. On the other hand, the tents have helped Sheriff Joe get what he craves most: media attention. "

Wat Tyler wrote on Nov 17, 2007 9:03 AM:

" Prison farms to grow food and meat for te prisons, prisoners performing labor that illegal immigrants say they perform because Americans don't want to, and maybe the white collar and computer criminals can staff call centers and help desks, services that are being outsourced to India, Vietnam and Nigeria. Maybe we could even use convict lawyers as public defenders? Don't know if lawyers could be forced to do that, but it is not impossible, just illegal. "

joe blow wrote on Nov 17, 2007 8:19 AM:

" where are your rules "

bring back wrote on Nov 17, 2007 8:12 AM:

" the electric chair and see how far down the high crimes rate goes down. as for the mclean county jail being full, that is just poor future planning by the mclean county board. the board for years has only planned on building new subdivisions but has never planned on this bring up the crime rate, divorce court needs, etc. the mclean county court house is now locked into a small block downtown. the county needs to look into the future and buy more of downtown or buy ground outside of bloomington and build a court house and jail build for the future growth. for us to get a county board that has a clue would help. with sorenson running things it will just go the state farm way, sorenson employer. "

orval says wrote on Nov 17, 2007 8:07 AM:

" amen sheriff joe arpaio keep up the good work you are doing "

I now know wrote on Nov 17, 2007 7:02 AM:

" we have one person living in America with a brain. Someone capable of doing their job and doing it well. As a young child I remember the chain gangs in Tennessee. Free labor, and at the same time the prisoners are working off any pinned up energy. Sometimes the old ways are the best ways. Two thumbs up for saving the taxpayers millions of dollars. Other prisons should set up and take notice. "

original man wrote on Nov 17, 2007 6:33 AM:

" that will work but only on those who have been convicted of a crime. a lot of the residents in mclean county jail are still in the due process stage, but i agree that for those who are convicted these things would be a great way to hopefully curve criminal behavior. also the community must take a stand and become that again "a community" our youth are not under control, we have to do it! in order for that to happen we must care for each other with genuine love and strong moral upbringing.starts at home then spreads abroad! "

Ads by Yahoo!

Workplace Discrimination

Things To Do In Illinois

Illinois State Criminal Record - $12.95