High Profile Porridge Options

[Greeneyes]

So, I'm putting captions on cats today, and I come across another article about Paris Hilton. In case you actually have something to do with your lives other than trawl through articles about anything and everything, here's a little summary.

Last year, Paris Hilton was caught drink-driving and had her licence suspended for 3 years. She was pulled over by police earlier this year, and was given a 45 day jail sentence, which has now been reduced to 23 for 'good behaviour', which she will serve in short order. The articles in question arose not because some celebrity was caught comitting a crime, but because people were trying to get her off the hook. Some time after she received her sentence, petitions arose on the internet, from fans (as a side note, what does this woman do that generates fans?) who thought that she should be let off. At the time of the first article going up, one such petition had around 11,000 names. Naturally, the internet being the residence of many people, other petitions arose doing the exact opposite. I believe these ended up outweighing the original, but this is not the point.

I take issue with several things raised by these articles. Firstly, the very idea of petitioning the Governator to let her off is ludicrous. It also irritates me beyond belief that she apparently has commented on the petition, which appeared on myspace, encouraging people to sign it. People should not be sentenced according to how popular they are. Simple as that.

Secondly, it irritates me that she used ignorance as a defence, as apparently, she employs someone to open all of her mail, and therefore didn't know that her licence had been suspended. Allegedly, she just signs whatever this person puts under her nose (which, I might add, resulted in someone making the marvellous suggestion that someone should put the anti-Paris petition in front of her). I really hope for the sake of the collective intelligence of humanity that she plays up the stupid when it suits her. I mean, seriously, did she think there would be no repercussions for doing something which is illegal because it's dangerous? But again, this is not the point.

Finally, the point. Whilst doing porridge, she will be staying in a special block reserved for "celebrities, public officials, police officers, and other high-profile inmates". This is really what I wanted to bring up. Should 'high profile' people really be segregated like this? I doubt they receive any special treatment, but still. Exceptions are being made based on the popularity and fame of a person. I can understand the argument that perhaps she would be victimised were she placed with 'regular' inmates, but I'm fairly certain that there are prison wardens to prevent this taking place, and is that not just another price of fame?

Should this seperation of celebrities and common men take place?

Discuss.

[Snugglebum the D...]

If it didn't there would be no point in prison. If we took away people's freedom and then did everything within our power to make them feel like it wasn't that bad an experience then why bother with the prison system? Prison's not just s deterrent to commiting crime, it's a punishment for the people that commit crime.

I would argue that it's about rehablitation as well. Punishment is not the be and end all; at some point we have to reintroduce people into civilisation.

[Witless]

If it didn't there would be no point in prison. If we took away people's freedom and then did everything within our power to make them feel like it wasn't that bad an experience then why bother with the prison system? Prison's not just s deterrent to commiting crime, it's a punishment for the people that commit crime.

I would argue that it's about rehablitation as well. Punishment is not the be and end all; at some point we have to reintroduce people into civilisation.

Aye that is true, but in paris hilton's case she's getting far from the end all, it's a month and a half in prison isolated from the other criminals. Human rights shouldn't be infringed and at least attempts should be made to sort their lives out after.

But Paris will be able to pay for help and therapists and whatever she needs far beyond what most people could dream of.