[El Gato]

This cretin's pride in feeding the inmates on 40 cents a day and confining them to pup tents in the 120 degree heat during the day and 50 degree desert night is simply obscene.

I wouldn't have any problem with this if the prisoners were convicted and serving time in the county lockup. After all, our troops in Iraq and other places (Djibouti for example) have to put up with lots worse. But it they are awaiting trial, then I have a problem with treating like the scum those actually convicted are (Most of those awaiting trial are too, of course, but not all)

[middie]

Comparing the conditions in the Maracopa County jail to the conditions under which troops in the field exist is totally non sequitur. Why not draw a comparison to the fate of earthquake or tusuami victims, or political prisoners under a Bosnian tyrant? Those make just a much sense. The convicted guys arestupid minor criminals having done those idiotic things that get one a 60 day sentence; not a felony where such deprivations and humiliations are closer to permissible. There is no justification for the jail's conduct, they violate every published jail standard from every agency.

The judicial system sentences a misdemeanant to a number of days incarceration, not starvation, not deprivation of basic human needs such as sleep, a dry place to be and not sujected to broiling heat and dangerous cold.

Any rationalization reeks of a generalized emotional reaction to the broader issue of crime within society. Societal crime is a problem that will not be resolved by this evil moron of a sheriff and his barbaric tactics. He does, however, bask is the spotlight of radio and TV interviews that focus on what he likes to describe as creative punishment techniques. He disreagrds the history that his barbarisms are a long way from creative. Dictators, tyrants and criminals against humanity have used them for centuries.