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NewslettersSheriff suggests 'tent' jail to ease crowding
Wed, 2008-07-23 21:34 — Anonymous
A compound on county-owned property complete with razor wire, chain-link fencing, canvas tents and portable showers and toilets dubbed "Camp Beaufort" may be Beaufort County's best chance to quickly alleviate crowding in the Beaufort County Detention Center, said Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner. Read the story here.
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Major kudos to the Sheriff!!! Enough with the hand-wringing and debate. Get the job done! That's exactly what Sheriff Tanner is doing and he has got my vote the next go-around for sure! It is mighty refreshing to see someone in office DO SOMETHING!
Brain Trust of Beaufort said:
"even possession of marijuana or simple possession of cocaine -- then we'll get permission from the solicitor to dismiss that case".
What kind of message is this sending?
Guess what illegals? We are not going to prosecute drug cases!
This is freakin' amazing!
you got to be kidding. do you really believe that trash. there will be too much liability on the safety of the inmates and workers. and where do you suppose this tent city will be in beaufort county ? your not including the employees to man this project ? and most of all who will decide who goes into the hot blazing tent city? oh i get it we can put all the hispanics who come to this country who works their butts off to make this county what it is today or the local young black,white and hispanic trash who dont work and sell drugs. lets get off this bull crap tanner is sending. he knows full well it cant be done. sounds like tanner is going to run for office. maybe he wants to be mayor. undercover brother makes perfect sense in his article. tanner cant even control the drug problem here.
I for one like the efforts of Our sheriff. The laws of behavior modification show that even animals can be trained by alternating the carrot and stick approach . The stick is harsh treatment and disciplined control. the carrot is freedom if you conform to the law. Either here or in your home country if you are illegal.
If tents and discipline are good enough for our best citizens, Army, Air Force,Navy, Marines. Why not good enough for illegal law breakers.
By the way, it was good to see that Mexico repealed its 10 year automatic sentence for entering its country illegally. It was difficult for them to take the moral high ground on illegal entry with such draconian measures.
As for sheriff Tanner controlling other peoples personal habits, He is not their Daddy. Personal responsibility comes into play here.
Get more tents, I am sure that most citizens, especially those affected by illegal criminals will contribute.
Also we will need a fund to protect us from the ACLU and their ilk. Oh yea, some more lotion for the hand wringers and crying towels for all that are losing their precious profits from exploiting criminal aliens
More states should observe this economic measures, as it's a lot cheaper than sealing illegal
aliens in a jail cell. Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner should send a fax to Arizona's Great Sheriff Joe Ariapo in Maricopa county, as his answer to the illegal alien invasion is swoop down and lock them in his own tent city. Of course they have to endure the simmering heat and bologna sandwiches for lunch and do a little road side cleaning. But Hell! You broke the law and hard core Sheriff Joe, isn't a pussy cat? There lucky their not in shackles, with a ball and chain.
By the time they have served their time at the pleasure of Sheriff Joes vacation establishment, they are only to glad to being deported.
Citizens must get our reluctant Democrats to sponsor the Federal SAVE ACT (H.R.4088) that will enforce strict laws against predatory employers. Join www.numbersusa.com and stop the next Amnesty, seal the borders. No jobs, illegal aliens will go home of their own accord.
I'm sure many will come out and applaud, as well as, criticize the Sheriff's initial plan. Hey, but let's face it, something has to be done about the serious overcrowding at current facilities. And too many people are committing crimes. As the Sheriff tries to deal with this serious problem, he surely needs community support. The illegal problem in the lowcountry is past serious. On a typical weekend night, it's not unusual to see a few dozen or more arrests, many of whom may be illegals. Terrible crimes are also being committed by illegals too, such as the recent alcohol related vehicular death of a promising student/athlete at Bluffton High. This is a monumental task for the Sheriff and other county employees. So, I surely applaud the Sheriff's decision and will certainly allow time for problems to be ironed out. As said, space is a problem at current facilities and I believe manangement needs to use all the tools available and desirable to correct it. In other jurisdictions, it's not unusual to see some non-violent criminals get lighter sentences or early releases because of overcrowding. Beaufort is no different. Crimes are here and they have to be dealt with intelligently.
Well, I gotta admit when something is just not completely right. This idea is a band-aid fix and a real fix needs to be committed to. First, the Sheriff is doing what he is supposed to do, he is reacting to the desires of his community. We want tough law enforcement, we want Immigration enforcement, we want Deadbeat Dads to pay thier share and we want criminals to stay behind bars where they should be and we should have the guts as a community and our council should have the guts as our voices to give Judges and Prosicutors the luxury of not having an overcrowded jail to let criminals run free or worsen the overcrowding. Our Jail has been at capacity since the time it opened and thats not going to change. More population more inmates. Housing pre-conviction inmates in a Tent City is really not feasable, that type of unsecurable facility will take many more corrections officers than currently supervises inmates presently, the associated cost of security, environmental controls, feeding and hygene will make the idea very costly as well as very prone to legal challenges and inmate law suits due to conditions and injuries.
Council needs to right now, without delay, appropriate funding for a new detention center in a location that is centralized and build it to fit our housing needs for the next 20 year of population growth. We have delt with this issue for so long that waiting until a new facility is built is not going to be unmanagable, we may have to pay other Jails to house our inmates or transfer some sentenced inmates to the State and go without that fund generator. But we can do it. Then the Sheriff can expand his offices into the present detention center, and the DC can maintain a small temporary housing site there to allow for easy transport of inmates to court and hearing. There are too many good reasons to build a new DC and put it where it needs to be. One thing is essential, todays planners need to take a lesson from the people who planned our future needs in the past, they never thought the county and our needs would grow like they did so they underbuilt the infrastructure, Management needs to honestly predict growth and needs and the council needs to trust the people we elect or the people they appoint.
I was in Phoenix last week and saw Sheriff Joe's Tent City and it is amazing that we are discussing taking a step so severe as the answer Maricopa County took. With the growth and forsight our LE and DC professionals have another answer must be out there. But I guarantee it will cost money, so we need to adopt a pay for it now or pay alot more for it later attitude and get on the ball because we can't be behind it for much longer.
BTW, Gitmo (Camp Delta) has no Tents and Global War On Terror Inmates have 3 hots meals a day, a comfortable rack and all the Waterboarding they can stand. Waterboarding is like surfing, right??? 100XOXO !
DB,
Your suggestions are well stated and offer a sensible solution to what is a major problem. We live in a civilized society and should have evolved far beyond doing anything akin to what Sheriff Joe is doing. What he is doing is barbaric at best. His approach reminds me of the sort of frontier justice meted out by Judge Roy Bean and others. Have any of you ever seen the remains of the old Yuma Prison and heard the horror stories from when it was still in use? Sheriff Joe is riding a wave of celebrity right now, but I would guess that he will end up in court over his tent city sooner or later (probably even the US Supreme Court). To suggest building the same sort of facility here is unspeakable. Arizona is a dry climate, and the heat there is far more tolerable than the humid heat here. Arizona also does not boast the vast array of carnivorous insects that we have here. Our climate and geography would create an environment that would make Sheriff Joe's level of barbarism pale by comparison. Health issues would run rampant. Jail should not be comfortable or pleasant, but it should be safe, secure, and healthy for inmates and staff members. It should represent a civilized culture!
Now, if you would like to see the opposite end of the jail spectrum click on the link below. I received an e-mail today that contained the photos that are at the link. The e-mail represented this jail as the new correctional facility in Chicago. I found it unbelievable,tracked it down further and learned from the site I linked that it is actually a new jail in Austria. Regardless of where it is, it gives new meaning to the word ridiculous!
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_cook_county_correctional.htm
T I love the term. Reminds me of the old joke about the opening line of a court-martial....."bring the guilty $%#@!*& in here!!"
I agree that housing those persons awaiting trial in a tent city may be asking for trouble. Also, as I've stated before, we have unsolved crimes, even a murder, in our current detention facility. Just how much control would you have in a tent city. Prison ships were popular during the War of Northern Aggression. There are a few islands around which have served as POW camps and slave holding areas, maybe that would work. Yes, we'll use islands and then we can also send all the lepers there. Papillon anyone?
"Sheriff Tanner is Planning on Dismissing Charges for Illegal Aliens... The Plan Stinks to High Heaven"....
http://www2.beaufortgazette.com/blogs/post/21655
Get out to Phoenix where this has been successful for YEARS!!!
Inmates get to live in surplus military tents - the same type the Marines use. Good enough for America's soldiers - then it's good enough for law breaking prisoners. And that should bury any discussion of "cruel and unusual treatment".
In Phoenix, the inmates are given pink underwear and are allowed to strip down to them on hot days - this is Arizona - home to 100+ degrees all summer long. And for TV, they get to watch 2 channels - Disney and the Weather Channel.
Hey folks - these are law breakers or people charged with breaking the law. That means they have breken the law and society - that's you and me - have suffered a loss.
For once, Sherriff "always campaigning" PJ has it right.
Just get here from Cuba, or was it the old Soviet bloc. Here's a civics lesson for you. In AMERICA there's a big difference between being charged and being convicted. Read the Constitution for yourself. Learn about the rights enjoyed by every citizen as guaranteed by the founding fathers.
"citizens" rights, emphasis on CITIZENS. The only extenuating circumstance that I can conceive of for those that cross the border illegally is the I WAS PUSHED, or I WAS ABDUCTED BY ALIENS defense. I am sure that some LA RAZA employed lawyer is preparing those defenses with the help of the ACLU right now.
We should be concerned with who else comes across our borders as well. That would be OTM other then Mexican. Remember we are at war. Aloha snack bar.
We seem to forget that our military have to live in tents from time to time without A/C, elect, cots, etc. If this is good enough for them, it should be good enough for criminals or suspected criminals. I have some extra tent stakes I'll donate.
"Tanner said he and 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone were working to dismiss charges against about 15 illegal aliens at the detention center to expedite their deportation and get them out of the detention center".
Why would Tanner and Stone not want to bring charges? That's their job!
When you think about what they are wanting to do it's quite unbelievable. Why is it that every other citizen has to obey the laws and face the consequences but the Illegal Aliens don't have to according to Tanner's World.
Sheriff Tanner said:
... "and if you're in this country illegally and you're committing crimes, you're going to be dealt with fast."
This convoluted justice system is really unfair and corrupt to just let criminals go and not enforce the law.
Its gonna take a lot more than chain link fence to hold these immigrants. They got in the country didn't they!
...also, with all of these drive by shootings with no witnesses, it wouldn't take much to bust the whole group of illegals out of the tent city and into the streets. A few guys with guns shooting into the tent city, after that you would have an empty camp site and illegals scattered all over Beaufort County. And BTW, why should they leave Beaufort County? They aren't going to face any criminal charges anyway. Why? Because the Sheriff and the Solicitor don't want to prosecute. AMAZING.
...also, with all of these drive by shootings with no witnesses, it wouldn't take much to bust the whole group of illegals out of the tent city and into the streets. A few guys with guns shooting into the tent city, after that you would have an empty camp site and illegals scattered all over Beaufort County. And BTW, why should they leave Beaufort County? They aren't going to face any criminal charges anyway. Why? Because the Sheriff and the Solicitor don't want to prosecute. AMAZING.
If the only thing that is keeping these 15 illegals from being deported is a couple of minor offenses, I say drop the charges, turn them over to the Fed's and have them deported. Why should taxpayers foot the bill to house, feed and prosecute these illegals when we can get them out of our system and deported?
I agree with you 100%! We certainly don't need an incident like the one that happened in San Francisco. Turn them over to the Feds & get them outta here as soon as possible!
...they are in jail for reason.
You may have read over the last year that there have been many illegals that have been arrested for drug trafficking and are currently in jail. As I said, they are in jail for a reason. The Solicitor's office has a nasty habit of reducing charges. What's to prevent them from reducing the trafficking charge to simple possession and then dismissing the case. Then, subsequently, the illegals are free to roam the country. Don't let the Sheriff monkey around with dismissing charges, it's not his job. You really have to ask yourself, what in the heck is he doing?
If you give him an inch to reduce and dismiss charges he'll take a mile and the illegals will too. This is a very dangerous and numb-nuts idea coming from the Sheriff and the Solicitor.
I am all for deportation illegals after they face their charges as arrested.
Do you not see the double standard here?...baldeagle14...if you are arrested you face the charges. If an illegal is arrested for a criminal act, he goes free.
The only way someone could remotely justify this in their own mind is if they were on medication...heavy medication.
I agree with you undercover, they are in jail for a reason. And you've made some really good comments and some detailed points about the problems. I believe also that everyone in the community needs to be involved in how this gets solved. They surely need to come together on the terms of how that will be accomplished, with the least adverse effects to the general public. I'm glad I'm not the Sheriff, for he is sure to take much flak for action or inaction, in this serious matter of overcrowding of criminals in the system. Many people are sure to cry foul, and they are probably tuning their vocal cords already. This problem may later come back to hurt the county overall with unwanted, but maybe legitimate, charges of unfairness. It may also turn out to be even worse for some than the controversial confederate flag issue. Is this really a hot potato for the community? Maybe. I surely hope it gets resolved fairly as well as adequately. Sheriff Tanner has a tough job !
Rather than dropping charges and deporting them with a clean record why not offer them a felony conviction, a stiff sentence, and suspend the sentence in lieu of deportation. This way as convicted felons they could never re-enter the country legally. And if they returned illegally they could then serve out the sentence. If they could be caught.
Now that will surely give the illegals that break American laws,and who are then subsequently deported, a reason for not wanting to illegally re-enter the country. At least, it may stop some revolving doors. I still doubt whether the illegal problem will ever be totally solved for most municipalities. One has to consider all the immediate perks/programs readily available in this country for new arrivals, that may or may not be accessed by them in their homeland.The availability of immediate health care, education,and the employment opportunities that are desired by illegals, are sure to keep them attempting to enter. Maybe the best answer to this incredible dilemma for U.S. citizens, may actually rest in the illegal aliens' country of origin. The dollar may be falling a bit here, but it is still very green to their eyesight.
Finally. I applaude any politician with the guts to do what the American people have been screaming about for years. I don't care if it's hot or dirty or uncomfortable. Good. Perhaps if other law breakers see how crappy it is - they won't break the law. When did we become a nation of excuse makers? We're supposed to feel sorry for criminals now? Well I for one do not. I don't want to hear anymore lame excuses about how illegals are just hard working people looking to make a better life for themselves and their families. Maybe they should start making a better life in their home countries. If they put a bit of that 'hard work' into making their homelands less of a cesspool perhaps they wouldn't have to invade other countries. Either we are a country of laws or we aren't. And folks - like it or not - entering and working in the US without permission is against the law. As it should be. We make our way down a very slippery slope when we start cherry picking the laws we want to enforce. Our schools and hospitals are overcrowded and falling apart. There are children in our schools who can't speak english - causing our children to fall behind. People can't get the care they need at hospitals because the staff is busy running an acute care clinic in the ER. And on top of all of that - we're footing the bill. I'm all abhout helping my neighbor in his time of need - but not at the expense of my own family. Enough is enough.
Dwhited in reference to " When did we become a nation of excuse makers " this Country has been this way for decades. every conflict,war etc. we give them back their country,build it up for them and then get booted. kuwait was another waste of our military time. Has kuwait helped us with the oil problem??? hell no. will iraq help us NO ! I SAY IF WE ENTER A CONFLICT AGAIN [HOPING WE WONT]. THAT COUNTRY ANTE UP SOMETHING OR LETS JUST KEEP IT AND SELL THE COUNTRY TO THEIR ENEMIES.
Now as for the over crowding of the jail. Beaufort county knew back when they decided to build the jail that it would have been too small because of our rise of rapid growth. And what happen to the plan to expand the jail by
adding on by tearing down PARKVIEW APARTMENTS [which needs to go anyway]??
no we need more golf courses,we need to build up Hilton Head so the tourists can have a great time and crap in our county then leave,and then how many times has the waterfront been closed and worked on. the list goes on and on and on!!!! oh i forgot and on and on
Just to respond to a few comments and replies. First I would love to see convicted inmates spend time on chain gangs, in stripes, eating MRE's and living (barely) in tents, caves or behind bars. But the US & SC have laws regarding the housing of inmates and there is a legal difference between pre-trial and convicted inmates. If the Sheriff, the DC Director and Council wants to really build a tent city jail then the Council needs to do its job and make sure the citizens they represent understand what they are getting into. With the litigous society we live in and our laws allow, one partially founded law suit regarding an injury, death or assault that happens in our Tent city and the conditions can be blamed will cost more than the city itself. Where will those funds come from, us. A can of worms that should be a LAST resort.
Dad, you had a great idea, I remember a private co that actually runs a few Prison Ships, maybe we should investigate that option dock it downtown or in Harbor Town until a New Jail is built. The sight of a big gray ship filled with bad guys sitting in the middle of our tourist attractions would send a message to the rest of the country that we will not put up with crime. Having another company with the right equipment and trained people to work on it would be more cost effective than throwing up a concentration camp with Lawyers lined up outside to sue us.
Personally, I don't care what short term temporary fix we use, but I do know that our representatives need to plan and fund for our growth and our protection. Heck, Monkey Island would be a good start, all we need is a few boats to patrol for the few swimmers in the bunch and a team of Lawyer eating Sharks with Lazers to protect the inmates. Remember Preperation A through G has not worked so we should call this one Preperation H.......
Federal ICE Program"
"The detainer can be lifted only when the local charges they face have been resolved, either by paying a fine or completing jail time, depending on the crime".
Why would Sheriff Tanner and Solicitor Stone want to circumvent the federal program?
I went to the ICE web site & you are correct. My bad.
I feel putting them in jail is useless. We put them in jail and that just puts them behind in the child support. Why don't we find something else to do with them. Maybe help them get a job to start with. Putting them in jail just puts them more behind and for the ones who do have jobs they end up loosing them. Yes I understand they are breaking the law but there has to be something else we can do. Putting them in jail does't help the over crowding problem, it just adds to it.We need to find something else to do and soon!
...is an excuse.
Over crowding is a symptom of the problem, not the problem.
This is EXACTLY what Sherrif Joe has in Arizona!!!-----
And, as Sherrif Joe always points out----our troops are living in tents in the Summer/Winter in Iraq and Afghanistan-----If our troops can do it, when they did NOTHING wrong----there is NO reason that criminals cannot be put there as well!!----
And, that is EXACTLY what illegals are---CRIMINALS!!
SOME of you better WAKE UP as you are CLUELESS!!
You have NOT seen the full blown scale of what is going on regarding the illegal invasion in OH-----ask someone from TX, AZ, CA, CO, NM, etc.------they will wake you up REAL FAST.
Illegals are taking the jobs of drywallers, painters, landscapers, mechanics, roofers, trimmers, plumbers, electricians, welders, truck drivers, mill workers, factory workers, miners, and ANY other occupations within construction-------as well as ALL occupations within the hospitality industries----maids, waitresses, waiters, etc.
These jobs belong to US citizens, NOT illegal invaders.
PLUS------their communities, schools, and hospitals in these states are being DESTROYED because of the illegals and their anchor babies--------while the citizens are stuck picking up the tab by paying MORE taxes.
Did you see how all of our politicians pander and want to accommodate the Hispanics----including the illegals now?? What do you think is going to happen when there are millions more given amnesty---who will be able to vote in OUR elections!!!
YOU will no longer have any power/worthiness in this country-----and your children/grandchildren DEFINTELY will not!!!
We are now fighting for our children/grandchildren----and their futures/rights/opportunities as the REAL US citizens!!!
SAY NO TO ANY FORM OF AMNESTY/REWARDS/ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ILLEGALS!!!
SAY NO TO OBAMA!!!
Your children and grandchildren are counting on YOU!!!!!
Why do some of you want to give away the futures/rights/opportunities of your own children and grandchildren???
Say NO TO AMNESTY!!!
Say NO to OBAMA!!!
This is OUR country!!!
The illegals need to be FORCED to leave our country---by taking away their ability to get jobs, welfare, WIC, foodstamps, non-emergency medical, etc.----and by letting the police assist ICE by doing arrests/deportations.
This is already being done in Arizona, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Georgia, parts of Virginia and Texas------it needs to be done NOW throughout the country!!!
What about the millions of people throughout the world who have applied and are waiting in line to come to our country through the proper, legal process?? We cannot take in the world, and these ILLEGALS should not be rewarded/accommodated for breaking our laws, and get to jump to the front of the line!!!!
If Obama gives amnesty to the 30 million illegals (don't even believe that there are only 10 million illegals here, this is the same figure that they have been using for the past 10 years).......They will then bring in another 60 million family members through chain migration.....Then, consider all of the children that they will have on US soil.......This will EASILY equal at least 120 million more people....
What is going to be left for you???? Your children??? Your grandchildren???
In 10 years or less, YOUR children/grandchildren will have to fight for their citizenship rights/opportunities----as they will now be the minority in OUR country!!!
Then the 30 mil illegals and their 90 mil family members will be able to vote in our elections. They will have enough voting power/numbers to put into office those who will give them even more power, control, benefits (think of La Raza)------while your kids/grandchildren pick up the tab!!!
Some of you better WAKE up and start defending your communities, state, country from the illegals!!
Join millions of US citizens from throughout the country and GET INVOLVED NOW!!
http://www.numbersusa.com
http://www.minutemanhq.com
http://www.saveourstate.org
Bren, your messages were a little vague, I didn't get your point. Did UCB have his brother get on the blog? Well at least your committed. I agree with your issues but fixing the system is harder than you think, there are more regulations about housing inmates than for sheltering soldiers in the field. I am in favor for whatever is legal and will get the job done. I also agree that if we have to house Illegals for a short time to ensyre a conviction and keep them from re-entering the country legally or illegally in the future that we should make that committment, they may not come back here but somebody will have to put up with them. You would hope that the Feds would build a giant camp in the New Mexico desert with a one way tunnel back across the border and relieve local govs from spending money on a problem that is here only because of thier failure. Easy Answer= Arrest, Deport, Erect Giant Fence, Guard our Borders & Protect our lives & jobs, Real Answer = $$$$$$ Debates $$$ Arguments $$$$$ Elections $$$, Arguments $$$ Nothing.....
this website to Bren. Just my little way of helping out. Just call me the giver.
http://www.stutteringhelp.org/
how about use all theses new condos to houses them no one else is going to move into them.
Pacmanatnightlife.....terrific idea!!