Posts Tagged ‘prisons’
Technological Tracking of Free-Range Felons Could Make Incarceration Obsolete
This brave new world of free-range felons is highly reliant on technological solutions, but, advocates argue, it would take tremendous strain off a failed prison system into which decent people who’ve fallen afoul of the law (often related to illegal substances) come out of prison hardened, more violent, and with a slew of new friends from their time spent inside. By keeping pettier criminals out of jail, we keep them working, keep them among positive influences like family (a relationship for which the benefits are often reciprocal), and keep them out of trouble.
How does the system keep them out of trouble? The current parole/probation system is also something of a failure, with overworked officers trying to ensure that too many felons keep their noses clean, day in and day out. Technological solutions like the from Anderson, Indiana-based BI Incorporated can do that automatically. The combination ankle bracelet and GPS transponder (worn on the waist like a cell phone) keeps real-time tabs on its clientele, making sure they do what they’re supposed to do and stay away from places where the state doesn’t want them.
For instance, a parole officer could detail a rigid routine for a free-range prisoner, ensuring he adheres to his work schedule (we’re using the masculine “he” here – in the majority of cases it’s accurate), reports for community service, and stays the hell away from schools or that watering hole down on 2nd Street where the whole trouble started in the first place. Not only that, but the tracking tech can make sure he stays clear of other felons wearing the device, but also from further crime – who would recruit a partner in crime who has a GPS tracker attached to his belt, anyhow?
BI’s technology is already capable of monitoring the free-range felon’s sweat for traces of alcohol use (what’s up, LiLo!) if necessary, but future versions could also monitor for other substances to ensure state charges stay off the hard stuff or on their meds. And as other wireless technologies progress, so too could the monitoring tech, for instance checking for proximity to the kinds of products the "prisoner" has a habit of stealing.
It sounds intrusive, but when citizens are convicted of felonies they do give up some rights. And given that the alternative is to sit in a prison cells, many would likely leap at the option to remain on the outside as a productive, yet partially restricted, member of society. Of course, we’ll always need places to put those citizens that are true menaces to society, but given that American has more than 2 million people wasting away behind bars right now in the U.S. – a population the size of Houston, as Wood points out – the idea of letting our less dangerous criminals walk among us doesn’t seem so bad.
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L.A. Prison Using Experimental, Controversial ‘Pain Ray’ to Keep Inmates in Line
A similar microwave pain ray was disqualified for military use in Afghanistan
The device, which will be mounted high on the wall in a dormitory housing some 65 prisoners, does no damage but it's ray penetrates the skin about 1/64th of an inch over an area about the size of a CD, causing a sensation that's been equated to opening an extremely hot oven. The pain stops when the target gets out of the way of the beam. It is controlled remotely via a joystick and a camera mounted on the ray itself. Deputies at Pitchess think it should help break up fights between inmates and keep deputies from having to hurl themselves into harm's way when inmates get unruly.
Of course, we've seen similar technology before in military settings. The U.S. Army a similar Humvee-mounted pain ray cannon to Afghanistan, though it was to the States without ever having been used (or so we're told). Apparently incapacitating locals with a searing sensation of extreme heat was deemed an inappropriate way to win hearts and minds.
At Pritchess, where there have already been 257 inmate-on-inmate assaults and 19 assaults on deputies over the fist half of this year, deputies are likely less worried about being liked and more concerned about maintaining safety and order. If the pain ray is successful at helping them do so, it could be installed in prisons nationwide.
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From Malaysian Architects, a Parallel Prison World in the Sky
The designers were inspired by the idea of prisoner rehabilitation
Convicted criminals, prison employees, and cargo would shuttle back and forth to the great big prison in the sky on pods that travel on the prison's supporting structural legs. Different pod types include a heavy lift cargo pod, a medevac pod, and an armored riot control pod that drops police on lines, commando-style.
Modular prison cells might also give inmates a glimpse of the world below as a source of inspiration, even as they spend their days doing honest work for society. The Malaysian concept won first place in eVolo magazine's 2010 Skyscraper Competition, out of 430 entries from 42 countries.
This approach seems to take inspiration from some prisoner rehab methods that have used education and work to keep prisoners productive, but also bears resemblance to other historical prisons that have used remote islands or other locations with environmental barriers to keep prisoners from escaping.
A sky prison may also beat the old penal colony practice of simply dumping prisoners in foreign lands, even if that practice did result in the fine nation of Australia. And who wouldn't want to have a sky prison that seems to hover above their city in the style of District 9?
On the downside, some screenwriter may already be feverishly typing up a horrendous spiritual sequel to Escape from L.A.
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