(1) a manifest psychopath who dismembered one of his victims and is known to be a master manipulator was allowed to be in a prison’s “honor block.” (I know that the criterion is ‘good behavior’ or absence of bad behavior, but that policy is idiotic, because some dangerous psychopaths are skilled at maintaining a facade of good behavior.)
(2) routine cell checks and bed checks were not performed on the two escapees, Matt and Sweat.
(3) females not made of strong psychological stuff would ever be allowed to work around/near said psychopaths & convicted murderers, given the opportunity to be manipulated.
(4) in the event that any female would be allowed to work there on any kind of a regular basis (a very bad idea in my opinion), said female would never be anything other than attractive, self-confident, and not needy for male attention or vulnerable to it.
I’m stunned to hear on the news over the last week that it’s commonplace for females to work in male prisons and to be susceptible to their influence. Is this someone’s twisted view of “equality”? Obviously it’s possible that a male could be corrupted into a conspiracy as well, but the temptation in a coed situation is just way too obvious and dangerous.
It is not essential that male prisons include female personnel. Ridiculous.
I think a male working at a men’s prison could be compromised as readily as a female prison worker. I’m a woman and I wouldn’t want to work in any prison…I get depressed just going into a courtroom never mind a full-blown prison. Prisons are just way too depressing and scary a place to me.
I clicked on this half-expecting to see someone else wondering, as I am, why this story must lead every local and even some national newscasts for a week. (Also why a governor wants to play law enforcement Big Gun, though I realize the situation makes him look pretty bad.)
But I must disagree that women working in a men’s prison is "someone’s twisted view of ‘equality.’ " And I’ve also got to point out that it is illegal (and just plain impractical) not to hire women on the basis of them being “anything other than attractive, self-confident, and not needy for male attention or vulnerable to it.” Tell me how that would work, exactly? Will someone develop an objective rubric for attractiveness, self-confidence, and neediness? Many exceptionally attractive women are needy for male attention (Marilyn Monroe comes to mind). And just because a woman is unattractive, needy, and insecure does not mean that she can’t tell the difference between right and wrong.
Prisons are often the major employer in their locations. They offer secure long-term employment with decent benefits. Why should women not have that opportunity, if it’s the best available to them and they’re qualified to do the job? Yes, this is a tragic and infuriating situation, but the answer isn’t to discriminate against 50 percent of the people on the planet.
Wow this is one of the most sexist threads I’ve read in a long time. One woman made a terrible decision and therefore all women must be weak and vulnerable. Makes sense. 8-|
This is a terrifying situation. What I can’t figure out is how the hell no one heard power tools. Clearly there are some much larger issues at this prison.
Let’s remember, too, that male prison personnel have been known to rape women inmates or pressure them for sex in exchange for favors or better treatment. I think that probably happens at least as frequently as women prison personnel assisting in escape plans.
According to news this morning - the women who was arrested husband is also being investigated in regards to helping the two prisoners.
“(Also why a governor wants to play law enforcement Big Gun, though I realize the situation makes him look pretty bad.)”
Because he thinks he is the smartest person in the room and wants to be the one to come riding in on his white horse, no matter what. He is often caught looking stupid in these situation. My H works for him so I’m quite familiar with how Andrew operates. He micromanages everything - especially things which are in the public’s view (weather disasters, ebola, etc., .)
I was surprised to hear the potential sentence for this woman if convicted. Something like 7 years? Doesn’t seem nearly enough for aiding a prison escape.
Meanwhile, I understand why this escape is heading the news. It’s ‘escapism’ of the news sort. Not really hard news (like the trade bill that didn’t go through). It’s a Harrison Ford movie-type news. Where’s Waldo news. Movie of the week news. Easy to cover and easy for audiences to follow.
Ah yes, your usual ideological rhetoric. This is not about ideology and rhetoric, including your preferred “sexism” meme. It’s about the reality of sexual dynamics; that’s what it is.
I rather doubt that. Rather, I think, as one prison expert put it, having females around makes life more interesting – provides distractions and what not, and apparently distractions and variety are part of keeping the peace – according to the experience he was sharing. I still say the risk is not worth it unless one knows the psychological make-up of the woman/women in question.
“Prisons are often the major employer in their locations. They offer secure long-term employment with decent benefits.”
Which has certainly been the case in the State of New York for quite some time. Governor Cuomo the Elder used to brag about how many prisons he built. It wasn’t until recent years that New York City activists began to complain that State Prisons were an economic development program for small towns upstate. Therefore, it’s not unusual to see mom, grandma, pop and cousin Ed all employed at the local prison in the hinterlands.
Yes, Andrew has been quite visible in this affaire. I noticed that he wasn’t smiling when he said “I plan to give their ‘have a nice day’ note back to them.” And his comment to a jail cell neighbor of one of the escapists was a surreal attempt at humor: “you didn’t hear them drilling?”
Well, my usual ideological rhetoric seems to be the vast majority opinion on here
I, too, hope you have a wonderful day.
I was intimately involved in the recent legislative changes in California with regards to women in their prison system (re: coercive sexual sterilization). It was really my first time researching prisons and their environments. The amount of sexual abuse that women face from their (usually but not always) male guards is stomach-churning.
I’m glad I live in a time where the vast majority of the population doesn’t believe that women should be limited on job opportunities simply because they’re women. I’ll leave that to my great-grandparents’ generation.
Lake Champlain is a huge summer resort area for New York and Vermont…youth summer camps and second homes line both shores. Two escaped convicts make folks nervous.
It has ZERO to do with sexism, and everything to do with interrelationships, as well as the reality of individuals who have poor self-esteem and are in a situation to be exploited by exploiters. Among the prison population of both sexes are some very cunning and manipulative predators. Sexual dynamics are a reality in any century – first century or 21st century. Pretending that the 21st century has suddenly eradicated the vibes between men and women is absurd.
I heard on the news today that the women’s husband was also suspected of helping the convicts. This may be more than they exploited a women with low self esteem.
There are other ways to regulate contact between men and women in prison. Have two officers/employees at all interactions is one. It is not possible to have only men work at a men’s prison as, for example, women visitors must be frisked. There are women nurses and doctors who have a right to apply for and be hired for those positions. There are more men in prison than women, so if only men were hired for men’s prisons and women for women’s, more men would get jobs and the women’s prisons would have less experienced guards just because of past practices of only hiring men.
