Dada protest 8/17 in Manchester

[KBCraig]

From Porc-411:

Dave Ridley, a.k.a Dada Orwell reporting in here and requesting that this message be transcribed verbatim to the NHfree forum.

I am planning to do a last minute demonstration on Elm Street in Manchester, the 1400 block, it's 1490 Elm Street in Manchester. There was an article that just appeared in the Union Leader, they're trying to build a federal jail there.

If you wish to come out I will have some sign making materials, but I will only have one sign finished. However, I will have a flag. I don't know if anyone will join me, but if they wish to, that's great. You can reach me at 721-1490 if you have last minute questions. I'll probably demonstrate from 3 until 4:30.

Thanks, guys!

[KBCraig]

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Alderman+looking+to+ballot+for+halfway+house+issue&articleId=894821ec-2eea-4a2a-8a4b-a36fff301923

Alderman looking to ballot for halfway house issue


MANCHESTER – An alderman wants Manchester voters to have a say in a proposed halfway house for federal prisoners in the Queen City.

Alderman Ed Osborne of Ward 5 said he has consulted with the Office of City Clerk on a non-binding referendum question for the November ballot. Osborne said the question will ask voters if they oppose the halfway house.

"It gives the people of Manchester a chance to speak," Osborne said yesterday. "At least they'll see the citizens are for or against it."

Osborne acknowledged the case is in the court system, which is not supposed to be influenced by politics. And the referendum is non-binding.

Earlier this week, a Superior Court judge cleared the way for a private company, Community Resources for Justice, to build a 32-bed halfway house at 1490-92 Elm St. Mayor Frank Guinta has said he will appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court, which has already ruled once on the case.

Zoning regulations prohibit private correctional facilities anywhere in the city, and Judge James Barry has ruled that the prohibition denies the company's right to the use of its property.

Under state law, a public hearing must be held before a referendum is scheduled. Osborne hopes to have one as soon as possible, he said.

Osborne is the author of another non-binding referendum that will appear on the November ballot. That asks voters if they favor mandatory automobile insurance.

[Ogre]

That's confusing.  It used to be a "halfway house" was a place that helped adjust "criminals" back to normal life.  They didn't used to be considered a prison at all.  Is this now one that really is a prison in disguise (requires monitoring, ankle bracelets, etc)?

Then the whole zoning vs. property rights battle is another ballgame.  If the company owns the land, shouldn't they be able to build what they want?  Then again, if it's truly a prison, then that's certainly dangerous to those who live around -- or is it?

What a mess government can create.

[dEadERest]

Sure liking the Porc-411 deal, very cool.
I came back from lunch, heard the message, checked the forums, action was already taken and discussion begun.

[sandm000]

Dada,

I'm alerting Jenn and Cole of this Right now, I don't know what their schedules look like, but they might show.

[J’raxis 270145]

Halfway houses aren't really prisons but they're by no means free either. The residents (not sure if they call them "inmates") are usually monitored, and are sometimes felons who are only out on "day parole."

This is the company trying to build the halfway house. The article and comments originally gave me the mistaken impression this was a prison being built by one of those vile privately-run prison corporations, but it doesn't look like it. These guys look like they're actually trying to help ex-cons.

As far as danger, I'd say a halfway house is more dangerous than a prison, because the people are somewhat free to move about, leave, go to work, and so on, whereas in a prison people are secured. But I believe the danger that people perceive in having halfway houses in their neighborhood is more born of paranoia than rationality, anyway—especially considering the residents are usually sex offenders, drug users, or other "pariah-class" citizens.

So I'm completely confused as to whether or not this demonstration is even in favor or opposed to this. Are people opposing the building of a new prison halfway house, or supporting the private property owner?

[dalebert]

I think Dave may not have known it was a halfway house. Just that they were building yet another prison when we have way too many already. I'll be there at 3 when Dave said his demonstration was starting and we can talk about it more then.

[KBCraig]

He can protest again the halfway house, and you can protest against the zoning laws that are standing in the way. 

[dalebert]

I was out there with Dave for about the last hour and a half. WE got a few honks. A couple ppl stopped and talked to us and no one disagreed. Someone said they read of it in the paper so it's good that word is getting out.

Dave knows it's a halfway house and his position is like mine. We don't need any more federal prisons. If anything, we need to be letting the victimless crime ppl out and closing them down.

[J’raxis 270145]

He can protest again the halfway house, and you can protest against the zoning laws that are standing in the way. 

This is why I took the time to find that head-exploding smiley...

[Rosie the Riveter]

This is the company trying to build the halfway house. The article and comments originally gave me the mistaken impression this was a prison being built by one of those vile privately-run prison corporations, but it doesn't look like it. These guys look like they're actually trying to help ex-cons.

It does look like they help but it also looks like most of their money is coming from the feds. They won a fed contract to operate the half-way house for the feds.

[J’raxis 270145]

This is the company trying to build the halfway house. The article and comments originally gave me the mistaken impression this was a prison being built by one of those vile privately-run prison corporations, but it doesn't look like it. These guys look like they're actually trying to help ex-cons.

It does look like they help but it also looks like most of their money is coming from the feds. They won a fed contract to operate the half-way house for the feds.

And that's how it always seems to work, isn't it? Which of course means whatever programs they run that help ex-cons will have to follow a plethora of federal rules and restrictions which ensure they further the goals of the federal government, lest they lose their funding.

[KBCraig]

In order of priority:

1. Eliminate the war on drugs.
2. Eliminate the war on immigration.
3. Eliminate all other victimless federal crimes.
4. Start pardoning those convicted of things that are no longer crimes.
5. Start emptying the federal prisons.
6. Close them as they empty.
7. End supervised release (probation) for those already out on the street.

Voila! The need for halfway houses is eliminated!

It does look like they help but it also looks like most of their money is coming from the feds. They won a fed contract to operate the half-way house for the feds.

And that's how it always seems to work, isn't it? Which of course means whatever programs they run that help ex-cons will have to follow a plethora of federal rules and restrictions which ensure they further the goals of the federal government, lest they lose their funding.

Those men already have to follow the federal rules and restrictions, because they're federal inmates. A halfway house in Manchester will let NHites serving federal sentences transition back to the community in their home area. As it is now, they have to do halfway house time in Massachusetts. Or, more likely, most of them refuse halfway house and stay in prison until they hit their scheduled release date, and don't have any help transitioning back to the free world.

As a side note, many inmates already forgo halfway house, preferring to release "straight to the street", as they call it. Halfway houses are a mixed bag. Some (mostly run by charitable organizations) are great; others are wildly inconsistent in their application of rules, are run by petty tyrants, and will send residents back to prison for any reason or no reason at all.

Kevin

[J’raxis 270145]

And that's how it always seems to work, isn't it? Which of course means whatever programs they run that help ex-cons will have to follow a plethora of federal rules and restrictions which ensure they further the goals of the federal government, lest they lose their funding.

Those men already have to follow the federal rules and restrictions, because they're federal inmates.

I mean the people running the halfway house: Their programs to help these ex-cons reënter society will have to follow federal guidelines in order for them to receive federal money. The federal government attaches strings to all its funding. Imagine, for example, if these halfway houses haver drug rehab programs. Gotta teach them drugs are bad bad bad, if you want those federal funds, right?

[KBCraig]

And that's how it always seems to work, isn't it? Which of course means whatever programs they run that help ex-cons will have to follow a plethora of federal rules and restrictions which ensure they further the goals of the federal government, lest they lose their funding.

Those men already have to follow the federal rules and restrictions, because they're federal inmates.

I mean the people running the halfway house: Their programs to help these ex-cons reënter society will have to follow federal guidelines in order for them to receive federal money. The federal government attaches strings to all its funding. Imagine, for example, if these halfway houses haver drug rehab programs. Gotta teach them drugs are bad bad bad, if you want those federal funds, right?

*shrug*

They're contractors. They're seeking federal contracts for operating a halfway house. It's not like they're a charity having to jump through hoops to get funds for something they'd be doing anyway. It's direct quid pro quo, just the same as you paying for winter heating oil, and expecting the supplier to deliver.