Absolute Insanity

frtimmyd · Feb 5, 2012

Well, Kentucky's gone and done it. As of March 1, 2012, all of the state prisons in Kentucky will be "tobacco free". The absolute insanity of this amazes me. In my prison that means that come March 1 about 1700 criminals and 300 Officers will all be going through withdraw. As if it isn't tense enough already.
The State of Kentucky has now effectively; heightened the danger in the institutions, made a legal substance into contraband, ramped up the black market (rumors on the yard are of one pack of cigarettes going for around $100), and cut their revenue during a budget crunch. Just what in God's name was the upside to this nutty idea?
I now, as a chaplain, have to be the "tobacco police" for the Native Americans who use it in their religious ceremonies. My chapel will be known as a place where contraband is under lock and key. Guess who's office this makes a target?
All in all, this was the dumbest idea to ever come from a politician. and I anticipate a very tough month in March. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

morlader · Feb 5, 2012

That does seem like a particularly stupid bit of legislation. :roll:

winton · Feb 5, 2012

A polition is judged by the intent of his decisions, not the results.
No one is fired for following a law / rule / guideline to the letter. As a mortgage underwriter, I daily require nutty things, because auditors will nail me to the wall if I don't.
A more sensible decision would be to realize that tobacco calms people. They should waive sales tax on cobs and pipe tobacco. This would lower the violence / stress in the prisons.
The nasty side of me argues that if the prison is holding lifers, then they should take steps to shorten the sentence and cost to the state. Therefore certainly encourage the lifers to smoke this horrible weed that kills 78.635% of people who try it at least once. See, I too can quote statistics.
Winton

tomdavis · Feb 5, 2012

Another case of legislation driven by special interest groups that do not care about others or freedoms in the country. That is why the average citizen needs to begin to speak up and talk to the legislators. We who have the special interest called "America" need to take part in our government. I know I am preaching to the choir.
I also know that all of us thank you Father for your high-risk work with a very tough part of our society. Looking at the bright side--if there is one--you may find there are lot more descendants of American Indians come forward who now want to participate in spiritual ceremonies in your chapel. Stay safe and watch your back.

wildcat · Feb 5, 2012

Will send up a prayer Father Tim!
The 200 plus year experiment has failed IMO. We were once the land of the free, not anymore. It was just on the news that here in NY they are looking at legislation that will require proof of age (18) to buy soda and candy that has sugar in it! Yikes! Socialism is here...

ssjones · Feb 5, 2012

Stay safe in their Father and thanks for your work! Maryland did this 5-6 years ago. Cigarettes are now of course the largest contraband in the place. Of course they are still available, thru visitors and unfortunately for many guards, many of whom are caught smuggling them in. We have three large prisons in my town, so most of my friends/neighbors work in one. A tough job now made more difficult.
Unfortunately politicians never tire of trying save us from ourselves. Once civil liberties are taken, you never get them back. Here in Maryland, the Governor just announced his budget plan is to add a 75% tax on tobacco products. Fortunately, I live near the PA/WV borders and will just shop there (also for gas, groceries and alcohol). That is sad for those business in my town.

withnail · Feb 5, 2012

Another ridiculous idea! I would have thought that America would have learned a lesson from Prohibition? No doubt the gangs in prison will be delighted that they are being given a new source of income. For once it is something that Britain has been sensible about. As their cell is considered a prisoners home address, they are allowed to smoke there and outside. Drugs are a big enough problem in prisons without adding to the list.

nsfisher · Feb 5, 2012

ya a few yrs ago Canada's prisons went tobacco free. Wife an i were just talking bout it the other nite. I dont know how it goes in prisons now with the smoke free environment. I would't want to be a guard during the withdrawel change over. I wonder with prisoners use for "money" now?

frtimmyd · Feb 5, 2012

With tobacco being legal on the outside, they've just made it easier to introduce contraband into the situation. This is not a narcotic where you have to have the right "connections" to obtain some. It's right down the street at your local BP.
The hard thing to know is that there will be Officers who, while they would never be tempted to bring drugs to a prisoner, may be enticed because "hey, it's just tobacco". Guys who barely make over minimum given an opportunity to make some fast cash. Gee, you THINK that might be a temptation? And the sad thing is that these guys who give in to that will loose everything.
I wish I had been in the loop when this stupid piece of crap legislation was in the pipeline. I would have been the first to head over to Frankfort.

portascat · Feb 5, 2012

Texas Department of Criminal Justice has been tobacco free for going on 20 years (not quite, but close enough for hand grenades).
And, yes, cigs and snuff are huge contraband items for us to deal with.
It comes in from two basic routes. Staff / volunteers and outside trustees.
The outside trustees have a friend or family member leave it in a particular place that the trustee will have access to, or visit, and it gets picked up when it is known that a particularly lax officer is doing the escort.
Oddly enough, as many medical staff and volunteers bring in contraband as officers, if not more. We had a nurse bring in a pistol to a unit that facilitated an escape a year or so ago. How about that?
But, yes, it is very easy to bring in small amounts of tobacco (loose, single packs, cans of snuff) once you are familiar with how the search procedures are implemented.

portascat · Feb 5, 2012

Hey, Padre, what system do you work in? Your officers are making only minimum or slightly above? Are you with a private contractor like CCA or GEO?

dburrows · Feb 5, 2012

It never ceases to amaze me. Most don't think about what the legislation actually causes... they simply hear that no more tax dollars will be going to provide prisoners with cigarettes. But if the drug war and, as already mentioned, prohibition were any indication, this is a horrible decision.

portascat · Feb 5, 2012

Texas actually provided loose tobacco, for free, to inmates when tobacco was allowed. Drum, IIRC.
Basically the inmate could walk to the Searchers Desk and get a small amount of loose and a few papers.

judcole · Feb 5, 2012

This seems like an incredibly bad idea.

hobie1dog · Feb 5, 2012

We live in such a primitive society. Hard to believe things will keep getting worse every year, but they do. :evil:

frtimmyd · Feb 5, 2012

BTW, thank you all for the concerns. I think we will probably do all right. I'm just constantly amazed at the idiocy of "do-something" type of people. Can't be bothered to think things through just do something and damn the consequences.

frtimmyd · Feb 5, 2012

Hey, Padre, what system do you work in? Your officers are making only minimum or slightly above? Are you with a private contractor like CCA or GEO?

I'm not sure I can speak with knowledge about that. I know they are not contractors. All our CO's are State Employees. I did a little figuring while I was at work today and it looks like they make a bit more than minimum but at somewhere around $27,000 a year that's still pretty slim.

pipetrucker · Feb 5, 2012

Stupid seems to be the new smart.

portascat · Feb 5, 2012

that is a low salary for a Correctional Officer. Is that starting salary by some chance?
I don't make a huge salary by any means, but significantly more than that, and not counting things like Hazardous Duty pay, benefits, paid time off, comp time, etc.

frtimmyd · Feb 5, 2012

Unfortunately it's not. Kentucky has some of the lowest paid correctional officers in the country. Plus they have not had a raise in about 5 years (last year we had 6 mandatory furlough days).

Absolute Insanity

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