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Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio stands in front of a sign touting the number of inmates held at "Tent City" over 19 years.
Inspired by McDonald's, the sheriff of Arizona's Maricopa County on Monday had a sign made that touts the fact that more than 430,000 inmates have been "served" by his controversial "Tent City" jail.
"Why would anyone call for an end to this program and the closure of Tent City?" Sheriff Joe Arpaio said in a statement announcing the sign. "Tent City makes room for inmates who otherwise might be released to the streets due to overcrowded jails. It’s one of the best things to have happened in the local criminal justice system."
The sheriff's department described Tent City, which is nearing its 19th year, as "the nation’s largest canvas incarceration compound".
"Borrowing from the world’s most renowned fast food chain," the department added, the sign will be updated monthly with the latest number of inmates "Served".
Arpaio, renowned for his tough stand on illegal immigrants, had the sign built "to underscore that Tent City remains an excellent facility to safely and cost effectively house inmates," the department stated. It’s such an efficient program, Arpaio points out, that it has been visited by four U.S. presidential candidates and a number of senators from several states.
More than 430,000 inmates have "served" their time in Tent City, which began in 1993 and is made up of Korean War tents, the department said.
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Leave a Comment:
He's proud of the fact the crime is so rampant in his county? And puts his picture on the sign yet? Why not put the picture of the taxpayers who pay this moron??
I'm doing some research to see what 4 Pres candidates visited that tent debacle. Sheriff Doofus is known for distorting the facts.
The taxpayers also keep electing this "moron" as you call him ... does that make them all "morons" too? I can't figure out why you would take the time to insult and berate all of the people of Maricopa county. I guess Jerry (who lives in PA) knows something that NOBODY else in AZ does? AZ ... PA ... 2 COMPLETELY different places, with many different resources, problems, needs, and possible solutions.
Why don't you mind the business of PA and stay out of Maricopa county's affairs?
My vote is with Jerry. Having been immersed in the 'culture' of both Arizona (and Texas), I can attest to Jerry's statement. They aren't just morons, but paranoid morons, which is a fairly dangerous combination.
Arpaio is the ugly side of America's face. But he wouldn't be in office without the support of taxpayers.
He doesn't look like he's struggling financially, does he? Prison is a racket. The only people getting served are the 1%
Well, bearing in mind that Bull Conner was repeatedly elected in Alabama, it isn't necessarily surprising that a rabidly ethnocentric fellow with little regard for the actual law can get repeatedly elected. It very much depends on the make-up of the given area and whether or not those who aren't in the given person's ethnic group are allowed to vote.
In Alabama, they used to shoot the African Americans who tried to vote. In Arizona, they harrass non-European-Americans to the point that few bother to show up, and because the turnout is typically "low," they reduce even further the facilities so that those who aren't European-American have to stand in line or do not get a ballot or whatever. There are many, many ways of suppressing a vote--such as sending out false information about voting sites or making "mistakes" which send voters on a wild goose chase that is so tiring that they give up.
But, it's kind of nice to see Arpaio out in the open, having his picture taken. In about 20 years, that picture will take its place in the history books very like the way Bull Conner appears today. I hope he enjoys his impending permanent infamy.
Violent crime in Arizona is down just like violent crime is down everywhere--and for the same reasons (not Arpaio). Murder is down, again for the same reasons. It will not surprise me to find out that Arpaio is making a ton of money off that tent city--and it is my sincere hope that the man winds up in a jail, preferably this same tent city, when his crimes are revealed. It might or might not happen--but there is a precedent for the hatchet-men of the elite winding up in prison, and we'll just have to hope that history repeats itself.
jerry
Do some research on this Sheriff then make an educated comment.
Prisons should be a place for punishment and rehabilitation. Coddling prisoners with TV, weights, movies, etc does not give a big enough incentive to not return. As to the ones that do return, well some people just need to be thrown away. A prison located in the middle of the desert or northern Alaska where escape is impossible would suit the throw-aways just fine.
person above you are correct. except for the obama failed exper. part. I can tell you one FACT! He would not be in office if bush wasn't such a piece of crap. I also bet he will have a better chance of naming his successor!
He's using the "Tent City" to house inmates that would be released before they had served their time. It sounds like a pretty good idea to me, don't you believe people should serve the time for the crimes they commit? Frankly he saves money running this btw, Tent City is cheaper than opening another prison. I don't know about you but i think people should serve the full sentance they have legally be given for their crimes rather than be let out because crime is so rampant. (FYI basically everystate has overcrowding problems in prisons)
1surrviivor... Is that aluminum foil on your cat? Looks weird. How'd you get him to tolerate that?
If Obama names his successor as Santorum, Romney, Gingrich, or Paul, I'd agree with you. We'll have to wait until November to see.
I live in Maricopa County, and I can attest that the only reason Arpaio is still around is that he keeps all the rich, white old people scared to death with his rhetoric and personal PR. He's cost the county literally hundreds of millions of dollars defending lawsuits against his questionable treatment of prisoners and overall unethical behavior.
The man has never met a TV camera he didn't like, and is a notorious grandstander whenever the opportunity presents itself. You can always tell when he's coming up for election because his "sweeps" are all over the news for a few months before election day. You also start seeing a lot of "news" stories about investigations into alleged various forms of misconduct on the part of anyone that might run against Arpaio.
Republicans talk out the sides of their mouths about "Chicago-style" politics in reference to President Obama. Well, I've been watching this clown's actions for over 20 years, and I can tell you that he's got the Chicago thing down to a tee.
I've spoken with several Phoenix PD officers who started out in the Sheriff's Department and then switched to work for the city because of the things Arpaio requires his deputies to do.
In response to the poster who asked if all the people of Maricopa County are morons, the answer is "no." Just those of us who continue to vote for this J. Edgar Hoover wannabe.
kama-
Yeah, that sounds good, doesn't it? But don't you think that maybe forcing people that are in jail for traffic violations and unpaid fines (the majority of inmates housed in the tents) deserve at least humane treatment?
Try spending 20 hours a day in a tent in 115 degree heat and tell me how humane it is.
Jerry in Scranton, I hear the inmates that leave his place aren't quite as anxious to return! Maybe we should have tent cities for inmates all over the country? Especially those HOT pink drawers, socks and suits they all wear!
There's nothing wrong with Joe Arpaio, he's not afraid to make jail a punishment, which is what it should be. Don't like, don't do anything wrong! He's not proud of all the criminals, he's proud of the fact that he doesn't turn any away, there's always a cot for them!
tent city is the Arizona equivalent the USSR's Siberia.
#1.11 i hope its paul. but reps are very biased and don't like him for some reason. so I think he will end up with 4 more years and name the next dem who will win. but I really do hope Ron gets it.... and you gotta admit Bush really screwed the pooch for the GOP!...and yeah the cat is very tolerable. she's kinda crazy.
Mike from Az
It looks like Arpaio wins those law suits you are talking about. He is still Sheriff.
I have a feeling you're going to be so upset come November. The real downside is we'll have to listen to all the whining for another 4 years...
You liberals can't stand success.
Slodon, nope, he loses or settles all of them. Hasn't won a one.
The last County Supervisor who stood up to him and tried to call him on it faced an extremely public investigation and finally resigned because she was tired of herself and her family being the top story on local news shows everyday.
He's been investigated by the State AG for misappropriation of funds, and then the assistant AG in charge of the case becomes the topic of a very public investigation.
Everything he does is with his next election in mind. The scandals always come to a head in the off years. The investigations of his critics always come in election years. And so do his "anti-crime" sweeps, which often piss off city police agencies because they're kept in the dark about these publicity grabs in their jurisdictions.
Jerry, There's nothing in that sign that says he's proud of rampant crime. Yes, over the years the notoriety of the sheriff seems to have gone to his head, and that is a turn-off, but many people are sick of criminals and support law enforcement when they decide to get tough on crime. Arpaio not only has to deal with the citizen criminals but the illegal resident ones as well, and in that part of the country there are a lot of them. He probably deserves his share of criticism for certain things, but there is also a loud, active faction that is out to end his job. Many of these people want to do so for no other reason than his tough stand on illegal residents. Border states have to deal with the extra crime and expense of criminal illegals that most other states can't comprehend. It is rampant and costly and the enforcement has to be paid for by Arizona residents, who are justly sick of it. I wont blame only Obama, Bush was weak on illegal immigration as well. Too many politicians have no backbone on the issue. Meanwhile, the rapes , robberies and murders continue-- committed by many people who should never have been allowed to step foot into the country to begin with. So criminals have to live in a tent, boo hoo hoo.
I can't wait for the day, and it is coming, that this idiot sherriff is an inmate in his own jail. He is an example of everything that is wrong with America.
BOTTOM LINE:
Those that don't approve 'tent city' would rather see criminals released...and most likely don't pay the taxes it would take to incarcerate them in an 'air conditioned' building.
. . . the far right wing fanatic, wide stance, Bible thumping, High Sheriff of Maricopa County Az is mocking the people with whom he is entrusted to keep safely removed from society for crimes for which they have been convicted against the State. Well, get over it! The people of Maricopa County seem just as satisfied with this arrangement as did the people of Auschwitz and when the time comes for an accounting they will all be saying, "We didn't know what was going on out there." There are no excuses for you fanatics but thank God that the Republican base is aging and dying off so fast as to be a non factor in November, on life support by the 2014 mid terms and RIP by the 2016 general elections. Fascists like the High Sheriff will be gone before you know it.
A crybaby-- that seems about right. Comparing the situation of the tent jails in Arizona to Auschwitz is sheer lunacy. You are a fool of the highest order.
You've watched Escape from New York too many times. Instead of fantasies about punishing "guilty" people how about a solution to reduce crime? Or is that too hard?
Just another one of his campaign events cloaked as a company PR stunt, all courtesy of the Maricopa County taxpayers. Arpaio is an embarrassment, just look to his corruption and lack of professional law enforcement management.
He's heavy on pomp and bluster, but has no real substance as a manager. The county law enforcement is suffering and deficient in many areas; the taxpayers are getting stuck with paying for all of Arpaio's legal settlements, over $50 million so far.
floyd: show us success. Then tell us we can't stand it.
For anyone with Netflix, NatGeo has a series called, "Lockdown." This Tent workfarm is part of the series. See for yourselves what it's like.
As I read all of the idiotic comments left on this story, I think it bears out some facts not presented in anyone's posts:
First and foremost, the tents are the same ones used by our military, in fact, they are surplus from the Arizona National Guard. What, prisoners deserve better accommodations than our military? Get real!
Second, the tents are cooled in the summer by evaporative coolers. Having been born and raised in Phoenix, the same coolers we use in our homes.
Third, a few years back, Charles Barkley was housed in "tent city" after a DWI arrest. He spent 7 days there and besides his complaints of it not being a country club, he survived just fine, and said he would not want to do it again. Isn't that the point of jail? DUH!
Fourth, Sheriff Arpaio was sued by the ACLU for not allowing pornography in the Jail because he was "censoring" the mail. Cry me a freaking river.
Fifth, "Tent City" holds minor offenders. DWI, Drug possession, etc. What do you want to do, give these people a room at the Hilton? If the tents keep on drunk driver off the road, its worth it.
Yes, Joe has had his share of questionable decisions, ones like dying all the underwear pink, or serving nutrimeal to prisoners, or dying the bologna green. So what. The idea is that jail should not be a fun place to go. Jail is jail idiots! This isn't about illegal immigration or who the hell is running for president, its about a county sheriff that has come up with reasonable alternatives to jail overcrowding and ways to raise funds (like selling pink underwear to souvenir shops) so he doesn't have a hand out to the federal government. Like it or not, the people of Arizona have elected this man because they approve of his job handling. If your not from Arizona, shut up and worry about your own states and your jail overcrowding.
Mike from Arizona: You are saying that a prisoner, having to endure 115 degree temperatures, living in tents, should get more humane treatment? I believe that conditions worse than Arizona, is what our soldiers, in Iraq and Afghanistan have to live through. So, in your eyes, a law-breaker should have better treatment than our soldiers? What a patriot you are!
Way to go sheriff Joe!
Arizona and the Southwest are being invaded! Someone MUST fight it! It certainly won't be the flag-burning leftists among us, who think that our culture, people, traditions and way of life SHOULD be destroyed and subdued...and call this "progress".
If you live in another state and can't understand what the problem is...just wait. It's headed your way. When you have to be bilingual (english / Spanish) to apply for a job, and have as many Spanish TV channels and billboards as there are ones in English, you'll begin to understand...and that's just from the LEGAL immigration. Factor in the millions of illegals and...that's how a country is lost.
IDIOTS wake up!
lolfattynerdswhoknew... I've never watch Escape from New York so I don't know what you're talking about. While I noticed you provided no suggestions to solving the crime problem, my suggest would work. People that have no desire to comform to laws should not be free. A prison in such a hostile place as the middle of the desert or northern Alaska will leave the prisoners reliant on the prison for survival. The facility could be cheaply built and running expenses would be low. Visitation wouldn't be allowed. Prisoners would be sent there to wait their natural death. Prisoners such as Charlie Manson would fit the bill for housing in such a facility.
Crime will always be a problem.
That's pretty much the point. If prison is a miserable, uncomfortable living it is a deterrent.
So Joe Arpaio, the self-proclaimed "toughest sheriff in America," has got himself in the news again. I always had the feeling that Arpaio was a media hound. Well, in the 8 years that I lived and worked in the Phoenix Metro Area of Maricopa County, where Arpaio is sheriff, I saw no noticeable decrease in illegal immigration and witnessed two heinous crimes. Since I did not live in an economically and socially insulated community, as Sheriff Joe does, I did not feel any more or less safer as a result of Sheriff Joe's policies. Interestingly, Arizona ranks 48th in educational standards. (these standards are not based on rocket science but basic K-12 learning, or, in the case of Arizona, the lack of learning) If the population is not minimally educated, they become more likely to be more ignorant and less knowledgable regarding social issues.
Sheriff Arpaio feeds off this lack of knowledge and ignorance by pulling a publicity stunt such as this. He also boasts that his archaic "Tent City" is cost-effective. However, this is selective memory at work. Lawsuits that have been filed, and won, against Maricopa County, have actually cost taxpayers money since the goal is not to fight crime, but to "put people in jail." As a result, non-violent criminals are housed in violent criminals. In addition, since Maricopa is a bit of a theocracy, medicine and medical issues are not taken as seriously as they should be, resulting in lawsuits regarding healt conditions.
This is NOT a criticism of the police officers who work on the front lines, but a criticism of a sheriff/administrator who puts style above substance.
His goal isn't anything more than getting on TV whenever possible and getting re-elected by the slimmest possible margin.
J Edgar Hoover was a media hound too.
He probably reads books that don't involve crayons, Chester...
Way to go sheriff Joe!
Arizona and the Southwest are being invaded! Someone MUST fight it! It certainly won't be the flag-burning leftists among us, who think that our culture, people, traditions and way of life SHOULD be destroyed and subdued...and call this "progress".
If you live in another state and can't understand what the problem is...just wait. It's headed your way. When you have to be bilingual (english / Spanish) to apply for a job, and have as many Spanish TV channels and billboards as English, you'll begin to understand...and that's just from the LEGAL immigration. Factor in the millions of illegals and...that's how a country is lost.
IDIOTS wake up!
You may not have seen a noticable decrease but if you take away what he has done I bet you would see a very noticable INCREASE!
Yep, what Mark just said.
Nope, sorry, the only thing arpaio has done is trample on the civil rights of thousands of mexican americans. He does not care about citizen status...if you are not white, you are second class in AZ.
I agree 100%. Something I would like to know is how much money this guy has spent "housing" the inmates for the last 19 years.
Better yet, how much has he saved and how many inmates are actually having io serve their full sentences.
David, the one fact you left out is that the vast majority of the inhabitants of Sherriff Joe's concentration camp are NEVER CHARGED WITH A CRIME. This man is an absolute disgrace to the human race, and only looking to get re-elected.
Last summer, temperatures inside the tents exceeded 140 degrees F. For all you supporters of what clearly amounts to torture, perhaps you'll get to spend some time in one of those "housing" tents and come to your senses. I don't want to hear the crap about Arizona having to deal with Spanish, as though you poor, oppressed people are the only ones. It's the same all over the country, but most of us don't whine about something that's a fact of life!
Tents? 140 degrees? Sounds like a couple of deployments to me. I know a boat load of People living in those conditions as we type. They aren't there because they broke the law, either.
All you folks who like Arpaio, Google search "Corrections Corp of America Arizona Scandal". You would think the "Tent City" costs less per inmate then the actual, semi-humane housing. Read the articles from the Tuscon reporters who broke this story. Arpaio "Served" his favorite prison corp platter after platter of your cash. YOUR cash. Keep supporting ppl that rob you effin blind. You may as well re-enlist for free, LLoyd. You were paid and trained for your deployments, right?
Oh no, that ain't happening! Nam was enough for me, all that great pay, and training.
Gods, he's embarrassing our state AGAIN... The federal investigations and corruption charges just aren't enough, he has to act like a gray-haired man-child at every turn along his way to his own jail cell.
I drove by the tent city on my way from phoenix to Tucson. all I can say is what a miserable place to live, They got crooked joe arpaio and who took all of my face cream jan brewer , and they are happy they dont have any state taxes, well after driving on there 1950s Roads they might want to start some state taxes
You're right about Arpaio and Brewer, but you're wrong about one thing: we pay state taxes up the wazoo!!!
Geez Chester, had I known that bringing up Arpaio's police corruption would make you so upset I wouldn't have said anything...
toasty if you think he is a bad sherrif. run for the office yourself. for some reason the people keep putting him in. must be doing a darn good job buddy. dont like it run against him and see what happens lol
Tell the truth Toasty! You're just mad that his embarrassing acts are competing with yours!
The reason he's been elected is generally light voter turnout. Joe's margin has decreased, but this time around it will tank due to all the revelations of the last couple of years.
chester... The only problem is that he isn't "tough on crime." He is only in it for his own personal gain and the cameras. If the ppl of Maricopa County would wake up, they would realize that he does nothing but promise and then rests on the laurels of other departments. But he tells everyone that will listen that he is single-handedly stopping immigration and keeping the illegals from crossing the border. Then, he conducts one of his sweeps and arrests anyone with dark skin.
He is a dangerous megalomaniac. And isn't he still under investigation for federal civil rights violations and abuses, plus law enforcement services billing fraud, and financial expenditure irregularities?
right...... but if you get caught with a roach in your ashtray and don't spend a 1,000.00 bucks on a decent lawyer...well you will be 430,219!!..I wonder just how much money is spent investigating his corrupt as..s
sounds like obama and harry reid to me. meglomaniac there names pop up in the dictionary as examples when looking the word up.
Wow, he's so cool. Taunting imprisoned people and showing off the power the state vested into this demon. When you die Arpaio, you will be judged. And I don't think it's going to be pretty. It's gallant to fight crime, it's not gallant to show off and taunt those who are temporarily in a weaker position even if those you taunt once taunted their victims. Justice is blind.
Criminals deserve to be in jail or prison. Some criminals deserve to be put in the ground, where they'll fertilize the soil and push up daisies.
Such critically well reasoned conjecture, J.L.P. I had no idea they included opinions as Cracker Jack prizes.
Toasty McGrath,I find you on alot of threads and you always seem/say that you live here/there and always have a negative remark for everything and anything..You need to get a hobby!!! I live in Pa. and come from three gererations of law enforcement..It is not easy to hold those jobs since alot of you jack rabbits think you are experts at it..I suggest you all become cops!!! I say they are the first ones you call when you want to whine about something..
Well, I certainly want my beloved home to be a better place than it is today, so I criticize any action our leaders do that brings down our state.
Yeah Toasty has toasted himself Me think. The voters of this state have voted for Arpaio time and time again. Sorry Toasty but you are wrong. Why don't you take a week and ride with the sheriff's department and see what they do and have to deal with. Yeah I live here in AZ too. I watch the local news just like you and see all the crime, murders, fraud, illegals. Do you think you live in Paradise Valley or Sedona....Just tired of your negative comments about someone trying to do something about all the crime that is in the Valley. So what would be your solution to the problem??????
She does have a point, Toasty. I don't think I've ever read anything positive from you, especially anything about America. You must approve of something in this country, right? Or is everything about us just crap?
Of course I do, AG. It's the reason I signed an oath to defend it with my life. But let's face it, happy news is boring news, so I mostly comment on articles that get me riled up.
And no Kelly, the voters of Maricopa County voted for Arpaio, not the voters of Arizona.
AG99
I have to say, I have noticed that too. I wonder if he even is a U.S. citizen; I have serious doubts. He sounds more like Chavez.
ha florida and new york voted ex cons right back in to office, whats your point about voters
Tell you what, Sonar. Give me one anti-American quote that I've said. You can see my whole post history on my profile. Go on.
kelly-
I live in Phoenix, and I'd vote (again) for Dan Saban over Arpaio any day of the week. The money we've invested the lawsuits for abuse and mistreatment far outweigh the pennies he saves by giving drunk drivers heatstroke in the tents.
Gee, I'm sure you meant to cite that, but the citation just mysteriously vanished...
Another cop/cop kid crying. Look, of you/they can't handle the job then quit. Crying about it makes you look unprepared for the position and, by the way, we quit calling the cops years ago. All they do is come after the crime, solve nothing, and scare away customers. Oh, and ours cry a lot too!
Every one should check out their own town or cities police budget. You'll see it's a mini version of the military...an over payed, under performing, scared cow full of "good ol' boys". My cities police force takes up 63% of the general fund and we have to now pay a drunk cop 4 million because he sued for being "disabled" after crashing his car into a woman and running away and we just sent one to jail for beating a disabled man to death. This turd divorced his wife because he knew he was going to jail so now the tax payers have to pay HER 50% of his pension while he sits in jail. Oh, and last year one of our finest, while drunk, shot a man in the back of the head. Ya, I'm sick of whiny cops
Joe is not a cop he is a human rights violation.
Whose rights? Regarding lawsuits about abuse and mistreatment often they shouldn't be allowed in the system anyway. Personally I wouldn't mind seeing a few more chain gangs while we're at it. Life in most jails these days are better than working for a living while the legal system is often used as a get out of jail free card. I'm tired of seeing my money used to ensure that criminals can live a better life than I can afford for myself.
Can someone please tell me how many of these jail birds and scum, after they get out of jail stay in Arizona??? If they do stay in Arizona and continue there evil ways then they are dumber then a rock and deserve the Arizona lockup. People want change,just knock on their door and ask for more tax money and watch them holler.
Go Chester! In your FACE Toasty. EAT that.
Toasty~~You said you gave an oath to defend this Country with your life. What's holding you back? You want change, make it already. Complaining about everything you have an issue with only irritates those that have to hear (or read) your crap.
patriotic girl, am sick and tired of all the stupid people that work in law enforcement and they try to make us think they are doing it for us. your family is doing it because other wise they would have to get a job, a real one, or they would be in prison, they chose to go there, noone forced them, so stfu, and keep it to your self and your doughnut eating family
Still waiting on that anti-American quote. Not sure why you guys are so afraid of responding...
Hey all you liberals out there..I say that we shouldn't put any in jail..Let's see how long it would take all you jack rabbits to complain when just one of these criminals accost one of you or a loved one...Like I said, you all need to apply to be cops!! Especially you freedomman..
So now everyone is a jackrabbit? No one said don't put anyone in jail, either. You seem to be a bit touchy on this subject. No one said your family was anything but brave and wonderful, but there are law enforcement people who are jerks, just as some plumbers, teachers, etc., so I don't think anyone was insulting all of them.
I hope you don't actually think "liberals" don't want there to be jails. Criticism about this Sheriff Arpaio fellow rests on his unusual and often over-the-top methods of dealing with prisoners. It might seem cool and awesome to people like yourself to degrade and humiliate people who have been arrested, or charged with a crime, but they're still to be treated as innocent until proven guilty.
Instead of that, Arpaio treats every prisoner as if they were guilty, and uses unusual methods of humiliation and degradation. Consider how many people who have been arrested or charged with a crime, and held in jail, are never found guilty, or are never even brought to trial, and being treated the way Arpaio treats prisoners.
Mob justice and harsh treatment of prisoners might seem really really cool but it runs contrary to the principles our country has developed: the right to be held innocent until proven guilty, the right to be free from cruel and unusual punishments, and so on.
WA-Moscow:
Want to know something really funny... While serving OUR country, I lived in tents (and on just the ground) when the temps outside ranged anywheres from 120 to -25, Rain, Sleet, Snow or storm. And ALL of my 'Bunk Mates' wore the same kind and colored clothes and I have NEVER EVER EVER heard ANYONE say that it was "cruel and unusual punishments"...
Get over it Old Son...
Damn Whiners
I understand your frustration Patriotic Girl. I have 10 years law enforcement experience. Most people don't have a clue as to how many criminals get turned loose every day. I mean prior to serving a fraction of their sentences. I think it would do a lot of good if the general public actually went and listened in on a couple of days of court proceedings and just see many criminals are let off with fines and probation without any jail time. It's always frustrating to set and listen to a judge give someone 2 years probation when the victim is in the court room and gets no justice, and when I have spent hours upon hours investigating a robbery or assault costing my department overtime and pulling officers off the street for absolutely nothing to happen to the criminal. I don't like Sheriff Joe's self promotion tactics or some of his other less desirable behavior but I do agree with his philosophy of not treating inmates like they are at a resort on vacation.
I can't help but notice that about 90% of these replys sound as though they are from a bunch of jailbird sissypants with pink underwear and socks who want the treatment of the Hilton Hotel. As Joe so aptly put it one time, "if you don't like it here, don't come back". According to one report just a few years ago his system was about 80% affective. I'm disapointed all counties don't have this system. Much cheaper housing, and it would help "take the bite out of crime". GO, Joe.
and the fact that arpaio is a crook himself...not unlike many cops..... i guess you have never lived anywhere near detroit , there "patriot" girl....yeah ,right earl... if you don't like it here don't get caught with a joint.
This Sheriff is nothing more than egotistical stuffed shirt. I lived in Az and I can tell you that there are illegals on ......wait for it....on most every corner beside tent city!!! So, it's painfully obvious that he panders to his ilk (those too ignorant to understand the truth) in order to get re-elected. Do everyone a favor and move aside already. The illegals aren't nearly as dangerous as Sheriff blowhard.
Proud to be a vet said:
Want to know something really funny... While serving OUR country, I lived in tents (and on just the ground) when the temps outside ranged anywheres from 120 to -25, Rain, Sleet, Snow or storm. And ALL of my 'Bunk Mates' wore the same kind and colored clothes and I have NEVER EVER EVER heard ANYONE say that it was "cruel and unusual punishments"...
Earl Wash said:
I can't help but notice that about 90% of these replys sound as though they are from a bunch of jailbird sissypants with pink underwear and socks who want the treatment of the Hilton Hotel.
I was detained as an 'illegal' in a 'tent jail' some years back in Raymondville, TX.
Human rights people called it 'Ritmo' because tthey said it looked liked Guantanamo Bay/Gitmo. Huge concrete pads in the middle of the TX desert, huge tents pitched on top of them. Each tent was separated into 5 sections, called 'pods'. Each pod held 50-60 people and had 5 toilets.
We were issued one-piece jumpsuits and one pair of panties per person; we were told there was no money in the budget for bras so the only women who got them were women who were lactating or who had very heavy breasts, which meant we basically had to strip naked every time we had to go to the bathroom.There were no partitions between the toilets and the living spaces so if you had to go, you went in full view of everyone else, from the other detainees to the guards who got their rocks off watching us pee.
Several times the panties I was assigned after the weekly 15 min shower still had blood from another woman's period crusted in it because it hadn't been washed before being given to me.
Food served was crawling with maggots and we were told there wasn't enough money in the budget to prepare another meal for 1500 people and we'd have to wait till the next day.
They 'ran out' of eating utensils and told us we had to eat with our hands.
Lights were never turned off so it was hard to get any sleep.
We were told to keep our pods in order but were given no toilet plungers or cleaning chemicals with which to do it, so if a toilet got stopped up we had to do without or stick our bare hands in it to unstop it. The strongest cleaning chemical we were given was dishsoap.
Strip searches and body cavity searches were frequent and unavoidable. We also didn't have the right to ask that a female warden conduct the search--we got whoever happened to be there. We in the 'Female-18-25' pod knew when it was our day for strip search and body cavity searches because EVERY guard around our pod that day was male. I will say that some were professional about it but many were not and a lot of us were left bleeding after one of these searches.
I know of at least one detainee who was sexually abused. By the prison chaplain, no less. That's why I lost my faith as a christian and became a pagan.
We were slapped around. Not moving fast enough for a guard could get us kicked, punched, a nightstick in the gut. Punishment consisted of being tasered up through solitary confinement, which we were all afraid of because any guard could do whatever they wanted to you in solitary. There was safety in numbers.
There was a population of people in the camp who were like me, stateless--couldn't be deported and not allowed to be released--the guards joked, in our hearing, that we were useless trash, a waste of space and air, and they would threaten to take us stateless ones out and shoot us in the head. We belonged nowhere, no country in the world would accept us, no one would notice if we died. (Heck, even those other detainees who had legal relatives on the outside could die and their relatives weren't notified.) On several occasions a guard took one of us out, held a gun to our heads, and pulled the trigger. The gun was empty, of course, and we grew to understand that, but there was still a fear that one day someone would make a mistake and the gun wouldn't be empty.
And FYI--I was declared 'illegal' when USCIS lost my adoption paper 18 years after it was filed by my parents, a Vietnam vet and his wife, who passed away in a car acident before telling me I was adopted. Since I had no idea I was even adopted, much less where to find another copy of the adoption paper, I was declared 'illegal' and placed in a deportation camp. ICE discovered there was nowhere I could be deported to; I was an abandoned infant left on the doorstep of an orphanage in a country where girls are 'worthless' and since no birth parents or paperwork was ever found, I was officially stateless; the country the orphanage used to be in refused to accept my deportation because there was no way they could say I was legally a citizen of theirs. So ICE told me I could either spend the rest of my life in detention or I could produce the adoption paper. I spent three years in detention writing letters to every courthouse in three states trying to find it.
Earl wash said:
As Joe so aptly put it one time, "if you don't like it here, don't come back". According to one report just a few years ago his system was about 80% affective
I'm a naturalized citizen now but ICE made it clear that if my name comes up in front of them one more time for any reason they can revoke my naturalization and put me back in. So yes, i would say that the recidivism rate is low--if youhave to trample on human rights to do it.
chester said:
As one once said, Jails were not supposed to be country clubs. If the prisoners get tough treatment, they earned it. No one told them to steal, maim, sell dope, or commit crimes. You make it hard on them, you aren't going to see them again.
And what about those who did absolutely nothing wrong, like me? I never broke a law. I had just graduated high school in my home state on the honor roll, just got my DL, got a full scholarship to an art school so I could study for police sketch artist certification.
USCIS lost my adoption paper, not me. And they didn't even really need it. When someone is adopted, domestically or internationally, once the adoption decree is signed by a judge the adoptive parents apply for a birth certificate for the adoptee with their names as the legal parentd a name change, if any, for the adoptee. You can't get the BC witout the adoption decree, so having a legally filed BC automatically means there was a legal adoption even if you don't have the paper itself. It worked for 18 years of my life--it didn't work for USCIS and I still don't know why. When those 'papers please' laws came out I saw people saying they had a legal DL, SS card, and BC so they were fine if someone pulled them over, and I tried to explain that those documents are not proof of citizenship.
I had all of those and it didn't make a single bit of difference--I was still illegal. I don't know where I was born. I don't know who I was born to. I don't know what my name originally was. And I have no idea exactly how old I am. At this point I'm never going to know.
chester said:
I say farm the prisoners out to Mexico to the Islands Maria off the Coast of Jalisco and pay the Mexicans to hold them. Pay the Mexican Government $3000 a year and forget about them.
Curently Homeland Security asks congress for $141 per person per night to detain them. That's $51,465 per person per year.
Corrections Corporation of America, or CCA/GEO Group, who was the contractor in charge of Ritmo, subcontracts to DHS to detain 'illegal' immigrants at a discounted rate of $98 per person per night ($35,770 a year).
Since they couldn't manage laundry services, food that didn't have maggots crawling on it (you know how long food has to sit before it gets maggots to hatch in it?) or eating utensils, either someone in GEO/CCA is getting VERY rich and VERY happy off our tax dollars or someone is overcharging the contractor for those services. I make roughly $30k a year as an administrative assistant for my company and that is sufficient to pay rent, pay bills (water, electric, cable) put food on the table for self, hubby, and 2 kids and have enough to clothe them decently to send to school so $35k per year per person for the 1500 people they had should have been more than enough to ensure our basic human needs were met.
Way to go girl,give them h---.
patriotic bytch just shut the f up, and go crawl in the cave you came from, and stop using police computers
So you folks want these CRIMINALS housed in overcrowded prisons or should we ship them to your neighborhood.
All of the inmates in tent city are non-violent offenders, most are in jail for TRAFFIC violations. Some of them are awaiting trial, are in the midst of a trial, or are awaiting sentencing. IN OTHER WORDS, some of them haven't even been convicted of anything.
And this isn't a prison, it's a county jail, which is a very different thing.
I'm not saying they shouldn't be locked up, but Arpaio's motives are ingenuous. He's not about protecting the people of Maricopa County, he's not about justice, he's only about self-promotion and power mongering.
He's quite the attention whore
Think of the bright side. If you did a year in his tent city jail, you would have to be elgible for your Eagle Scout merit badge ! Plus wearing the pink underwear, you'd have to get more comfortable with your feminine side. Toughest sheriff in America ? JOE, YOU BETTER BE GLAD BUFORD PUSSER'S DEAD ! He was " Walking Tall ". You are " Hawking All ".
I tend to appreciate Toasty's posts, actually. His post wasn't about law enforcement personnel, but about that one man, and I have the feeling that man would be as he is now no matter what he did for a living. That sheriff has had way more than usual charges against him, so maybe there is a problem with him, you think?
No one said all cops were evil or stupid. The article is about one and that is who Toasty commented upon.
I appreciate and enjoy toasty's posts. Sometime I concur other times not so much but I enjoy seeing free speech and personal opinions being expressed. Sheriff Arpio is not a middle of the road sheriff, you either love the man and fully support him or you hate him and all he does...no in between. Thats just fact.
Yeah, my distaste is pretty laser-sharp on this: Joe Arpaio and automated speeding cameras...
Sheriff Joe Arpaio is awesome. Love it !!!
Thank you for an honest response. The crap thats on these responses are from those who are small minded people. They have no idea what this sheriff is doing, saving taxpayers money from the scurge of society. One, Cost of an imate comes from taxpayers...inmates should be paying us. Two, repeat offenders, inmates are stupid, but after incarceration there they "BECOME" less dumb..Three, you want hotel accomodations commite your crime in maxist/communist/socialist/liberal California. They take better care of their inmates than senior citizens who've paid taxes all there lives, or children, schools, or anything else. Dead beat dads deserve to be in JAIL, persons who keep the dope trade florishing deserve to be in jail, etc, etc. Today we have American soldiers living in conditions that are appauling, no heat, rationing water, food from a bag, just to survive. Not to mention being shot and bombed on. Cowardly bitches that take a stand againt Sheriff Arpio must be a victim of a charmed life, lost in their utopia of crap. These people have never been on either side, in the military serving our country or standing up for your rights and taxpayers hard earned money. UNLESS, they are frequent criminals that stay in jails and just want to have their accomodations more comfortable "doin time". Then I would suggest a 12 month tour in your local jail, then drag your fat ass out to one of the out posts here in Afghanistan, do a 12 month tour here. Id like to see these cryin bitches. Its easy to see why these sniveling little d*cks cry and complain they live off of real people that work for a living and they dont want the gravy train to slow down now.... Sheriff Arpio is the only thing thats between you and unstoppable crime. Get used to it.
Secondly Sheriff Arpio is on obamas ass, the #1 criminal in the country and I suspect most comments against him are for the that reason only.
Mike in Afghanistan
hey, i sugest you include deadbeat Moms with your spew....they deserve to go to jail....and youre a dumb@!$%# for being where you are......
....
indigenous....Im a dumb asx? You must have mommie issues. Grow the hell up you puxxy, when were done with this place we'll come a get America back on its sturdy feet. obama people like you have only one agenda. YOU"LL CRY UNTIL YOU GET YOUR WAY. I stand on my own two feet and make my country safe. obama and people like you apologize for everything, then bend over and lube up. JUST THEY YOU LIKE IT. Take your cowardly fat asx get on a jet and come on over. However I believe your a punk ass bitch with only two things on your mind...dope and a free ride through life.
You must be one of Sheriff Arpios little children.
Mike in Afghanistan, and damn proud to be here with the American warriors fighting a good fight and believing in God.
This what we call hypocrisy. Your entire post is name calling and assumptions.
You may not be a dumbass, but your reply sure was childish.
What I can't believe is that SI VIS or whatever he or she is calling his/her self actually has the audacity to call our soldier a #@##@ (or to that effect) for being where our country asked him to go. Dead Beat Parents whether male or female are disgusting. I like Sherrif Joe. Is everything he does right? probably not. However, at least he is taking a stand. It is disgusting that people who go to work everyday, pay their taxes, raise their children to the best that they are financially able, are going to bed hungry, can't go to the DR because they don't have the money and dental care is not even a thought because who can afford it.
Criminals get food, shelter, clothing, medical and dental and yes your other god given right cable tv. Really!!!!!!!! There is something wrong with a society that punishes the poor working class but complains that criminals are being treated unfairly.
Please think about that before you start spewing your garbage. Go Sherriff Joe.
si vis azz packer or whatever is a prime example of the worst element of our fighting force. He has no idea what america is, has been, or aspires to be. I am ashamed that he is a representative of our great country.
to mike in Afghanistan......ha....why do you talk about bending over so much....and i dont even believe youre where you say you are....i like getting to people like you its funny...because youre a kook who follows other kooks.....i dont even like Obama. i didnt vote for him and you are an illegal alien as far as real natives from north america are concerned. i think Arpio is a kook like you and you reaally deep down inside want him....hahahaa...your opinion is worthless and yes you are a dumb ass because atleast Obama caught and killed that villian bin laden. and if what you say is true where youre at, well then youre a dumbass.....milking off the tit of taxpayers and claiming your prize.....you know dumb@!$%# mike, its not the color of the skin its the color of the ways that count and whats in your heart that matters....Everyone here can see your heart bleed with hate and ignorance.....you are a disgrace to soldiers that truly are defending this nation of corporate greed..... a true warrior never speaks about bending over for what it is you truly want.....A MAN....hahahahaha ....stay in you r new occupied state if you are even truly there....no one cares......
The inmates themselves say they will never break the law in his county again. That alone says what he does is working.
Ya, right he has a sign that say over 430,218 served. It does not look likes it working.
We paid out millions for lawsuits.And he has never been audited.And I had 2 friends in jail there.For driving while impaired.One did 2 days.They put him in the high security wing,not letting him call his unit.He was a medic from a Nato country.He told me, that he feared ,he would die in there.Then Immigration came and apologized.He was moved from the tent,because he did not have a S.S.card.Well duh! he gave up his Nato ID ,when he came in ,to do his 2 days.He was a only on orders from Nato here,he is not authorized to have a S.S.Number.He gave them his Nato ID, it was in their possession.Stuff like this is legend around here.But all the old goats from Sun City keep voting him back in.He is a publicity hound ,alright.He has a Dep. whose only job it is ,to gather and record everything that is said and printed around the world,concerning "the toughest Sheriff in America" What an egomaniac!!!
Very true. In fact, it was reported that he would find some bogus charge to arrest any local official or prominent figure who spoke out against him.
They were driving while impaired........... Their butts should be in jail!
Tim, you said,
Can you provide proof of that? I'd love some links if you have them.
Don't hold your breath Kai.
LOL...Thanks for the advice, golligeewillikers. (love the screen name, btw)
Kai, obviously you don't live in Arizona; if you did, you would know all about the alleged corruption conspiracy of Maricopa County Board Supervisors Don Stapley and Mary Rose Wilcox. Also threats against judge Donahoe, who ruled against MCSO in some cases. The resulting debacle cost county attys Andrew Thomas and Lisa Aubuchon their jobs and face disbarment.
Try doing some research on your own instead of relying to do it for you.
Thanks, Gumps. I don't spend all day on the internet. I guess I should have posted links, but I overestimated others' abilities to read more than my comment for news.
Well, Gumps, I always considered it polite to post sources, and links to any comment I post that may raise questions. I'm on the net for just an hour, or two during some evenings, so I don't care to use up my time finding other peoples sources for their opinion. I like to read, and I will post links with my post, depending on the subject matter.
I honestly read most comments, but find I have very little to say as much of it turns into mere opinions without documented factual basis. I respect the posters that have links to back up their statements. It gives credibility. Well, cheers to both you and Tim. I hope your evening is a fine one.
Jerry,from Scranton!!! You must be under the age of 30 and still living with your parents to be so ignorant. Only an idiot would make the statement you've made. Grow up....get a life.....put the computer away and go get drunk and become somebody. If you knew anything about Joe you'd know he is a no-nonsense sheriff who plays by the rules. Prisons have a return to prison rate of some 90+ percent. Joe, I believe has a return rate of something like 4%. He's tough, but they get the message and DON'T COME BACK FOR A REPEAT PERFORMANCE. Whatever they're paying this guy isn't anywhere enough. Check and see what he's going with the Humane Society and inmates. Learn about the subject before you interject.....that means (add) or insert a comment that is totally stupid.
R, Woodward!!!! 5 cents per post too little, ask more!
If you can't find a stat that fits what you want to say, just make one up I guess. 4%, really? In a county jail?
The deadbeat dads that keep getting picked up every few months would cover that 4% by themselves. And the recidivism rate (look that up, it's the word you wished you'd have known when you wrote return to prison rate) for state prisons is very high, but it's in the 60's somewhere, depending on the state.
Arpaio is a self-promoting blowhard who preys upon the fears of old, white people to stay in office.
I borrowed an excerpt from an article that addresses this question...
http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.retirement/2006-05/msg01980.html
Hope that helps clear up at least that one argument. :-)
And what does moveon.org pay you Random Fox 7 cents a post?
Remember you have to report your earnings to offset your welfare payments.
do deadbeat Moms go to jail in AZ?
especially blond haired, white skinned ones of european descent? because id like to see a certain one go through the tent bull@!$%# in AZ. i dont even know why people live in the dirt but im glad im not there....That sherif should embrace his latin ancestry and maybe he would be more humble.
I presume the population of Tent City can only continue to grow, as the only thing that will stop the inhabitants' recidivism is the heart attacks his bologna on white diet will doubtlessly induce in his older inmates. As Joe obviously knows nothing about the relationships between diet and crime, or thinks it irrelevant, the size of Tent City can only grow as new inmates come and the old ones keep returning.
You sound as though you might be one of "the old ones"...CRY BABY.
i love this guy !!! once my kids are out,i may move to Arizona.it seems to be one of the few states that have it right.
Bring your papers.
From my 3 years here, I can tell you that it is a far from perfect state. I live in Tucson, which many consider to be the "liberal haven" of Arizona. People seem to get along together well here, and respect each others' cultural heritage and traditions. Tucson was the city most outraged over the SB1070 mess.
Phoenix is the hottest, most congested, sprawling hellhole I've seen, and I've lived in Philly.
Choose your AZ destination carefully. Oh, and if you're in the KKK, there is an active clan here in AZ somewhere. I'm curious to hear where you are from, spiceman.
And if you are a member of La Raza(the klan with a tan) Tucson is your kinda town.
Klan with a tan? Sounds racist to me.
I notice you like to troll and not read more outside of these comments, so here's a place to start:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Council_of_La_Raza
ahhh we have one here in Polk County. Sheriff Grady Judd. Ain't that a hoot? This guy is into entrapment of perverts with squeaky voiced deputies faking 14 year old's on the internet. As any of us who have had daughters know, the very thought of sex with anyone at the age of 14 generally has a very high ewwwww factor. He is running the meth capitol of the world but he gets his face on Fox regularly because of his sex stings. He was hooked up with Brian Williams for a while on Night-Line.
I live in Hillsborough County. We have the most professional, competent, Sheriff Dept I know of. This is the very worst place for a criminal to commit a felony. But they don't go crazy with non-violent crime. Seems to be more cost effective.
I like it alot, no tax money for cable tv, make prison uncomfortable and people won't want to go there.
I've never liked Arpaio, but I love the idea of tent jails. I'd like to see them nationwide, to help in the war on drugs and dangerous illegals.
He's going to get a "served sign" alright, but it will be accompanied by a United States Marshal.