mouthface said :

It is my considered opinion that an elected official has the obligation to listen to the views of those who have first hand experience in the sphere in which they are about to impose their misguided policy.

Have you listened to the views of those who have first hand experience in waging the war on drugs?

Have you listened to the views of those who have studied drug use in prisons and have come up with mechanisms to reduce the dangers associated with drug use by inmates?

Have you read the Greens statements on the subject?

mouthface said :

It is my considered opinion that policemen, nurses, teachers and others have a far better picture of the real world than an ideologically driven, vandal supporting, drug culture tolerating party like the Greens.

What gives you the idea that the Greens are a “drug culture tolerating” party who smoke pot while sitting around devising policy?

While you’re busy foaming at the mouth and apparently spotting reptoid drug lord conspiracies in every corner, the Greens are busy trying to apply thinking and science to the issues we are faced with.

Here are the facts about drug use in a low security prison: first, whatever process you have in place to screen visitors, they will find some way of smuggling contraband into the facility. Being a low security prison, visitors are allowed contact with the inmates. Some of the contraband smuggled into the facility will be drugs. Providing an amnesty for the prisoners who have acquired drugs to take those drugs under supervision means that the corrective services personnel can be protected from stray needles, while simultaneously having the opportunity to counsel the inmate about their drug habit.

Knowing what drugs the inmate is using – and how often they’re using those drugs – will contribute towards a better outcome for that inmate.

The wardens have concerns about the programme, certainly. The purpose of discussing the programme is to address the wardens concerns. Thus the Michael Moore report, and the proposal to send some of the wardens off to European gaols which have a similar program in place.

Is sending people off to Europe wasteful in terms of fuel? Most certainly. How many lives will have to be saved (by either preventing spread of disease, or encouraging inmates to drop their drug habit) in order to compensate for the emissions of an international flight? Would one life redeemed be enough?

Both sides of this issue seem to have valid arguments. However, I’m surprised more people haven’t been pointing out a fault in the harm minimisation argument. Aren’t dirty needles only part of the problem? Shouldn’t we be just as worried about the dirty drugs?

As far as I can tell, inmates will still be required to supply their own drugs, only a fraction of which will be what they’re hoping to get high on. The remainder might be sugar if they’re lucky, rat poison if they’re not. Besides the ingredients, shouldn’t we be concerned about the hygiene of injecting a substance that had been smuggled into the prison in someone’s anal cavity?

If we give up on preventing drug use in prison and decide to provide clean facilities, shouldn’t we also provide clean drugs? Isn’t that the only way to really minimise the harm?

Here sum facts, often missing in this kind of debate:

no corrections officer was interviewed on ABC radio – it was probably Vince McDevitt of the CPSU (Community and Public Sector Union).

there is no documented case of a prisoner contracting Hep C or any other blood borne virus in the ACT’s prison; but as there’s no monitoring of this, it’s not possible to say it has or hasn’t happened.

Michael Moore got to visit European prisons at ACT taxpayers’ expense, so why shouldn’t some ACT government employees?

Not at all clear what “supporter of vandalism and destruction of property” means – sounds like a substantial prejudice at work, especially given it is repeated multiple times. And “groupthink”??? Someone’s been reading too much George Orwell without understanding it…

For some alternative law enforcement professionals’ views on drug use, visit http://www.leap.cc and http://www.leapaustralia.org but I’m guessing minds will be closed to these views…

MHW

zippyzippy said :

Maybe a bit of hyperbole there. Needle syringe programs seem to be working well elsewhere, why not here? Are we just a bit backwards?

I also just read the media release which said that the public health association suggested they take someone with them on their visit to an overseas prison operating an NSP. So it’s not a novel idea, and in fact the government denied the opportunity for ACT employees to see an NSP in action.

And this craaa-zy ideology that you hate so much… Do you just mean an ideology that says that we need to care for prisoners’ health?

Oh of course, we will be backwards if we don’t like it, because it’s from overseas, and those people all know better. What’s wrong with tougher measures in stopping the smuggling of illegal substances into the AMC? Not trendy enough for you? Read my original post! Apparently there have been no cases of infection due to contaminated needles at AMC so again, why is this necessary??? Frankly, your attempt at altruism is a little puke-inducing.

Jim Jones said :

mouthface said :

… impose their misguided policy … an ideologically driven, vandal supporting, drug culture tolerating party like the Greens … a party that likes to take the higher moral ground when it comes to climate change … their ideology, an ideology that is probably at odds with the views of the greater community and a disaster in the making?

That’s not a considered opinion, that’s Alan Jone’s opinion … or at very least Andrew Bolt’s opinion.

Nice one. Now at least with this latest post of yours you’ve shown your true colours, you brainless, sheep-like ideologue! For your information, I never listen to either of those AM shock jock wankers, but you, oh you, nothing-person with your borrowed world-view. You are not worthy of debating with me after that comment. Your little package marked “What I can support and who I should hate because I’m a Lefty” must have arrived in the mail. Fair-dinkum, you are a lightweight.

mouthface said :

Jim Jones said :

So, it’s your considered opinion that policy should be dictated by prison guards rather than the reams of evidence, or even the actual due process of local government?

What other professions are allowed to make up their own rules, regardless of the decisions of elected officials? Policemen? Teachers? Nurses?

It is my considered opinion that an elected official has the obligation to listen to the views of those who have first hand experience in the sphere in which they are about to impose their misguided policy. It is my considered opinion that policemen, nurses, teachers and others have a far better picture of the real world than an ideologically driven, vandal supporting, drug culture tolerating party like the Greens. It is my considered opinion that a corrections officer giving his view on public radio does not constitute “making your own rules” and is in fact a part of the due process of local government. It is my considered opinion that flying a bunch of people over to Europe is a gross waste of money, and not very “carbon emissions” responsible from a party that likes to take the higher moral ground when it comes to climate change. Please let me ask you this: Is it your considered opinion that an elected official should disregard the opinion of those very people that their misguided policy will affect on a daily basis, in order to uphold their ideology, an ideology that is probably at odds with the views of the greater community and a disaster in the making?

Maybe a bit of hyperbole there. Needle syringe programs seem to be working well elsewhere, why not here? Are we just a bit backwards?

I also just read the media release which said that the public health association suggested they take someone with them on their visit to an overseas prison operating an NSP. So it’s not a novel idea, and in fact the government denied the opportunity for ACT employees to see an NSP in action.

And this craaa-zy ideology that you hate so much… Do you just mean an ideology that says that we need to care for prisoners’ health?

mouthface said :

… impose their misguided policy … an ideologically driven, vandal supporting, drug culture tolerating party like the Greens … a party that likes to take the higher moral ground when it comes to climate change … their ideology, an ideology that is probably at odds with the views of the greater community and a disaster in the making?

That’s not a considered opinion, that’s Alan Jone’s opinion … or at very least Andrew Bolt’s opinion.

Jim Jones said :

So, it’s your considered opinion that policy should be dictated by prison guards rather than the reams of evidence, or even the actual due process of local government?

What other professions are allowed to make up their own rules, regardless of the decisions of elected officials? Policemen? Teachers? Nurses?

It is my considered opinion that an elected official has the obligation to listen to the views of those who have first hand experience in the sphere in which they are about to impose their misguided policy. It is my considered opinion that policemen, nurses, teachers and others have a far better picture of the real world than an ideologically driven, vandal supporting, drug culture tolerating party like the Greens. It is my considered opinion that a corrections officer giving his view on public radio does not constitute “making your own rules” and is in fact a part of the due process of local government. It is my considered opinion that flying a bunch of people over to Europe is a gross waste of money, and not very “carbon emissions” responsible from a party that likes to take the higher moral ground when it comes to climate change. Please let me ask you this: Is it your considered opinion that an elected official should disregard the opinion of those very people that their misguided policy will affect on a daily basis, in order to uphold their ideology, an ideology that is probably at odds with the views of the greater community and a disaster in the making?

So, it’s your considered opinion that policy should be dictated by prison guards rather than the reams of evidence, or even the actual due process of local government?

What other professions are allowed to make up their own rules, regardless of the decisions of elected officials? Policemen? Teachers? Nurses?

It is my considered opinion that an elected official has the obligation to listen to the views of those who have first hand experience in the sphere in which they are about to impose their misguided policy. It is my considered opinion that policemen, nurses, teachers and others have a far better picture of the real world than an ideologically driven, vandal supporting, drug culture tolerating party like the Greens. It is my considered opinion that a corrections officer giving his view on public radio does not constitute “making your own rules” and is in fact a part of the due process of local government. It is my considered opinion that flying a bunch of people over to Europe is a gross waste of money, and not very “carbon emissions” responsible from a party that likes to take the higher moral ground when it comes to climate change. Please let me ask you this: Is it your considered opinion that an elected official should disregard the opinion of those very people that their misguided policy will affect on a daily basis, in order to uphold their ideology, an ideology that is probably at odds with the views of the greater community and a disaster in the making?

mouthface said :

If Amanda Bresnan is sincere in her statement that “correction staff are key stakeholders” then why doesn’t she, and the other Green freaks listen to them. They oppose it, pure and simple. Why don’t these people just accept the wisdom of those on the front line and leave their ideological dribble to one side. A spokesperson for the corrections officers at AMC was interviewed on ABC radio yesterday and hopefully Amanda and that other supporter of vandalism and destruction of property were listening. Here are some things he had to say that they can wrap their left leaning heads around: Approximately two thirds of AMC inmates are Hep C positive, and all of them , yes ALL of them, contracted Hep C on the outside. There has not been one single case of an inmate contracting a disease through “needle sharing” at AMC. So why the need? Obviously this is not a problem so why look for a solution? Pure ideology and typical of all extreme green-left groupthink regarding drug use. Probably because they sit around smoking pot when thinking this shit up.
Here’s another beauty. The corrections officers will be expected to escort a prisoner to a shooting gallery, and then wait for them to administer their drug, and then escort them back to the general population. So the corrections officers will have to know the prisoner is carrying an illegal substance on their person when escorting them to the shooting gallery, but be unable to confiscate the illegal substance? Then they will have to sit by and knowingly let a prisoner who is affected by drugs mix with other inmates? Totally ridiculous and unworkable. Please Canberra people, vote these idiots out next election.

I had dinner with an AMC guard the othert week and he appalled at the way the jail is being run. I dont know about being unable to confiscate drugs though, i would confiscate them just before they went in and just leave them with a needle for a few minutes, that should piss them off.

mouthface said :

If Amanda Bresnan is sincere in her statement that “correction staff are key stakeholders” then why doesn’t she, and the other Green freaks listen to them. They oppose it, pure and simple. Why don’t these people just accept the wisdom of those on the front line and leave their ideological dribble to one side. A spokesperson for the corrections officers at AMC was interviewed on ABC radio yesterday and hopefully Amanda and that other supporter of vandalism and destruction of property were listening. Here are some things he had to say that they can wrap their left leaning heads around: Approximately two thirds of AMC inmates are Hep C positive, and all of them , yes ALL of them, contracted Hep C on the outside. There has not been one single case of an inmate contracting a disease through “needle sharing” at AMC. So why the need? Obviously this is not a problem so why look for a solution? Pure ideology and typical of all extreme green-left groupthink regarding drug use. Probably because they sit around smoking pot when thinking this shit up.
Here’s another beauty. The corrections officers will be expected to escort a prisoner to a shooting gallery, and then wait for them to administer their drug, and then escort them back to the general population. So the corrections officers will have to know the prisoner is carrying an illegal substance on their person when escorting them to the shooting gallery, but be unable to confiscate the illegal substance? Then they will have to sit by and knowingly let a prisoner who is affected by drugs mix with other inmates? Totally ridiculous and unworkable. Please Canberra people, vote these idiots out next election.

So, it’s your considered opinion that policy should be dictated by prison guards rather than the reams of evidence, or even the actual due process of local government?

What other professions are allowed to make up their own rules, regardless of the decisions of elected officials? Policemen? Teachers? Nurses?

where do I sign up? yup, it’s a junket funded by the taxpayer on those carbon loaded thingys that fly. Traditionally the greens would have taken a slow row boat to Europe.

If Amanda Bresnan is sincere in her statement that “correction staff are key stakeholders” then why doesn’t she, and the other Green freaks listen to them. They oppose it, pure and simple. Why don’t these people just accept the wisdom of those on the front line and leave their ideological dribble to one side. A spokesperson for the corrections officers at AMC was interviewed on ABC radio yesterday and hopefully Amanda and that other supporter of vandalism and destruction of property were listening. Here are some things he had to say that they can wrap their left leaning heads around: Approximately two thirds of AMC inmates are Hep C positive, and all of them , yes ALL of them, contracted Hep C on the outside. There has not been one single case of an inmate contracting a disease through “needle sharing” at AMC. So why the need? Obviously this is not a problem so why look for a solution? Pure ideology and typical of all extreme green-left groupthink regarding drug use. Probably because they sit around smoking pot when thinking this shit up.
Here’s another beauty. The corrections officers will be expected to escort a prisoner to a shooting gallery, and then wait for them to administer their drug, and then escort them back to the general population. So the corrections officers will have to know the prisoner is carrying an illegal substance on their person when escorting them to the shooting gallery, but be unable to confiscate the illegal substance? Then they will have to sit by and knowingly let a prisoner who is affected by drugs mix with other inmates? Totally ridiculous and unworkable. Please Canberra people, vote these idiots out next election.

JB’s had a cynicism overload.

Woah! Who got out of bed on the wrong side this morning JB? That is an extraordinarily mean-spirited view of the Green’s proposal.