Sheriff Joe Arpaio

[Hobilar]

Sheriff Joe Arpaio may be a big cheese in Maricopa County, Arizona, but that does not give him the right to open his big ugly mouth and start telling the British public how they should, or should not, be running their penal system.

When Sheriff Arpaio starts paying British Taxes he will be entitled to have his say regarding whether prisoners in British Gaols should have their own Television sets in their cells, and be entitled to be properly clothed and fed.

If the State of Arizona sees fit to let this ignorant and rude oaf mistreat criminals serving sentences under his brutal care, then fair enough (If the Arizona Tax payers are content to foot the bill when some ex-con decides to sue the State for millions of dollars in compensation for Medieval style punishments), but somebody really ought to tell this obnoxious Sheriff that it is very bad manners to enter somebody else's home and abuse their hospitality.

[Jack the collector]

With all due respect Hobilar,I agree that he should mind his own business in the matter of the British penal system.Its your peoples choice how you let your government run your jails and prisons.

That being said I for one applaud Joe Arpaio.I dont think criminals need an air conditioned cell.They don't need a television or rec room.They are criminals and are being punished not pampered.A bologna sandwich,orange and water are a perfectly suitable lunch that saves me TAX DOLLARS!Make them earn thier keep as well.

To date it has not been proven Joe abused or mistreats any inmate,they are just a bunch of whinning cry babies who think they should be pampered.If he was indeed abusing inmates he would have been removed from office.The last time I saw the statistics,he had the lowest return of inmates rate in the United States.

I voted for him before and I will vote for him again.

[Tom Houlihan]

I will also agree that Sheriff Joe shouldn't be telling the Brits how to run their system.

Medieval? Let me tell you the first thing that sold me on Sheriff Arpaio. During the Gulf War, he moved his inmates out of the nice airconditioned jail, and put them in tents. Why? He said that if US servicemen (and women) had to live in tents while they were at war, there was no reason for convicted lawbreakers to live any better.

The rest of the stuff, like painting the cells, Disney and The Weather Channel (Cable TV mandatory - programming not!), is all gravy. Personally, I think the public work crew idea is fantastic!!

Now, what exactly is medieval about his programs?

[Klaus]

Äh... what are you guys talking about? Who is this Sheriff Joe Arpaio?

[Jim O]

He's a "tough guy" sheriff from Arizona. See CNN - Arizona criminals find jail too in-'tents' - July 27, 1999. If you want to know more just it. There are thousands of entries.

[Klaus]

Hui! He really sound like the Type of guy I don't want to meet.

"We still have rights, but they act like we're scum," one inmate complains.

He is a convicted criminal. What the f*** is he complaining about? He is not on Holiday for god's sake!

Do I get that right, that you vote for your Sheriffs?

[Jim O]

Originally Posted by Klaus

Do I get that right, that you vote for your Sheriffs?

In the US most if not all sheriffs are elected. Their duties and responsibilities vary from state to state and even within states. In some areas they are the primary law enforcement officials. In most areas they run the local jails and also are involved in process serving. I'm in the real estate management business so I interact with the local sheriff's offices here a fair bit, as they handle court ordered home evictions.

[Klaus]

Hm... I don't think we got something simular like a Sheriff here in Austria. And if so, we are not allowed to vote.

Do they run State prisons and private ones?

[Jack the collector]

Klaus,the sheriffs office is a county law enforcement and jail here in the States.

[Klaus]

Thanks for the answer.