What is life like as a prisoner in a Marine Corps brig?
I was sentenced to 18 months confinement at NAVCONBRIG Charleston, SC.18 months for something that is not illegal in the eyes of the U.S. government to civilians (in any of the 50 states), but carries a felony charge for the military. No one was injured/hurt/robbed/lied to/sold anything/given anything/I had nothing illegal and neither did anyone else.After being shunned by my command even before the judgement of guilty was given. Being left out of military traditions and given a bad name due to unknown circumstances to them.I was guilty until proven innocent. You are expected to wear your military uniform and keep it in regulations aling with weekly haircuts. I started at NAS JAX. There is a squad bay with 15-20 other military members in the same situation I found myself in from every branch you can think up. No touching most time no talking no commissary. Ask permission to go to the bathroom or get water. Wakr up 0500 to clean and work out whether thats what you want to do or not (most of the time, in the squad bay). Get inspected then twiddle your thumbs unless you work in the kitchen because there are no jobs other than that. Longest and shortest time spent in the brig was there.Then I got moved to Charleston after my trial. I was ecstatic, I got my own room, my own toilet, my own sink, a cup (yes a cup is an under appreciated commodity) and a damn radio. Little radio but I could hear music and that helped. They had monthly commissary for hygiene materials and batteries for your radio, but no food. Strickly no food in living quarters. If you were hungry between meals oh well.There you had jobs, vocational trianing, card games, weekly movies, it was nice. But still no sleeping during working hours unless it was the weekend that I think was the best thing about Charleston over Jacksonville, you could sleep during the day on the weekends. At jax you could not.All in all it wasn't where I wanted to be, but it could have been a lot worse.
Why do US prisons allow for inmates to be raped?
Correctional officers in U.S. prisons are largely understaffed. At times there may be a single prison guard to hundreds of prisoners. It is not just the prisoners themselves that are under threat of rape, prison guards themselves have been attacked by prisoners with the goal of sexually assaulting them.When 290-Pound Rapist Assaults Female Prison Guard in 'Bubble Area,' Only One Thing Prisoners Could Do - Save Her.This understaffing makes it difficult for prison guards to enforce the rules and prevent rape and sexual assault or indeed assault in general. Prisons in the U.S. are dangerous places not just for the prisoners but for the staff as well.Many States Face Dire Shortage of Prison GuardsUnderstaffed, Unsafe, UnacceptableOne has to consider how it is possible to prevent prison rape when there are not enough correctional officers to go around.I’m sure many of those correctional officers don’t hold the beliefs that Franklin outlined in his answer - that those under their guard should be raped, assaulted and brutalized - but they don’t have the ability to adequately maintain order.Another major problem is prison over-crowding. The U.S. incarcerates frankly, way too many people and the result is there is not enough space to house people appropriately. Crowded conditions, mixing violent offenders with non-violent offenders and a low number of staff creates unsafe conditions and leads to violence.Overcrowding In Federal Prisons Hits Level Not Seen Since Bush Administration: GAO ReportThe American public it seems remains largely apathetic to this occurring, partially because of what Franklin Veaux says but also I think because they aren’t willing to shell out the tax dollars necessary to build bigger prisons and to pay and adequately staff correctional officers. There’s also the fact that being a correctional officer right now is incredibly challenging and dangerous and it isn’t the most in demand job as a result.Furthermore there seems to be a dominant belief in the U.S. that the way to solve crime is through deterrence, creating harsh penalties for crimes and incarcerating for a lengthy period of time. This means that trying to solve prison overcrowding by getting non-violent offenders out of jail and recognizing that incarceration is not the answer to everything, is a difficult message to get through to many Americans.
How important is Habeas corpus to Americans?
well it is extremely important to me and it was extremely important to our Founding Fathers which is why it is a part of our Constitution. The Patriot act chipped away at it and the Military Commissions Act of 2006 has done away with it altogether for certain people " they claim" but the wording in the act states a person so in my mind, it has been taken away from EVERYONE. Article 1 Section 9 states: "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it. " Last time I looked we have no invading forces on our soil and there is no rebellion taking place ( unless we the people's majority opposition to the Iraq War is considered a rebellion) This administration loves to crow about how the terrorists hate us for our freedoms, so the administration will go ahead and take away our freedoms from us, and for what? The illusion of security Those who give up essential liberties for temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin
British Culture: What things can you do in the UK that you cannot in the USA?
Same-sex marriage in England and Wales (and Scotland from 2015) but recognised throughout the UK (in Northern Ireland as a Civil Partnership). In the US someone can be married in one state and then it's not recognised in the neighbouring state. Spell things like 'recognised' and 'neighbouring'.Talk proper.Not be religious and it isn't an issue. This is probably the biggest cultural difference between Europe and the Americas. Make self-deprecating jokes without being sent for counselling. Go out without carrying ID. Become a member of the Communist Party (should you wish).Use the word 'gaol' instead of 'jail' despite most Brits thinking it's goal spelt wrong. While I'm at it spelt rather than spelled. Be sent to gaol for shooting someone who has invaded your house when you have a gun licence. Talk about the weather. Drink tea with digestive biscuits. Use at least 50 quotes from The Hitchhikers Guide or Monty Python every week without realising it. Watch football where most players can't handle the ball.Explain the offside rule.Walk down almost any high street and hear a variety of languages.Have Welsh as a recognised national language. Have more than two national political parties.Have senior politicians who use public transport or bicycles.Understand why some people vote for Boris Johnson. Be able to roll your eyes when you see Boris Johnson on a bicycle.Be able to roll your eyes when you see Boris Johnson stuck in the middle of a zip wire.The existence of Boris Johnson.Boris Johnson's hair.Boris Johnson.Have a Queen or King as head or state. Have a socialist prime minister. Not leave tips when the service was poor.Pronounce the letter T (it's LETTER not LEDDER!)Drink alcohol from the age of 5 (under supervision!)Have a free health service. All approved prescription medicines cost the same (and some people can get them free).Drive of the left without causing an accident. Have roads with interesting names.Drive coast-to-coast in a few hours. Fag means cigarette. No boy ever falls on their fanny. Pants means underwear. Understand why some of the richest people look like they dressed in the dark. Graduate means completing a university degree.Openly gay priests and most people don't think of it being an issue. Not have a death penalty. Not have anything like Guantanamo Bay. Drink alcohol in public.Election results within 12 hours.Election campaigns that officially last one month.