News, Inmate Visits Now Carry Added Cost in Arizona.

[Gandalara]

Originally Posted by rich67

Vast majority? The MINORITY work. They are called trustees. Not every prisoner is a trustee, only those with a better record are authorized to work; the days of everyone forced to do labor are no more.
Also, let me ask you this, how many prisoners in DOC actually have a retirement/ 401k? Do you honestly think any people in prison held a job for any length of time where they were able to obtain a retirement? Maybe in some federal prisons, some white collar criminals had that ability, but in our state prison system? I seriously doubt it.
This is how it is in Florida, and it was the same in California about 17 years ago when I left....unless things have changed drastically, and every prisoner in state custody is now a "model" prisoner who is responsible enough to hold a job, work around sharp tools and knives in a kitchen, and is qualified to work construction to do prison upkeep.

Well, excuse me for asking a simple question because I was curious about the differences between states. No reason to get snippy.

Since both my father and I worked for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for a combined total of 40 years, I guess I don't know anything. I'll just keep my opinions to myself.

[rich67]

Originally Posted by Gandalara

Well, excuse me for asking a simple question because I was curious about the differences between states. No reason to get snippy.

Since both my father and I worked for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for a combined total of 40 years, I guess I don't know anything. I'll just keep my opinions to myself.

Relax. I wasn't being snippy. I just type "snippy". LOL.
I've been working in the same vein for 19 years, both in L.A. and Florida. So I would think I'm reasonably qualified to answer the same. I just don't call it "rehabilitation".
I'm pretty sure Arizona's system is not much different than those two places.

[BrianH]

Originally Posted by rich67

Vast majority? The MINORITY work. They are called trustees. Not every prisoner is a trustee, only those with a better record are authorized to work; the days of everyone forced to do labor are no more.
Also, let me ask you this, how many prisoners in DOC actually have a retirement/ 401k? Do you honestly think any people in prison held a job for any length of time where they were able to obtain a retirement? Maybe in some federal prisons, some white collar criminals had that ability, but in our state prison system? I seriously doubt it.
This is how it is in Florida, and it was the same in California about 17 years ago when I left....unless things have changed drastically, and every prisoner in state custody is now a "model" prisoner who is responsible enough to hold a job, work around sharp tools and knives in a kitchen, and is qualified to work construction to do prison upkeep.

The working can vary from State to State. Here every inmate has to program, and for a vast majority that is work. I think it is the same in Arizona too.

[Ariztophanes]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

Why not stick the inmates with this visitation fee instead of the visitors themselves?

Because the VISITORS require extra staff to do the searches and and to do monitoring during visits to ensure that drugs aren't being introduced (though they often are). The mixing of inmates with the general population requires a little extra staffing just to be safe. And ALL of this on the weekend, when it's harder to get people to work, or when the people with the clearance to work with the database systems that have sensitive visitor information have already put in a whole week of work M-F answering phones -- and therefore will need to be paid overtime.

Granted, the fee is $25 for a one-time background check, but if a few dollars go to cover the added expense of visitors, it sure wouldn't be unjustified.

[roundball]

Originally Posted by Ariztophanes

Because the VISITORS require extra staff to do the searches and and to do monitoring during visits to ensure that drugs aren't being introduced (though they often are). The mixing of inmates with the general population requires a little extra staffing just to be safe. And ALL of this on the weekend, when it's harder to get people to work, or when the people with the clearance to work with the database systems that have sensitive visitor information have already put in a whole week of work M-F answering phones -- and therefore will need to be paid overtime.

Granted, the fee is $25 for a one-time background check, but if a few dollars go to cover the added expense of visitors, it sure wouldn't be unjustified.

I understand what you're saying. But, the fee's do not go towards hiring more personnel. All of the money goes into a fund for building renewal/maintenance that will be doled out buy the DOC with the the Legislatures approval.

[BrianH]

Whats wrong with building maintenance and stuff like that ? Safer and clean buildings lead to a safer einvironment which is what we all want right ?