They Couldn’t Go to Disneyland, Though

[goofyfish]

I just discovered that the French and the Germans take a very different approach to penal servitude from ours. They have the curious belief that prisoners should be treated as if they were members of the human race.

According to Professor James Q. Whitman’s new book, Harsh Justice (Oxford University Press, 2003):

[Prisoners] even receive paid vacations, just like Germans in the outside world. Until recently this totaled only three weeks — half of the six that are customary for most Germans. But efforts to improve the working conditions of inmates have continued. New legislation raised their wages as of January 1, 2001, and they have also now received six further vacations days, which they may either use as vacation time or bank toward eventual early release.

This is to say that, as far as paid vacation time is concerned, most American workers would probably be better off in a German jail. Do we have any members from Germany or France that could flesh out some details for us?

:m: Peace.

 

[Mystech]

Wow, not a bad deal. I think I'm gonna' go commit some crimes in Germany!

 

[everneo]

Freedom also has its own advantages.

 

[SpyMoose]

Six weeks of paid vacation for German citizens? Holy crap! Sure we Americans are the most productive people on the planet, but maybe that has something to do with the fact that our evil task masters only give us 2 weeks a year. I don’t know what I would do with myself if I was getting played for 6 weeks of not working... probably laugh all the way to the bank!

On the issue of "treating prisoners like human beings" I think it might be relevant to point out that I live in Arizona, the state with the most cruel/theatric sheriff in the United States. Sheriff Joe Arpaio (SP?) Some interesting features of his prison system, prisoners have to wear pink underwear and those old timey striped uniforms, all meals consist of low grade (green) bologna, prisoners live outside (In the Arizona desert heat) in a "tent city" female prisoners cells are monitored with web cams viewable by the public on the internet, he created the US's first female chain gang (Yes a CHAIN GANG for Christ’s sake) and forcing illegal immigrants in his prisons to sign up for the draft (I actually sorta like that one, when Bush gets reelected I'm going to have to take the attitude 'better them than me') America does seem pretty punishment happy, in my state especialy. Rehabilitation is given almost no concideration at all.