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Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences

By Jeralyn, Section Inmates and Prisons
Posted on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 11:38:35 PM EST
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Sometimes I think we are living inside a made-for-tv sci-fi movie, co-written by George Orwell and Charles Dickens, and directed by a sadist. Here's the latest. The Bureau of Prisons will be installing fatal electrical stun fences on the perimeters of seven maximum security facilities. The reason: it's cheaper than prison guards.

Seven high-security federal prisons will be getting lethal electrified fences in a $10 million project intended to reduce the number of perimeter guards needed. The 12-foot-high "stun-lethal" fences, similar to ones used at some state prisons, can be set to deliver a shock if touched once, and a fatal jolt if touched a second time.

If you're a contractor, get your bids in now. The winner of the fence installation contract will be announced in the fall. If you're a taxpayer, ask yourself, how many times have you read about a federal prison breakout? The correct answer is zero.

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    Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences | 12 comments (12 topical)
    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#1)
    by Kitt on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    Whew! Good thing Martha got out when she did then.

    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#2)
    by Wile ECoyote on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    Any chance putting this fence up along the US/Mexico border?

    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#3)
    by jen on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    If you kill someone they aren't exatly stunned. How can you have a 'stun-lethal' fence? Do they think we won't notice the 'lethal' part and just think 'stun'?

    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#4)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    Every time you touch it a little bell at Taser Intl. goes Cha Ching!

    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    Contractors needn't bother putting in bids. The contract is going to whoever greased his representative's palm (and possibly the palms of some of those nice folks at the Bureau of Prisons) to put this expensive idiocy on the table.

    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#6)
    by Johnny on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    Ugh...

    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#7)
    by Patrick on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    How about some of the exploding neck rings too. From that Rutger Hauer movie. Those were cool. I guess if you need more than one warning to get away from an electrical fence you're doing us all a favor by removing yourself from the gene pool. Think Darwin Award.

    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    As atrocious as this is, at least it has one benefit: the fewer prison guards, the less powerful the heinous prison guard lobbies can be. The prison guards' unions have defeated meaningful criminal justice reform in many states (see especially California's recent Three Strikes reform failure). It would be nice to have a more humane way to make them obsolete, though.

    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#9)
    by wishful on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    AAhhh yeessss...another fine example of our righteous culture of life. Lucky us.

    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#10)
    by desertswine on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    How come they haven't gotten around to the giant bouncing beach balls yet?

    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#11)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:07 PM EST
    "Well I'm waiting on the day When the people walk free to see When the penitentiary is on fire" -Citizen Cope

    Re: Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences (none / 0) (#12)
    by Peter G on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:09 PM EST
    I'm not normally inclined toward paranoia, but why do I keep thinking the only purpose of such a fence is to encourage (second-touch) suicides by maximum security inmates?

    Federal Prisons Get Lethal Stun Fences | 12 comments (12 topical)