Here’s something I agree with, but not for the reasons you might think.
We’re furious as monstrous new super prison is being built behind our home – it will put our lives in danger
But quite apart from the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) sentiment, my argument against the “But we have to put the prisons somewhere!” statement is simple:
There are literally dozens of uninhabited islands scattered around the shores of Britishland (e.g. in the Outer Hebrides or even the Shetlands) which could easily support a supermax prison. Why, I ask, should a prison be built in a quiet country locale when it would be easier — not to say more secure — to dump the nation’s most reprehensible criminals in a place which has shitty, cold weather, as opposed to in the relatively-mild climate of Leicestershire?
Yeah, the construction costs may be higher in the middle of the ocean — but offset those against the long delays and added costs involved with overcoming local opposition on the mainland? Not so bad.
“What about power and water?” How about a couple of windmills and a few solar panels (for those few hours a year when the sun actually shines) to provide electricity, and a small desalination plant if necessary?
It’s not like these animals deserve coddling, after all.
I agree. The increased construction costs might be offset by decreased security costs if the island prison is far enough off the coast, say, 20 miles or so. Why put up a fence, what, the criminals are gonna swim to the mainland? Let em try. Sharks gotta eat, same as the orcas.
“What about power and water?”
For power, bicycles connected to generators. Serves four purposes–generates lower, keeps them warm, tires them out so they sleep better, and gives this something useful to do.
we need that in America too! I say work them until they are far too exhausted to continue making mischief amongst themselves.
JQ
Kim…Kim…Kim…
What are we going to do with you.
That is complete Unthink. Go to your room and don’t come out until you’re called.
There’s a small island in the middle of San Francisco Bay that would make a wonderful….
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Off topic, how long do you think before Leo goes tranny? https://www.takimag.com/article/the-clownification-of-politics/
I like the idea but the big problem with remote/offshore facilities isn’t the increased construction cost, it’s ongoing maintenance and supply. If you can’t simple drive a delivery truck (sorry, lorry) through the front gates it costs a whole lot more to support. Eventually the bean counters get their panties in a twist about the excess cost. That’s the big reason Alcatraz was closed down.
Did you know that sea transport is a tenth of the cost of land transport? Pre-pandemic it cost less to get a 20TEU container from Singapore to the North West Continent than it did to truck that same container from Rotterdam to Moscow.
There used to be a high security island prison called Robben Island, off Cape Town. Most of the inmates were bad dudes. One block was reserved for political prisoners like Nelson Mandela. The island was supplied by ferry. It worked pretty well as a prison. The name Robben is Dutch for Seals. Carcharodon carcharias aka The Great White Shark loves seals. From below, humans swimming look very like seals.
Increased Contruction costs — nope. Deliver lots of concrete block and mortar along with roof thatch, before dropping off the population. let them build their own shelter. Regular air drops of MRE’s and wind mills for power. Desal equipment for water. Nothing that can be used for boat building. No need for guards.
The Orkneys for those with 10 year guests
Wow, my post got messed up
Orkneys for those with <10 year stays, Sea Cow Island in the BIOT for those over 10 years
Here in Aridzona, we find ourselves warehousing some of our inmate population in, well, warehouses, being looked after by private “security experts.” When there is talk of the need for a new actual prison, there’s a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth about where to put it and how much it’s going to cost.
WTF? We have about a bazillion acres of property than can best be described as “inhospitable.” Nobody wants it for nothing, except the Feds, who would lay claim to a toxic waste dump if it increased their control over things.
Construction costs could be kept to a minimum. All you really need is a 4-strand barbed wire fence and some signs reminding the residents which side of the fence line they need to be on. Then for the Nancys who say we need to be humane, I guess we’d have to put up some shade structures. Back in the 40s and 50s, the local department of transportation used to make a frame from some old pipe and cover it with palm fronds. Inexpensive, easy to maintain, and a welcome sight when you were out on the highway for hours.
Leave the residents to their own devices beyond that. Run a bus past the gate once a week to take the “graduates” back to civilization.
Didn’t the Brits already do something like that?
I think they called it Australia.
Yes, and before that they called it “Georgia.”
My point! It’s a proven concept.
There’s plenty of room in northern Scotland. I would suggest the Orkneys rather than the Shetlands as they’re closer.
If you’re serious about separation how about Ascension Island – or even South Georgia?
In CA (of course) there was a big hubbub some time back about goats (a non-native invasive species) on San Clemente Island eating all the plants. So, they hired professional hunters to shoot them……and the howls from the PETA folks would have drowned out the launch of a moon rocket.
There were some who thought that SCI should be made into a “Devil’s Island”: drop them off on the beach with a shelter half, bedroll, and mess kit; tell them that fresh meat was available if they hunted it; and remind them what the USN’s Naval Artillery Practice schedule was – wouldn’t want the poor dears to wander into Ground Zero now, would we.
I suppose the suggestion was just too reasonable.
Several local prisons are a significant part of our economy, provide jobs, etc…but they also draw inmates’ families so they can have visitation. Apples tending to fall close to trees, it has definitely brought an undesirable element who have been present long enough to affect certain parts of the population so we’re stuck with the “culture”.
You don’t need a prison. You need a gallows…and the nerve to use it every work day.
Trying to find a hole in your argument… can’t.
Can’t we run it on weekends to attract spectators at $5pp, vendors, food trucks etc? Might be more fun than the local sports ball team conglomerate.
JQ