Brickbat: Feel Safe

Muhammad Annurmal / Dreamstime.com

An investigation by the Marshall Project and the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper found that between 2011 and 2017 Tennessee judges declared more than 340 people to be "safekeepers," meaning the local jail is unable to house them because of their health issues or mental problems. These people, who often haven't been convicted of a crime, are transported to a state prison, many times hundreds of miles from their homes, and held in solitary confinement. For their own protection.

Comments

[Telcontar the Wanderer]

These people, who often haven't been convicted of a crime, are transported to a state prison, many times hundreds of miles from their homes, and held in solitary confinement. For their own protection.

You know bad shit's going down when even the brickbat can't resist being sarcastic.

[Inigo Montoya]

For years I've pondered what ought to be done with all those politicians and bureaucrats who love to waste other people's money and nanny-control every adult because they somehow know better. The best idea I came up with was a revival of the stocks: the public shaming punishment in colonial era New England where a wrongdoer would be restrained in the public square for passers by to ridicule and spit on.

Well, as they say, the states are laboratories of democracy! Tennessee has found a just solution for the elite who are our betters (in their minds). They need "safekeeping!"

[Fist of Etiquette]

Look, you put defective widgets on the criminal justice conveyor belt and the workers are going to sort them according to the manual.

[Longtobefree]

Clearly the only answer is a huge government program with lots and lots of high paid workers and higher paid administrators, all related to an elected politician or judge.
And a change to solitary confinement allowing four showers a week.

[Conchfritters]

This is Tennessee, so by sending them to prison they are just making sure they are closer and get to spend time with their uncle daddy cousin who is doing a 3 year bit for moon shining.

[Cy]

Is this the new 'due process?'

Similar to the en vogue 'secret courts?'

Anything like the 'Asset forfeiture?'

I can't believe nothing's been done about these blatant violations of people's rights. Yet, the world keeps chugging along in to the next dark age.

[SQRLSY One]

Under this system, where is the "cut" for the ten tons of lawyers? Aren't the lawyers OUTRAGED?!?!?

[loveconstitution1789]

Tennessee is pretty corrupt. Get stopped on their drug corridor interstate and refuse to let police search, they hold you and bring a dog. Police don't find anything illegal, they write a ticket. Contest the ticket, they say you missed a court date they don't tell you about. Show up for the court date on the ticket and they hold you for failure to appear. Contest the ticket even harder and they threaten no bail because you already missed the court date they made up.

Tennessee will get its money.

[silver.]

No income tax, though, so all the public officials are soo underpaid.

[loveconstitution1789]

So they say. I see some of the pro-public union people on the other article saying anti-union people should quit if they don't like unions because private bookkeepers make substantially less money than public union government workers.