Federal government to pursue criminal contempt charge against Sheriff Joe Arpaio

[sarahtasher]

He murdered his inmates and stuck them in mass graves?!? Why haven't we heard about this sooner?

Yes to that, but that point would have just been qualified as being ''tough on crime'' and thus something to brag about. (My point is merely that treating inmate like animals is apparently perfectly fine in some areas, but fortunately should I say, doing so while refusing to follow court instructions is not)

[RickJamesLich]

https://www.aclu.org/news/ninth-circ...tions-maricopa

He was ordered by a court to "end severe overcrowding and ensure all detainees receive necessary medical and mental health care, be given uninterrupted access to all medications prescribed by correctional medical staff, be given access to exercise and to sinks, toilets, toilet paper and soap and be served food that meets or exceeds the U.S. Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines."

But this contempt of court charge is over his policy of racial profiling, which he was ordered to stop. Essentially, the judge told him that "looking Mexican" is not probable cause, and the sheriff refused to comply.

- - - Updated - - -


The study that Arpaio himself commissioned showed that there was no significant difference in recidivism whatsoever. Page 42

And as I mentioned previously in the thread, friends and donors of Arpaio aren't subjected to such conditions.

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/...hilton-6629804

Rather than serving time in hellish Tent City, Arpaio allows his special guests to serve their sentences in private, climate-controlled cells at the Mesa Hilton. The lucky inmates are also allowed to bring luxury personal items into the jail, including cell phones, musical instruments, computers and takeout meals.

Also, people are housed in the jails who are awaiting trial, and are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

I clicked on the link and it said the page could not be found. That being said, according to statistics I've seen (released from the Sheriff himself), the recidivism rates are largely an illegal immigration issue:

http://www.sonorannews.com/archives/...ws-arpaio.html

Almost half of the inmates are illegal immigrants and in those instances and many of them end up going back to prison when they should be getting deported from the country. Or in other cases they simply sneak back into the country and get arrested again. Once you factor in that these illegal immigrants are being allowed to stay, it's not really a wonder for why his rates are as high as they are. Which on some levels makes sense, Tent City suddenly looks like a Nordic prison in comparison to the jails in Mexico.

[AndaliteBandit]

I clicked on the link and it said the page could not be found.

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/...hilton-6629804

[breadisfunny]

The conditions one faces in prison shouldn't be a deterrent, and it certainly isn't Sheriff Joe's call on enhancing their sentence. We have laws against cruel and unusual treatment for a reason. Why is it that in America we see prison as a punishment, while the rest of the world sees it as an opportunity to make a person better?

because they are being PUNISHED for breaking the law. they aren't there to enjoy themselves.

[AndaliteBandit]

because they are being PUNISHED for breaking the law. they aren't there to enjoy themselves.

What issue do you take with inmates, some of whom are by the way innocent, being entitled to the following?

Not being subjected to severe overcrowding, receiving necessary medical and mental health care, being given uninterrupted access to all medications prescribed by correctional medical staff, being given access to exercise and to sinks, toilets, toilet paper and soap and being served food that meets or exceeds the U.S. Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines.

[LilSaihah]

because they are being PUNISHED for breaking the law. they aren't there to enjoy themselves.

If this is how you're going to treat them it's cheaper and easier to just knock 'em off. We have prisoners' rights for a reason.

[RickJamesLich]

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/...hilton-6629804

I am curious though, is it possible that the judge is sending criminals with less serious convictions to the nicer jail? If the allegations are true I do think that is a big deal but I do find in the case of the article, if someone is a police officer or a celebrity, they have a greater chance of encountering violence among the inmates so it does make sense to place them in a different spot. Of course I'm not saying there are no ulterior motives here at the same time.

[NineSpine]

because they are being PUNISHED for breaking the law. they aren't there to enjoy themselves.

Arpaio doesn't run prisons. He runs jails, which house huge numbers of people who are awaiting trial and haven't been convicted of anything yet. Furthermore, his jails are failures with abnormally high recidivism rates, and that means his jails are counterproductive and a threat to public safety. However, you have decided that your feelings are more important. It makes you feel good to see these people, many of whom are not convicted of anything, suffer, and that is so much more valuable to you than the system actually working. That's why you are sick, and that's why people like you have made our society sick.

[Theinquisition]

Being as I'm from Phoenix, I wouldn't trust anything from the new times. Its the dailykos of the valley

[Wells]

Turns out you have to listen to what courts say. You'd think a big law and order guy would get that.

[Masark]

Turns out you have to listen to what courts say. You'd think a big law and order guy would get that.

They seem to confuse "law and order" with "I AM THE LAW AND YOU WILL FOLLOW MY ORDERS!"

[ovm33]

For those who didn't bother to read the story:

Arpaio is facing Contempt of Court charges after refusing to stop police practices that unfairly targeted Hispanics. Arpaio is accused of racial profiling Hispanic persons in an attempt catch illegal aliens.

I attempted to write the above in as clinical a way as possible.

Now for my take on it... The real reason he is facing Contempt of Court charges is because Arpaio, a republican, basically told the judge, a Democrat, to fuck off after the judge ordered him to stop rounding up illegals and shipping their asses back. It is cute that this is happening just a month prior to Arpaio's re-election vote despite the fact this dates back to 2011. It's political.

[Wells]

Now for my take on it... The real reason he is facing Contempt of Court charges is because Arpaio, a republican, basically told the judge, a Democrat, to fuck off after the judge ordered him to stop rounding up illegals and shipping their asses back. It is cute that this is happening just a month prior to Arpaio's re-election vote despite the fact this dates back to 2011. It's political.

Yes, turns out courts will hold you in contempt when you defy their orders. That's not political.

[ovm33]

Yes, turns out courts will hold you in contempt when you defy their orders. That's not political.

Yup, absolutely nothing at all political about this. Nothing.

Jesus... Wells, just once I would love to see you say something on this forum that wasn't rubber stamped by the DNC.

[AndaliteBandit]

the judge ordered him to stop rounding up illegals and shipping their asses back

He's not allowed to enforce immigration law. He is, however, allowed to inform ICE when he believes there is an illegal immigrant. There is a separation of powers between federal and state governments.

And "looking Mexican" is not probable cause.

[Wells]

Yup, absolutely nothing at all political about this. Nothing.

Jesus... Wells, just once I would love to see you say something on this forum that wasn't rubber stamped by the DNC.

So it wasn't a lawful order he disobeyed?

[Ifeanychukwu]

Why is it that in America we see prison as a punishment, while the rest of the world sees it as an opportunity to make a person better?

People like to feel sanctimonious. It annoys me to no end to see people that say shit like "they're criminals so they deserve it" or any number of things that people with no fucking clue like to say. They ignore the fact that not everyone shares the same life experiences as them, don't have the same opportunities or proper upbringings with caring parents. They act like "well everything is fine for me so those other people just aren't living their life the right way". I've personally seen both sides of the spectrum so there's nothing more satisfying to me than when some uppity fuck that loves to judge people gets their just desserts and suddenly is a "victim" that wants compassion from others.

[Mormolyce]

Clever, prey on gullible social conservatives' S&M fantasies re: criminals to cut down on prison expenses. Those prison companies sure know how to play the masses for profit.

Sheriff is an elected position in Phoenix

Well there's your problem.

- - - Updated - - -

Yup, absolutely nothing at all political about this. Nothing.

Well clearly the Sherrif is playing politics like a madman. I bet his electorate eats this kind of nonsense up lol.

[Oktoberfest]

For those who didn't bother to read the story:

Arpaio is facing Contempt of Court charges after refusing to stop police practices that unfairly targeted Hispanics. Arpaio is accused of racial profiling Hispanic persons in an attempt catch illegal aliens.

I attempted to write the above in as clinical a way as possible.

Now for my take on it... The real reason he is facing Contempt of Court charges is because Arpaio, a republican, basically told the judge, a Democrat, to fuck off after the judge ordered him to stop rounding up illegals and shipping their asses back. It is cute that this is happening just a month prior to Arpaio's re-election vote despite the fact this dates back to 2011. It's political.

Yup. But dont expect the rabid left to see the truth of that. They dont like facts, they think with their feelings.

[Masark]

Also, do you honestly believe there is a "one size fits all" type of approach to criminal justice that works?

No, but I do believe these are "one size fits none" approaches to criminal justice that never work.