From:	Justin Fang <justinf@****.CALTECH.EDU>
Subject:	Re: It's not Cheese :(
Date:	Thu, 5 Mar 1998 14:11:37 -0800

Avenger wrote:
>brings about, what is the opinion of the list - from a general view, not
>something that's likely to be reflected on 'tk - regarding orbital
>prisons, or a prison colony on a moon or large asteroid? Would the
>government (I think yes) send the more dangerous and violent criminals
>to such a place, and if so, would it be manned, or along the lines of a
>"free" prison where the convicts govern themselves?

IMNSHO, not a chance until there's enough people in space (a fair-sized
city's worth) to need their own prison. Any potential security gains--and
the highest security prisons are very secure already--will be dwarfed by the
additional cost. Also, in the US anyway, the most violent and dangerous
criminals will probably get a death sentence.

I do seem to remeber reading in a sourcebook (maybe the NAGtNA) about a
prison that was an enclosed area where they just stuck explosive collars or
cranial bombs on the prisoners set to detonate if it stopped receiving a
certain signal only broadcast inside the prison. Other than that the
prisoners were left to run free.

--
Justin Fang (justinf@****.caltech.edu)
This space intentionally left blank.