Medical parole!

[Sly21C]

A few weeks ago I saw an episode of Special Assignment (on SABC 3) reporting on prisoners at Modderbee prison near Springs who are gravely ill and some of them couldn't even feed themselves and wash themselves and had to rely on fellow prisoners to bath them and assist them in the toilet. Videos were shown of inhumane living conditions of these ill prisoners and Special Assignment's expose seems to highlight the fact that ill prisoners needed to be set free on medical parole so they can be treated at their homes.

A few days ago Shaik was set free on medical parole and there was some guy representing some organization who said that Shaik's release on medical parole sets a good president for other very sick prisoners who also needed to be set free because of their terminal illness.

Now, regarding the Special Assignment expose and accompanying public outcry for prison authorities to do something to make life for ill prisoners better and take care of them, why should I - a citizen who works hard for a living and was once a victim of crime - care about sick prisoners? Why does the public care about prisoners (sick prisoners in this case)? Why was there public outcry against prison authorities after the special assignment's episode and subsequent expose? I really don't understand why the general public cares about people (prisoners) who went to jail because they raped, murdered, robbed, stole, committed fraud, etc. I really don't understand why they (sick prisoners) deserve public sympathy even if they are terminally ill.

I just want to know why taxpayer’s money needs to be spent on medicine for someone who hijacked cars, raped, robbed, etc? Why do our government and the media and Special Assignment want the general public to care and to feel sorry for sick prisoners even though we have a lot of law abiding South Africans who live below the poverty line and don't have access to medicine when they are sick.

I really need you guys to help me understand why it is a good thing to care about terminally ill prisoners...

 

[Albereth]

I really need you guys to help me understand why it is a good thing to care about terminally ill prisoners...

Simple answer - it is because we consider ourselves a humane society.

 

[sox63]

They are mandated by the constitution:

27. Health care, food, water and social security

• Everyone has the right to have access to
  health care services, including reproductive health care

• sufficient food and water

and

• social security, including, if they are unable to support themselves and their dependants, appropriate social assistance.

The state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of each of these rights.

No one may be refused emergency medical treatment.

 

[Sly21C]

Simple answer - it is because we consider ourselves a humane society.

Don't you think it's time to fight fire with fire instead of fighting fire with water? Don't you think it's time to treat prisoners like animals and in an inhumane way so that other would be criminals will be discouraged to be criminals and therefore lower the number of current and future criminals and crime?

 

[R13...]

Don't you think it's time to fight fire with fire instead of fighting fire with water? Don't you think it's time to treat prisoners like animals and in an inhumane way so that other would be criminals will be discouraged to be criminals and therefore lower the number of current and future criminals and crime?

God forbid you end up locked with such prisoners over some minor unpaid traffic fine!
We know how well SA's prisons are managed as it is, with minor offenders ending up locked up with lifers, and what have you.

 

[Blaze786]

God forbid you end up locked with such prisoners over some minor unpaid traffic fine!
We know how well SA's prisons are managed as it is, with minor offenders ending up locked up with lifers, and what have you.

I agree with Sly21C to some extent, Prisoners are there for a reason, obviously we are not going to let minor offenders like fraudsters, etc. suffer the brundt of their crmes, but the really evil bastids rapists, murderers, etc. those guys deserve every single second of suffering they recieve! An eye for an eye as they say.

 

[Slootvreter]

Now, regarding the Special Assignment expose and accompanying public outcry for prison authorities to do something to make life for ill prisoners better and take care of them, why should I - a citizen who works hard for a living and was once a victim of crime - care about sick prisoners? Why does the public care about prisoners (sick prisoners in this case)? Why was there public outcry against prison authorities after the special assignment's episode and subsequent expose? I really don't understand why the general public cares about people (prisoners) who went to jail because they raped, murdered, robbed, stole, committed fraud, etc. I really don't understand why they (sick prisoners) deserve public sympathy even if they are terminally ill.

I'm with you on this one. Nobody gave a fsck when they went to jail, because they got what they deserved. Not that they're sick, everyone sympathizes? Where are all the people that cry 'let them rot in jail' now?

 

[Slootvreter]

God forbid you end up locked with such prisoners over some minor unpaid traffic fine!
We know how well SA's prisons are managed as it is, with minor offenders ending up locked up with lifers, and what have you.

You won't go to C-max for unpaid traffic fines, trust me. At the very worst, some holding cell at a court.

 

[grayston]

Don't you think it's time to fight fire with fire instead of fighting fire with water?

Congratulations - you win the prize for stupidest comment of the day!

 

[JungleBoy]

The ministry under which prisoners fall is called, Correctional Services. To me this means that prisoners are not viewed as God forsaken outcasts that must be fed to the vultures.
Instead they are to be rehabitated back into normal society...