Needless to say, some of Sherriff Joe Arapaio’s techniques are unusual and some of them are things done to keep inmates from coming back to jail, but this Thanksgiving he went over the line. Okay, so he makes inmates wear pink…..nothing that would harm the inmate, but serving them no meat at all can be a problem if they do not get enough protein. And, for Thanksgiving he served them soy turkey casserole, glazed carrots, one dinner roll, mashed potatoes, fruit cup, margarine and donated brownies. The total cost of the meal…..56 cents. I added up the calories and got 887, more or less. Considering he only feeds them twice a day, most of the inmates are probably very hungry, and most likely mal-nourished. How does that make them feel and act?
Obviously he has heard of punishment for bad behavior, but what about reward for good behavior. Even dogs understand this. Also, since it is a jail, not all inmates have been to trail yet. What about those who just might be innocent?
Holidays are a time for having just a little compassion for our fellow man. Maybe if he gave in and provided them with a little compassion and food at holidays he might get a better return for his efforts. I am not saying that he should be soft on inmates, just be a little compassionate.
For those of us who have loved ones in the jail or prison system, it is heart breaking when things like this happen. To Sherriff Joe and all the other wardens… at least show some humanity at holidays.
