I honestly can't believe someone of Greg Beck's caliber would say such a thing. A Silverdale Hell will only churn out even more vicious and violent criminals than when they go in.
Prisons are already violent enough. A young man was murdered in a Georgia prison over a pair of shoes, when he was thrown from a second or third floor all the way down to the first floor. I can't understand someone, especially a black man, suggesting such a thing.
If you've ever known someone who has worked at a prison or been incarcerated in one, you'll have a better understanding of all the "hell" that already takes place inside prisons. Hopefully Beck was misquoted.
These days a person can find themselves in prison over something as minor as a traffic violation. Do we really want to make prisons more hellish than they already are for minor offenses? It's not as if the violent/non-violent will get to be separated. And the non-violent won't face "hell" inside a prison made "hellish."
History is our friend. We can't afford to ignore it. Lest it continues to make a revisit over and over.
Brenda Washington
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I am in agreement with Commissioner Beck. We need to make it difficult for the inmates so they will think before doing something that could lead them there. If it is all comfy and not hard sure they will choose to go, there. Why wouldn't they, 3 meals a day- sure it isn't steak but it is three meals, shower, bed, tv, free time, that is why our criminals don't worry about going back if they get out. It is too comfy for them there. Please, I know people will say the conditions aren't good, there is over crowding, the food isn't good. Well Silverdale is being remodeled, so that will help with some of the conditions, and the overcrowding. It isn't supposed to be the Ritz. This is prison, they made a choice and their choice led them here. If they made better choices, then they wouldn't be here. Plain and simple. Good choices results in good consequences, bad choices results in bad consequences. There you go no argument good=good, bad=bad.
I believe it needs to be an uncomfortable place so that way they will think again before doing something.
Thank you, Commissioner Beck, for speaking up and saying it needs to be less comfy and much hard.
Amy Smith
Chattanooga
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I am in an odd position of completely agreeing with Brenda Washington. Usually, I find myself at odds with a lot that she writes.
This time, she's right. Silverdale is a jail. Even if you are convicted already (and many are simply awaiting trial), you are sent there as punishment. Not for punishment.
There have been too many incidents in which inmates have assaulted each other and the officers. We don't need to deliberately make it any worse.
Ed Bradley