| From: | Avenger <Avenger@*******.DEMON.CO.UK> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Prison in Shadowrun |
| Date: | Wed, 10 Dec 1997 22:37:38 +0000 |
<jlindsay@******.CA> waffled & burbled about Prison in Shadowrun
<Snip>
>> I would expect there to be both governmental as well as corporate
>> prisons, probably with the corporate prisons run to make some sort of
>> profit or at least off-set the costs associated with running the prison.
>> Assuming they don't just execute criminals, rather than imprison them:P
>
>If a corp ran a prison, it could not execute its prisoners. This would be
>the decision of a country's justice system.
That seems reasonable except in cases where the corporations territorial
rights were infringed upon, in which case they can take any actions they
see fit, provided the arrest was made on their territory.
>Besides, prisons couldn't hope to become profitable. It currently costs
>between $20,000 and $50,000 to incarcerate each prisoner (housing, food,
>guards, administration, etc.). Things would have to change "big-time" in
>order to make a similar profit per prisoner.
With all due respect, there are prisons in Europe and the US, which have
gone over to private management and do make a profit. A sufficient
profit to offer a better facility than many state prisons. Discovery
channel had a couple of programs dedicated to the Penal system last
year, and this was one of hte big points they made during the show.
Private prisons, treated the prisoners better, had a more "comfortable"
staff and better (read nore modern) facilities.
>How I see prisons in Shadowrun is very similar to John Carpenter's "Escape
>from New York".
A popular view, but very difficult to manage. It may be possible to
wall off Mahattan, set up sono buoys and IR detection equipment to catch
runaways, mine the bridges etc. but the cost in manpower would be
tremendous.
One concept that I liked, but which isn't really workable, was ICE's
Death Valley Free Prison. Large areas of the US lands turned into free
for all prisons, where the inmates sort it out themselves, Sort of EfLA
meets Mad Max.
>For Seattle, a major "prison" could be located on one of
>the larger islands in Puget Sound-- or even the bottom tip of Vancouver
>Island (which would be better isolated by a greater expanse of water).
>Drop in your prisoners and let them fend for themselves. If they produce a
>surplus crop or any exportable goods, they can trade them for the things
>that they need (within reason, of course-- no man-portable surface-to-air
>missiles :) It also makes sending your framed (or overly violent) PCs to
>prison an adventure in itself.
The problems with Island prisons have been illustrated in modern history
and America has a few that are now museums, why aren't they used
anymore? because they simply don't work that well. Expensive to
maintain and run, expensive to man, and not as secure as people would
like.
If anyone here has seen "Fortress" with Christopher Lambert, they'll
know the scheme I mean. Now this style prison might work. Totally
enclosed completely underground, only one way in and out. Monitored by
a sophisticated computer system that does several things rather well.
Of course Msr Lambert is the only one in the prison's history to
successfully escape, but then he would wouldn't he.
I just can't see the penal system reinstating a system of prisons that
failed in their objective. However, following new and radical methods,
might work.
For my game, I have done this with all prisons. Convicts are stored in
underground cells covering several lower leves of incarceration
depending on crime. The closer to the end of the sentence the higher
they go, nearer to the surface. The convicted felons who have commited
serious crimes against society are ensconced on the lower levels where
certain experiments might go unnoticed. <g>
>> >Are there still witness protection programs? Who runs them?
>
>If the Mafia/Yakusa/Triads/Seoulpa still exist, you can bet that witness
>protection/relocation programs do too :)
I'd agree with this. And most likely these schemes are still run by
government agencies such as the FBI, and are probably just as
ineffective (if you take the Hollywood view anyway).
--
Dark Avenger -:- http://www.shalako.demon.co.uk/index.htm -
Unofficial Shadowtk Newbies Guide, Edgerunners Datastore &
Beginnings of the Underseas Sourcebook.
http://freespace.virgin.net/pete.sims/index.htm - Alternative UK Sourcebook
(U/C)
