I myself suffer from a horrible addiction to Tobasco sauce. For some reason it just goes so good with everything from corn flakes to ice cream……… I just farted in my state issued pants. I think thats the first sign of relapse from the bean and hot sauce burrito I had for lunch. Why do I do this to myself… (sobs uncontrolably)…. Oh wait, does this mean I get free stuff and don’t have to work while all the decent people in the country support my self inflicted problems?

To Mr serial killer who start out torturing frogs- that is about the funnies thing I heard so far- lol . Really – so that’s the reason we should put non-violent criminals in prison with serial killers. Our nation needs free long term treatment for non-violent offense. Prison should only be for hard crimes and still they should be treated to make sure there is no mental heath issue. That’s right solve drug users by labeling them like serial killers. That’s the issues we have drug users are spending more time in prison than people who has committed hard crimes. We still have guns legal- which should not be-be drug illegal – and we want to preach about being safe. It’s a joke. So have a toke. You poke.

The War on Drugs is a Failure

Is this a news flash to anyone? Philosopher and poet George Santayana said, “Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them” and no clearer example can be found to prove his dictum than America’s longest war; the insane “War on Drugs.” Our government can’t win this war and their attempts to hold the line are not only expensive and destructive, they aren’t having any real appreciable impact on drug use. As with Prohibition, the War on Drugs has only added to the problems that it was supposed to alleviate. Some drug use may have declined as a result of the government’s efforts, but the cost of that decline has been a huge expansion in government, law enforcement and the prison system and a dramatic reduction in personal freedom and privacy rights.

In the drug war, the pattern has been one step forward, one step back – one trafficking organization smashed, another one formed; one hectare of coca or opium poppy destroyed, another one planted; one dealer imprisoned, another taking his place.

The drug war reflects a political arrogance that the government can solve bad habits by passing laws and sending police out on the streets to arrest the way to an improved society. The collateral damage of this arrogance is clear. It is time to end the drug war, to seek education, treatment, product labeling and testing, and a more orderly yet much less profitable market for the measure of drug usage, which society cannot stem or prevent, with or without force.

Drug laws and drug enforcement began with racial discrimination against minorities and that discrimination continues. Despite roughly equal drug use between blacks and whites, African-Americans are 13 times more likely to go to jail for drugs than whites. In New York, 93% of the people in jail under the draconian Rockefeller drug laws are African-American and Latino. Offering people who use drugs treatment and help instead of incarceration would not only save this country much-needed resources, it would help keep tens of thousands of mothers and fathers out of jail and with their families.

According to the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Reports, we arrest more than 872,000 Americans a year for marijuana offenses, and that number has climbed every year for the past five years. That’s one marijuana arrest every 36 seconds. And nearly 90 percent of those arrests are for simple possession – not selling or cultivation.

It is about a war on drugs that we are not winning , that is effecting the poor , mental ill, and uneducated. If our government really care to end the war – people would be giving the right to free long term treatment ,which we do not have. We only have short term and long term cost large amounts. We live in a nation that allows alcohol to be legal – easy to get to- be help is so hard to find. At the same time it makes people commit crime- Alcoholism is a sickness that we don’t have compassion for – sorry but for an alcoholic – alcohol has more power over these people also most of these people who’s lives has been effected by it started drinking in teen age years. As for drugs – why not… Why .. This war on drugs is don’t ending and it a joke. What we need is a War on Poverty – teaching our people skills and trades – get us so high and put us to work- haha. In other words –
It’s not the drugs; It’s the war
For the last 20 years, the United States has been waging a so-called “War on Drugs”. This war has been, at best, ineffective; at worst, an unmitigated disaster.

• The direct cost of the War on Drugs is something like 40 or 50 billion dollars per year
  o the federal government will spend 19 billion dollars this year
  o state and local law enforcement will add another 10 billion
  o we spend 10 or 20 billion dollars each year keeping drug users in prison
• Indirect costs are estimated at 200 to 400 billion dollars per year
  o crime
  o disease
  o lost wages
  o lost taxes
• And then there are the intangible costs
  o The United States now has 2 million people in prison
  o Drug laws are widely disregarded and erratically enforced, which diminishes respect for law and government
  o Drug laws fund organized crime and corrupt law enforcement
  o The War on Drugs is tearing apart foreign countries, like Columbia, and communities within our own country

There is nobody judging anyone mam. The point you are making is mute. People who choose to do drugs or drink excessively and then decide to commit crimes are a danger to society. They start at with small crimes and then graduate to more dangerous crimes and more violent. Just like the profile of most serial killers. They start out torturing animals. Frogs, cats and dogs, etc. Then the thrill is gone and they move on to bigger and better things, like people. If you want to help junkies that is your business but, we as a Nation are not responsible for your bad choices. You are responsible for your own actions and no one else’s. If society would hold people accountable, as we try to do, then there would be far less people comitting crimes. If a person realizes that if they get strung out on drugs, the community will pay to get them off drugs and then find them a job, you are only rewarding people for bad behaivor. In case you haven’t noticed, it is illegal to ingest drugs into your system whether they are prescribed drugs (someone else’s prescription) or any other number of illegal drugs. If you choose to live that life style then, you and only you have to suffer the consequences. Putting them on welfare is a reward. I don’t reward my children and grandchildren for bad behaivor. They already know if they choose to be idiots, society will treat them as such. We have enough lazy, worthless people on welfare as it is. Welfare was designed to be assistance for needy people not a life style for the lazy. You and people like you are the reason this Country is in the shape it is now. Your answer to any problem is to give them money and a free existence. Know one has a right to that. Read our Constitution. We have rights but, not rights to other peoples money. Earn your own or suffer. I get tired of hearing about how hard it is to find a job. Go on Ohio jobs and there are literally thousands of jobs available. People don’t want to work they want a free existence. They want tax payers like me to support their habits while they lay around high everyday and do nothing. In Ohio we have a Castle Doctrine law. If you break into my home, I don’t have to hide. I have a right to defend my family and property. So if you get high and break into my home, you will never do that again. I promise. I will end your criminal career the second you come through my door or window. I hold people accountable for their actions. I am not a bad or violent person but, I will defend my family, friends and loved ones if it means giving up my life. There are a lot of people who feel the way I do. It is called a free society.

I love my 12 hour shifts. I get every 2nd Fri/Sat/Sun off. I don’t mind working nights either.
As far as stress goes here is what I do:
-work out in the gym 3-4 times per week. We are allowed to work out on night shifts too.
-Eat right-lots of complex carbs / quality protein / vegetables.
-quit smoking years ago. I drink very little alcohol.

I’m 40 now and I feel better than when I was 30. No kidding.

No name calling- my point is there is no different in a fat person from an drug users or someone who is an alcohol. Addiction run is all fashion. One is not right from another. It is compassion for all. The point is it is your right to put anything in your body if you don’t hurt another human being. If we are putting people in prison because we want them to be off drugs and get a job , that is what we have to do. Do you math it is cheaper to keep a drug user on welfare – about 15,000 at the most – it costs 23,000 for them to be in prison. I not saying drugs are ok and we should all do them . I saying we have to have a better way – to make sure these people get out of the system , off drugs, with job when they get out. It not right for us the pick on junkies , when we are no better. Sin is sin of all – if we judge -we will be judge.

Is there a moderator for this forum? It appears that someone…I won’t name names…but it appears as though they may be under the influence while participating in this forum. One has to wonder why, oh why, would they come to a corrections-based forum where corrections professionals partake and cry about drug users going to prison?

Get a life! It’s the law. You violate it, you get punished. You eat too much, you suffer the overweight consequences, but it’s NOT against the law! Drugs are.

You are making NO headway in this forum and if I can find a moderator I, personally, will ask them to ban you from the thread.

Shoo…shoo… go away little drug user!

I am done America , you will find me a the steps of the White House protesting. I love you America.

Ok then where are drug coming from. We are not getting drug dealer but users. It is people human right to do drugs. As long as they don’t hurt any body. Human right law. Think fat people should be locked up for being fat . But it is there human right to eat. Let lock up fat people. that will most of the prison gaurds. if we want to look at people and say you are wrong , well think being fat is wrong. Eating to much is wrong.

I’d have to agree with Commander here.
In our provincial jails we have many programs dealing with drug abuse, healing, sobriety, thinking errors and alike.
Our “Recidivism” rates here are over 80%. Clearly this approach is not working. The situation is only getting worse here too. We have a major gang issue to deal with also.

Let’s get back on topic here!!!!!

“Prison” that is your opinion and you have more than expressed it. This is a Corrections Site. The people on these forums are either active corrections professionals or retired like me. We have no use for a bleeding heart liberal who continues to spout the same propaganda over and over. We believe that a person or persons who commit a felony crime, whether under the influence of drugs or alcohol or just plain stupidity, will be held accountable for their actions. After being convicted in a Court of Law by a jury of their peers and sentenced to a prison term, halfway house, rehab center or whatever, they will have to serve their sentence. If more people thought like you, the non violent offenders would soon become violent offenders. If they don’t want to chance going to prison, don’t do the drugs. Real simple concept. Now would you please go to a Liberal website that posts forums for like minded people such as yourself and cry each other a river.

Well-very good topic here. The comparisons between Canada and the USA are huge.
Our avg wage up here is $27 per hour. Good benefits too. With OT, one can easily make 65k per.
My facility does both 8 and 12 hour shifts. I’m on 12’s-and love them.

The goal is to get people off drugs – teach them how to live in our America society of Alcoholism , get them job- teach skills and trades 0- something that we have lost in America , give better education. Stop crime by healing our weak. Putting them in prison is not doing it, but creating hard criminals. What we got to do is end poverty-teach trades to get people off welfare and we do that by ending these million dollar enterprise – like prison that is sucking our system to death , and that is capitalizing on people ‘s misfortune. Prison should be for hard crimes. Don’t of people’s misfortune. If we want to lower crime we have to end poverty- there is no reason for any body to be poor in America. When I see homes in foreclose – and there is homeless people. Yes – homeless people need to work, but look there is fewer and fewer jobs for people. More and more homless. We need trades and skills in America again. Not every bady is going to be a doctor or lawyer, but they can be a shoe maker.

Time to remove my notifications of new posts to this thread. It has been hijacked into some liberal, pro-convict tirade and I’m tired of reading about it.

If you’d like to start a topic elsewhere regarding your viewpoints on how we should not lock up people because they break the law, please start your own thread. This one was meant for discussion on 12-hour shifts.

It has nothing to do with anarchial view. What it is that the prison system is not working at all. We have use violent against violent. It is not working people. Non- violent criminals should never be put be hide bars, but in long term treatments. It is the youth. It kids who are being effected by drugs , alcohol , and the criminal system. If we want to at drug users from sitting home doing drug- while you work so hard- than build treatment centers and get them out of prison where the are sitting 0 doing nothing for years on taxes payers money. Drug users are Drug users who need help getting off of drugs, not prison. Till they have committed a violent crime – It is there right to put any thing they want in there body. It has been the past 30 years , that we have put so many people in prison , and -what -it has not end drugs. It is not the user the is the issues , here it is the question of where is drugs coming from. We are spending way to much time putting a way users instead of stopping drugs. I am standing for what is right – what is right is helping change the way we veiw non-violent drug offenses and the goverment tell us why we have so many people in prison. Why some crime is getting by with hard crime – like these bankers and Millionaires are walking free. I want to see these bankers behide bars- that just took mid-class taxes payers money from them. America we have to change what we are doing.

I agree with HDCO, We are those are there day in and day out with these so called innocent criminals, have heard every excuse that there possibly can be. Prison is no, either you work in corrections and are so unhappy that you must take a anarchial view, which if it is the case get a new job, or you are one of those drug using criminals and is on here just to give the rest of who are trying to be productive a hard time. Why don’t you take a hike to Drug users forum or something.

http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=the%20new%20jim%20crow%20law&tnr=21&vid=4941712668819548&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fvideos%2Fthumbnail.aspx%3Fq%3D4941712668819548%26id%3Dae18f628bd5ab8959a1a2645d78b9884%26bid%3DffgPXnhJ8Exi4g%26bn%3DThumb%26url%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fwww.youtube.com%252fwatch%253fv%253dWX6G0ICwJ1Q&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWX6G0ICwJ1Q&sigr=11adijicn&newfp=1&tit=Michelle+Alexander+on+%26quot%3BThe+New+Jim+Crow%3A+Mass+Incarceration+in+the+...

“Prison is no…” hmmmm let’s see…that “weak” guy or gal who just pointed a gun me demanding my wallet is just a poor person who had a tough upbringing…right…oh and the asshole who got so high he or she thought it would be okay to steal my car and speed to the 7-11 to get “munchies” only to tbone an innocent family on their way home from whatever..that guy had a mental illness which made him take the drugs that made him steal the car and crash, killing a family right? You sir or Madame are preaching to the wrong choir here. We see a revolving door of douchebaggery…all of whom at some point in their useless counterproductive lives, swore up and down that they would change and become more pro social members of society. Go somewhere (ie: another forum) and preach your rainbows and unicorn approach to criminal justice. I’m sure there are like minded individuals there who will rub your back and agree with your innovative approach…..

Dear criminal justice , you can’t sleep – I can’t stop crying. We really have an issues here in America . We have to come up with a solution. Prison is not ending drug or alcoholism. It is only adding to poverty. We have to keep non-violent offenses out of prison and put these people in heath care where they can learn how to get off of drugs. Users are weak people , people who feel worthless – that is why they get on drugs. They are not bad people – they are users. If we can get them off of drugs and live in our America society of alcoholism and teach them skills in long term treatments under heath care. Put them back into society with a skill or trade – clean. I have lost half of my family to legal drugs and alcohol and there is no help. I cry when I see how easy it is to get beer , but so hard to find help. most of them I have lost- to pain pills and Alcohol. I lost a bother do to drinking and driving , he was 21. Very young . I would like to say " be responsibility" that is easy to say. My family was against alcohol- but my society says drinking is OK. I want to see a change in America. People are not being responsible- if we where we would not have so many criminals and so many people on drugs.

Remember we are taking about non-violent offenses. Yes I do feel sorry for people who lives are destroyed by drugs, because it has America at the core. It really got our youth of all race, poor – rich, smart – dumb. But it is the ones that are poor, mental ill, and uneducated that it is effected. that is why I am so passionate about this. The wealthy Americas are doing the same stuff- even harder and are getting by with it. A lot of our Judges and Lawyer are alcoholics and cocaine users – they are get a way with it. We have to start finding a way to heal people off of these drugs and tightening up on the laws of alcohol. Alcoholism is a sick disease- that you may have a family member who has been effected by it . It’ s legal – knowing people are out drinking and driving – why haven’t we got alcohol monitors in car- like sit belts and air bags. More people are dying of Alcoholism – than drinking and driving. It is an ethical issues. We need long term rehabilitation in America for alcohol and drugs for non-violent offenses. And get these guns off of the streets.

That is why we need compassion more than ever. You are a stronger person, shine your light on those who are weak. People who do drugs are not bad people but weak people. It has been the issues for a while that strong people view weak people as being sorry people. So what do we do we keep them down- they telling what sorry people they are. They are humans- we are all spiritual people in flesh. The devil is out there – taking people lives with drugs. That person on drugs was a child at one point – who was pure- maybe they where weak – drugs and alcohol is very sick thing – that is taking peoples lives , even children. It is easy for people to look at someone on drugs , and say how sorry they are, but it is hard to help that person to never get back on drugs . That is why we have only a solution of prison. My point is that prison is not ending drugs but instead creating criminals. Do you realize that four out of five are non-violent. Four people sitting in cells with one violent. Drugs is not the really issues in America . the really issue is the capitalize of our criminal justice system , that is make millions off of taxes payer money and nothing is going back into society to really end drugs or alcohol. We need a war on poverty . A war on education. There should never be a homeless person in America , when we have room in prison. We should be building homes not prison. Most of our criminals you will find that most of them where showing signs of behavior issues early in schools. A lot of them had learning issues. Poor. On top of it all- mental illness. Do you realize that most people you get on drugs are self medicating – themselves. People who do drugs or alcohol are really sick people. A lot of crime would be stop right in school – when children are showing signs of behavior problems- no – what do we do – we put them out. Just like we do , criminals. Rapist , murders , and sex offenses should go to prison, but it the same time they are humans. My point is non-violent offenses should be place in heath care that is long term – And FREE, with our taxes , instead of putting them in prison with our taxes. Our taxes should go into education . Right now our government is making billions out of non-violent offenses. Truth is the user is not committing crime , but only destroying themselves. We are not getting the hard drug dealers , because they are our government. Where is drugs , really coming from. Where is these pain pills coming from. If we really want to make a change we really got to heal our so call crimes, I call them weak people who has fell into our system. You are stronger, it is now time to be a light . And help figure out how can we keep the youth out of the system.

That is why we need compassion more than ever. You are a stronger person, shine your light on those who are weak. People who do drugs are not bad people but weak people. It has been the issues for a while that strong people view weak people as being sorry people. So what do we do we keep them down- they telling what sorry people they are. They are humans- we are all spiritual people in flesh. The devil is out there – taking people lives with drugs. That person on drugs was a child at one point – who was pure- maybe they where weak – drugs and alcohol is very sick thing – that is taking peoples lives , even children. It is easy for people to look at someone on drugs , and say how sorry they are, but it is hard to help that person to never get back on drugs . That is why we have only a solution of prison. My point is that prison is not ending drugs but instead creating criminals. Do you realize that four out of five are non-violent. Four people sitting in cells with one violent. Drugs is not the really issues in America . the really issue is the capitalize of our criminal justice system , that is make millions off of taxes payer money and nothing is going back into society to really end drugs or alcohol. We need a war on poverty . A war on education. There should never be a homeless person in America , when we have room in prison. We should be building homes not prison. Most of our criminals you will find that most of them where showing signs of behavior issues early in schools. A lot of them had learning issues. Poor. On top of it all- mental illness. Do you realize that most people you get on drugs are self medicating – themselves. People who do drugs or alcohol are really sick people. A lot of crime would be stop right in school – when children are showing signs of behavior problems- no – what do we do – we put them out. Just like we do , criminals. Rapist , murders , and sex offenses should go to prison, but it the same time they are humans. My point is non-violent offenses should be place in heath care that is long term – And FREE, with our taxes , instead of putting them in prison with our taxes. Our taxes should go into education . Right now our government is making billions out of non-violent offenses. Truth is the user is not committing crime , but only destroying themselves. We are not getting the hard drug dealers , because they are our government. Where is drugs , really coming from. Where is these pain pills coming from. If we really want to make a change we really got to heal our so call crimes, I call them weak people who has fell into our system. You are stronger, it is now time to be a light . And help figure out how can we keep the youth out of the system.

First thing is first, This topic was about stress and the 12 hour shift, how it got onto Drug addicted criminals is beyond me. But, being that the subject was brought up, are we to feel sorry for people who have chosen to put a crack pipe to thier lips or the heroin addict who shoots up several times a day, after they commit crimes against those who have chosen not to. I think not.Yet I do agree that many of them are creations of society I also think that they can change and be more productive and lead normal lives. All of this “I come from a bad town” Or “there are no jobs”, is just a way to cop out and make lame excuses for them taking advantage of the system. They don’t have money and live in poverty so what do they do get high…. Where did that money come from? Either from selling drugs or from abusing our current govermental system which is in place to help people who has no other means. Which can lead to the next point I think the governement should drug test any and all applicants for federal aid of any type. I am a productive member of society, who works to provide and I am periodically drug tested why should I be drug tested and not those who receive assistance when many of those are just buying drugs? Gee I should just quit my job, sit back and get high and drunk everyday. And as for getting user behind bars and not dealers, that is untrue. The truth is that when one goes down 1 or 2 pops up. That’s the truth. I also read earlier that the governement is the cause for all the drugs…. REALLY? Wow what a governement we have, A governement who wants total anarchy… COOL I WANNA LIVE HERE….

We need better education – LOOK at my spelling.