When James sent me this link, I thought it was a spoof. After closer inspection, I realized this was a real toy. I think (but I'm not certain) it's only available in the US. Don't miss the tags and comments in the Amazon link.
In strangely related news, 1 in 100 Americans are now incarcerated.
A Pew Center report documents that the US keeps more of its citizens behind bars than any other nation, whether calculated per capita or in simple numbers. The so-called "correctional" industry is one of the few growth areas of the US economy: the rate of increase for prison spending was six times greater than spending for higher education.
The Pew Center report is here; the press release is here. The report makes it clear that Americans pay a very high price for all this "correction," but it doesn't make them any safer.
As you may know, in many US states, a felony conviction permanently rescinds a citizen's right to vote. Some states have a "rehabilitation" process, through which a former convict can reapply for voting rights, but the laws are convoluted, arbitrary and difficult to navigate.
Getting back on one's feet after prison is an extremely arduous process, and often fails: more than two-thirds of released prisoners are re-arrested within three years. A felony conviction makes it all but impossible to get a decent job or a loan, whether for education or housing. (This applies to the US war resisters in Canada if they are deported.)
How many people who face those kinds of challenges are going to fight for their right to vote? For more on this, see "Millions Without A Voice," by Amy Goodman.
Does Playmobil have a prison theme yet?
8 comments:
I was sure this was a spoof also when I looked at the Amazon page, especially given the tone of the comments. I didn't read all of them, but I certainly did not read one that sounded like a serious buyer.
But then looking at the Playmobil page, I realized it is part of the "Airport" set. I guess I cannot condemn Playmobil for creating something that reflects the sad reality of our society---something that many children confront when they fly with their parents. Perhaps parents can use this to teach their kids something constructive. One can always hope...
A prison theme? Yup
Playmobile isn't the only one making security checkpoint toys.
I was reading an article on the 1 in 100 stat (actually, 1 in 99.1, IIRC). The governor of Kansas (I think it was) was quoted as saying that they really need to rethink this prison stuff. He noted that, in the past 20 (again, IIRC) years, the crime rate had gone up 3%, and the incarceration rate had gone up 600%.
The "War on Drugs" is a major contributor to this mess, of course, especially when combined with inane "Three Strikes" laws. I remember a story a few years back -- maybe posted here? -- about a California man sentenced to life in prison for being in a car with a person who had pot (he had had two prior convictions for pot-related "felonies").
I am sorry to say that Canada does not allow someone with a 'felony' conviction to become a citizen.
I know a man who protested the Vietnam war and was arrested for nonviolent resistance. He was unable to stay in your country.
I'm going through the emigration process now and have never had so many hoops to jump through. The police departments of five countries have to check on my nonexistent record...
Just don't catch what the USA has got. If you give the religious crazies an inch, they will take everything.
I am sorry to say that Canada does not allow someone with a 'felony' conviction to become a citizen.
Do you mean does not allow them to emigrate? Yes, that is true - also true of most countries.
I know a man who protested the Vietnam war and was arrested for nonviolent resistance. He was unable to stay in your country.
I'm not sure what you mean. A war protest is not usually a felony conviction. Unable to come into Canada, unable to stay...? Do you have more details?
I'm going through the emigration process now and have never had so many hoops to jump through. The police departments of five countries have to check on my nonexistent record...
Everyone who emigrates to Canada has been there. It's just the process. Jump through all the hoops and you'll get here eventually.
I am sorry to say that Canada does not allow someone with a 'felony' conviction to become a citizen.
Do you mean does not allow them to emigrate? Yes, that is true - also true of most countries.
Just to clarify, a Canadian citizen that is convicted of a crime does not lose the right to vote.
The people I'm referring to in this post are US citizens already, who lose the right to vote.
My friend was convicted during a peaceful, nonviolent protest against the Vietnam war. While he was able to work in Canada, he could not be a permanent resident.
I don't know enough about the case to know what exactly he did...it sounded like he burned draft cards. At any rate, he did not harm any human beings.
Huh, interesting. And sad for your friend. It's strange that was a felony conviction - most people who participate in protests like that are charged with misdemeanors. But who knows, the court could have been "teaching a lesson" (as in, don't protest).
As I understand it, most countries exclude felony convictions from immigration.
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