Sounds like The Cop and the Anthem by O'Henry.
I’ve had my career. I’ve struggled along with many others. I’ve worked long at jobs that did not or would not offer health insurance (saved and paid for my own medical care). SS and my savings might hopefully last until my last days on earth (we believe in earth, right?). If not chalk me up ask a late stage one time criminal.
The prison systems' medical care is notoriously poor.
But still better than America's homeless as well as many poor.
The prison systems' medical care is notoriously poor.
Yes, the US has a lot of extremely serious problems.
Years ago there was a kerfuffle, in Florida I believe, where a man on death row needed a new heart and it was suggested he go on the heart transplant list. Can't remember if he made it before dying of natural causes.
It may vary from state to state but in New York, no hospital is allowed to turn away a patient requiring emergency care, regardless of where they live and regardless of whether they can pay the bill.
Say that to the guy on a liver, heart or other organ transplant where a prisoner got one instead of him.
Wouldn't that be wonderful if life were so simple....obey the laws...eat in moderation...just say no, etc.
Not sure of the challenge if we live mindfully. Also laws do change (pot being the most recent). However, that does not mean I will start smoking pot or even try it.
Prison medical care is notoriously poor. A lot of people in society also have poor health coverage, but I'd wager that those with wealth aren't affected by medical care that some inmate may or may not receive.
For the most part I agree with you. However, anybody can make a mistake. As only one example: quite a few years ago I knew a guy who'd been "sentenced" to spending weekends in jail because he couldn't pay a parking ticket. In other words, he didn't "go to jail" because he'd broken a law- but because he didn't have MONEY. And our country should be better than that.
Yup. I'm sure some will reply to my previous post something like "Wellll, he shouldn't have LET the meter expire," or similar...
Odd, is there more to it? A person can not be jailed due to the fact they can not pay a fine! Was he offered a payment plan? How indigent was he?
At the risk of being accused of racism I'd like point out that there appears to be a reason why the United States "imprisons more of its population than any other country in the world".
Nathan, I've known people who use the prison system this way. They are often small-time criminals who like the security of a place to sleep, free food, free medical, etc. They get released and promptly arrange to get caught again. (I had to accept court-ordered 'volunteers' in previous employment.) To these several people, it beat living on the street.
To me, that was the most important sentence in the article. If working for pennies is optional, and no prisoner is forced to do so, that's one thing. But if the punishments described here are true, that is forced labor, i.e. slavery. And in this day and age, that is inexcusable.
I've seen them as well, when I worked for the Sheriff's Dept. They are usually drug burnouts who can't cope with the complexities of living in a free society. They do function in the structured detentions environment. But they're still criminals, so regardless of their motivations, they are where they need to be.
