| Should Prisoners Be Given More Food? |
| Yes |
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| No |
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[ 4 ] |
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| Total Votes : 4 |
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LP-Shirl
Live for Passion
Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 5775
Location: U.S. Delaware
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 Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:30 am Post subject: Do Prisoners Deserve More Food? |
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I was browsing snopes daily news, as I do every morning and today I came across this article:
| Quote: | http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080428/D90ARFHO5.html
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) - An inmate awaiting trial on a murder charge is suing the county, complaining he has lost more than 100 pounds because of the jailhouse menu.
Broderick Lloyd Laswell says he isn't happy that he's down to 308 pounds after eight months in the Benton County jail. He has filed a federal lawsuit complaining the jail doesn't provide inmates with enough food.
According to the suit, Laswell weighed 413 pounds when he was jailed in September. Police say he and a co-defendant fatally beat and stabbed a man, then set his home on fire.
"On several occasions I have started to do some exercising and my vision went blurry and I felt like I was going to pass out," Laswell wrote in his complaint. "About an hour after each meal my stomach starts to hurt and growl. I feel hungry again."
But Laswell then goes on to complain that he undertakes little vigorous activity.
"If we are in a small pod all day (and) do next to nothing for physical exercise, we should not lose weight," the suit says. "The only reason we lost weight in here is because we are literally being starved to death."
The suit also asks that the county be ordered to serve hot meals. The jail has served only cold food for years.
The meals, provided through Aramark Correctional Institution Services, average 3,000 calories a day, jail Capt. Hunter Petray told The Morning News of northwest Arkansas for a story Saturday.
A typical Western diet consists of 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day.
Laswell's suit was filed without a lawyer in U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
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Now, granted this guy is in there for murder, I don't believe he should be there at all. I believe people who murder others intentionally (accidents happen) should be put to death. But again thats just my opinion. Does anyone else watch those prison shows on the National Geographic channel? I don't think the living conditions are that bad to be honest. They each get an equal amount of food and that's all they should get. They are in jail because they commit crimes, not to freeload off of taxpayers money by wasting away in a cell eating free food and drinking milk/juices. (I work at a dairy and we deliver to several prisons)
Whatever happened to bread and water? 
Also, I don't know if this is true but I heard somewhere that the government spends more money on food for police dogs than they do for prisoners. I think this is great. They are in jail for a reason, so they do not deserve all of the freedoms that other people get.
1. What do you think of the above article? Do you think the lawsuit will go through or flop?
2. Do you think prisoners deserve more food? Less food? Why?
3. Do you believe prisoners should be granted all of the freedoms that every other citizen has, with the exception of them being in jail? Why or why not?
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"You Cant Keep Going to the Chicken Coop with Blah Blah on Your Mind When All You Have is Hot Sauce in Your Glove Compartment." |
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mcwkm
Grandmaster Poster
Joined: 30 Mar 2005
Posts: 271
Location: ct
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:22 am Post subject: |
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1. I don't care for the article. Mainly because I think the prisoner is a retard and was not healthy in the first place. The lawsuit will most likely flop unless the prison is actually not providing enough food for the inmates to not survive on. Also there is no statement on whether Laswell actually is eating the food provided for him..
2. Prisoners do not deserve more food unless the prison they are in is not supplying them enough food to live.
3. You lose some of your rights when imprisoned. When you choose to commit a crime and are caught and given jail time why are you expecting to live the same life in jail as you do out of jail? |
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LP-Shirl
Live for Passion
Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 5775
Location: U.S. Delaware
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:54 am Post subject: |
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| mcwkm wrote: |
3. You lose some of your rights when imprisoned. When you choose to commit a crime and are caught and given jail time why are you expecting to live the same life in jail as you do out of jail? |
I couldn't have said it better myself. What is happening to our society these days? Now prisoners are allowed to have television, radios, and other privileges that they shouldn't be able to have. They screwed up, they committed a crime, they should pay for it without having these luxuries.
However I do think prisoners should be provided with a library and learning facilities. Positive reenforcement is the key to good behavior. I would rather see prisoners reading books and taking classes then watching television and beating the pulp out of each other. Not to mention that when they get out of jail (if they are allowed to) they could actually be productive citizens and have a second chance at life.
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"You Cant Keep Going to the Chicken Coop with Blah Blah on Your Mind When All You Have is Hot Sauce in Your Glove Compartment." |
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linuxdoctor
Infallible Persona
Joined: 23 Apr 2005
Posts: 1202
Location: Ottawa, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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Did any of you read the article? The guy is morbidly obese!!! He started out at 413 pounds and is still much too heavy even after being fed a diet that is typical for any ordinary man in western society. In other words, he is being well fed. His suit is clearly frivolous.
I am somewhat disturbed by LP-Shirl's comment that the guy shouldn't be in jail at all but executed. The guy hasn't even gone to trial yet so he is, technically, innocent until proved guilty in a court of law. He has only been accused of a crime and he very well may be innocent. Perhaps LP-Shirl subscribes to the notion often quoted from so-called American Wild West: hang 'em all and let God sort it all out.
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LP-Shirl
Live for Passion
Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 5775
Location: U.S. Delaware
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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| linuxdoctor wrote: |
I am somewhat disturbed by LP-Shirl's comment that the guy shouldn't be in jail at all but executed. The guy hasn't even gone to trial yet so he is, technically, innocent until proved guilty in a court of law. He has only been accused of a crime and he very well may be innocent. Perhaps LP-Shirl subscribes to the notion often quoted from so-called American Wild West: hang 'em all and let God sort it all out. |
Look carefully. I said if he did indeed murder someone, intentionally, then yes I believe he shouldn't be allowed to live. I certainly would never wish death on an innocent person. 
I don't subscribe to any such notion. (mostly due to the fact that I'm agnostic and haven't decided yet if I believe in a god or not) I just think "an eye for an eye" seems more fair then letting murdering man men live after they have killed an innocent person.
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"You Cant Keep Going to the Chicken Coop with Blah Blah on Your Mind When All You Have is Hot Sauce in Your Glove Compartment." |
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linuxdoctor
Infallible Persona
Joined: 23 Apr 2005
Posts: 1202
Location: Ottawa, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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This is what you said word for word:
| LP-Shirl wrote: | | Now, granted this guy is in there for murder, I don't believe he should be there at all. I believe people who murder others intentionally (accidents happen) should be put to death. |
It sounds to me that you have already assumed that he is guilty. There is absolutely no qualification in your words. You may have meant something else but that is not how you said it.
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LP-Shirl
Live for Passion
Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 5775
Location: U.S. Delaware
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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| linuxdoctor wrote: | This is what you said word for word:
| LP-Shirl wrote: | | Now, granted this guy is in there for murder, I don't believe he should be there at all. I believe people who murder others intentionally (accidents happen) should be put to death. |
It sounds to me that you have already assumed that he is guilty. There is absolutely no qualification in your words. You may have meant something else but that is not how you said it. |
I don't make assumptions. I'm sorry if my words gave you the wrong impression. Now that I read over it, it is rather misleading. Sorry about that.
I do wonder however, if any court is going to take his lawsuit seriously when they see how obese he is. It almost makes me want to laugh. Of course a regular portion of food isn't going to fill him up if hes 150 lbs or so over-weight. 
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"You Cant Keep Going to the Chicken Coop with Blah Blah on Your Mind When All You Have is Hot Sauce in Your Glove Compartment." |
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mcwkm
Grandmaster Poster
Joined: 30 Mar 2005
Posts: 271
Location: ct
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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So Shirl if it is premeditated murder, if found guilty penalty should be death penalty but if not premeditated what is the punishment? -sorry this is getting off the original topic
linuxdoctor just because the man in the article is obese does not mean it can not be used to start the conversation on that issue. |
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LP-Shirl
Live for Passion
Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 5775
Location: U.S. Delaware
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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| mcwkm wrote: | So Shirl if it is premeditated murder, if found guilty penalty should be death penalty but if not premeditated what is the punishment? -sorry this is getting off the original topic
linuxdoctor just because the man in the article is obese does not mean it can not be used to start the conversation on that issue. |
Well I think it depends entirely on the age and state of mind of the person. If they really didn't plan to kill anyone (for example, two kids play wrestling, one of them accidentally kills the other one using a fancy wrestling move) then I think they should be psychologically evaluated and given proper help and treatment. But I have no sympathy for someone who intentionally plans and follows through with a murder. Perhaps we should make a separate topic for that discussion though.
Back to the issue at hand, if I were a judge and this 300 pound prisoner stood before me complaining that he wasn't being fed enough I would try my hardest not to smirk at him. I mean, the amount of food prisoners get is based on what average sized people eat, isn't it? (I am not entirely sure, please inform me if they decide another way) Just because this guy doesn't want to be healthy and lose weight doesn't mean he can sue the prison for "starvation".
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"You Cant Keep Going to the Chicken Coop with Blah Blah on Your Mind When All You Have is Hot Sauce in Your Glove Compartment." |
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mcwkm
Grandmaster Poster
Joined: 30 Mar 2005
Posts: 271
Location: ct
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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| LP-Shirl wrote: | | Just because this guy doesn't want to be healthy and lose weight doesn't mean he can sue the prison for "starvation". |
It just further supports my position that people are generally stupid. But just because you can sue doesn't mean you will win and in this case I cannot see a lawyer wanting to take his case for any other reason then getting some press. |
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LP-Shirl
Live for Passion
Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 5775
Location: U.S. Delaware
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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| mcwkm wrote: | | LP-Shirl wrote: | | Just because this guy doesn't want to be healthy and lose weight doesn't mean he can sue the prison for "starvation". |
It just further supports my position that people are generally stupid. But just because you can sue doesn't mean you will win and in this case I cannot see a lawyer wanting to take his case for any other reason then getting some press. |
Exactly. I mean, again granted that this man is in prison, you would think that he should at least try to keep his body healthy as long as he's got it. Unless he just doesn't care I guess. But obesity can lead to many heart and other problems.
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"You Cant Keep Going to the Chicken Coop with Blah Blah on Your Mind When All You Have is Hot Sauce in Your Glove Compartment." |
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Scar
Lifeless Person
Joined: 15 Dec 2004
Posts: 6111
Location: Chuck Norris's nightmares.
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think they deserve anything. Prison/jail is punishment for something that you have done. Even though in most cases you haven't been proven guilty, you're still there as a punishment, and over eating is a privilege.
I'm sure that it's a law in most states that prisoners get atleast 3 meals a day. I know i spent a night in jail and i had 3. Wasn't the best food, but what else should you expect for free?
If they want to eat extra they should be able to pay for it themselves, and it should cost more than retail, only because it should go to help the food that they have already been fed which was paid for by our taxes.
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mcwkm
Grandmaster Poster
Joined: 30 Mar 2005
Posts: 271
Location: ct
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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| I know people who have chosen a jail time over their freedom with X number of hours of community service. When weighing the options of having absolutely no free time and providing for yourself over a relatively comfortable year in lockup where everything is supplied for you, I can't really blame them but then again if the community service takes the incident off your record while lockup won't there is more incentive to choose the community service. Of course these cases would never be considered major offenses and when your only spending a year unhappy its alot different then 3+ |
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LP-Shirl
Live for Passion
Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 5775
Location: U.S. Delaware
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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One thing that really bothers me, is that taxpayer money goes to prisons not only to feed inmates but for all the other things they require. As long as they are in prison why not make something productive out of them? If they are in jail for life and can't serve any other purpose, I say send them to the military to be trained and sent over seas. It makes more sense then thousands of innocent young men dying each year instead.
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"You Cant Keep Going to the Chicken Coop with Blah Blah on Your Mind When All You Have is Hot Sauce in Your Glove Compartment." |
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mcwkm
Grandmaster Poster
Joined: 30 Mar 2005
Posts: 271
Location: ct
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| LP-Shirl wrote: | | One thing that really bothers me, is that taxpayer money goes to prisons not only to feed inmates but for all the other things they require. As long as they are in prison why not make something productive out of them? If they are in jail for life and can't serve any other purpose, I say send them to the military to be trained and sent over seas. It makes more sense then thousands of innocent young men dying each year instead. |
In some cases people have been offered X amount of service time instead of jail time but in some cases you cannot offer service time because of the crime and in others you do not want to train the convict to be a better killer. I am a supporter of capital punishment but that costs more because of the appeal process which can be ridiculous in a lot of cases and the inmate is more likely to die on death row then be executed. |
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