Posted on 06/10/2014 6:20:54 AM PDT by MichCapCon
Citing safer jails and a reduction in unnecessary lawsuits, State Sen. Rick Jones introduced legislation that would allow anyone put in jail for a misdemeanor to be strip searched without probable cause.
Sen. Jones, R-Grand Ledge, introduced Senate Bill 958 last week. It was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Sen. Jones said the law would bring Michigan's jails in line with the federal prisons, where he said strip searches are allowed without cause. There have been people with weapons hidden on or inside their bodies, he said. Sen. Jones has a background in public safety and served as a jail administrator for four years.
Sen. Jones "It is just simply not safe to not check people before you put them in the jail population," he said.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said there are many examples of people smuggling contraband and weapons inside their bodies. And he said he's seen it happen with people convicted on seemingly non-violent crimes.
"[T]he only way we can keep a facility safe is to have the ability to do a strip search," Sheriff Bouchard said.
Without it, he said, "lives will be lost; it's the simplest answer."
Rana Elmir, deputy director of the ACLU of Michigan, said the civil rights organization strongly opposes the bill.
"Forcibly strip searching a person without suspicion who is being held for a minor infraction is a heavy-handed solution in search of a nonexistent problem," Elmir said. "Allowing our jails to conduct blanket strip searches without suspicion is wrongheaded, degrading and unnecessary across the board, but doing this to people who simply neglected to pay a traffic ticket or are in court because they got caught fishing out of season is particularly egregious."
Would this apply to someone entering lockup after a mere arrest and awaiting the payment of bail or just those who have been sentenced to prison after being convicted? Major difference.
I’m with the ACLU on this one. A simple metal detector would catch weapons.
“Allowing our jails to conduct blanket strip searches without suspicion is wrongheaded, degrading and unnecessary across the board, but doing this to people who simply neglected to pay a traffic ticket or are in court because they got caught fishing out of season is particularly egregious.”
I usually do not agree with the ACLU but in this instance I do and I think the comment by them answers you question, this means after an arrest for any minor crime. We are being desensitized as a nation, it is a growing problem. 25 years ago any notion the government would be spying upon us from space, from vehicles driving by, from a plethora of cameras and the like would have been laughable, today it is common place and almost never raises an eye brow. Once the government gets all the legal guns away from the population, we will become the equal of cattle.
My liberal uncle claims we do not have an autocratic government.
What would be even safer is to just kill every offender. Guilty or not. We could then save a lot of money on jails and courts and all that unnecessary stuff.
Do I need a sarc tag?
I’d half expect for the ACLU to say it was OK as long as there was an exemption for minorities.
Sexual deviancy is everywhere these days.
A toothbrush “shank” won’t set off a magnetometer.
Everyone should recognize that jail is punishment. Humiliation is a tool to punish.
“My liberal uncle claims we do not have an autocratic government.”
Just an oversight, he probably meant to include “self serving” in the phrase too!
AND NO PUNISHMENT IS TOO GREAT!!!11!! NOR IS ANY INFRACTION TOO SMALL!!!1111!!11! KILLL KILLLLL KILLLLLLLLL KILL EVERY OFFENDER, TORTURE THEM UPON ARREST, PULL OUT THEIR EYEBALLS!!! KIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Didn't you get the memo? Shame and humiliation are now strictly reserved for old, rich white guys. Common criminals and offenders need not apply. Jail time is considered a right of passage and a resume builder for a growing portion of the population.
Fascism coming from a Republican.
Punishment is supposed to happen AFTER conviction. Not before.
The big picture issue is that people are being tossed in the clink for misdemeanor arrests prior to obtaining a conviction. Therein lies the problem. No one should be going to jail prior to conviction on a minor offense. The exceptions should be:
1. Jail for failure to appear as a result of a criminal arrest.
2. Jail for those who are currently a danger to themselves or others upon court order (I.e the arrestee is drunk).
3. Felony arrests.
4. Upon conviction for relatively serious misdemeanors.
Otherwise the police should hand you your ticket and send you on your way. God help me but I agree with the aclu.
I thought that every prisoner was strip searched, before they were put in with the other prisoners.
</sarc>
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