THE NON PROSECUTION PRISON

THE NON-PROSECUTION PRISON It was a long time, coming, but, like the new "prisons", for seniors, it seemed inevitable. The basic idea, for the non-prosecution prison came, directly from the idea that one state had, for dealing with elderly criminals. While no one contested that the law had been violated, the problem, that atleast one state had, was the fact that, with retirement benefits so far BELOW price levels, that the elderly had turned to theft, to support themselves. The problem, with these "criminals" was that no prison was equipped to deal with senior inmates care needs. When none, of the states prisons were willing to accept wheelchair, and walker, based convicts, the state had been forced to do the LAST thing that it wanted to do. The state had taken over two, bankrupt, and closed down, nursing homes. Here, as secretly as possible, the state had housed its elderly criminals. The secret MIGHT have held, until a reporter, visiting family, noticed that the nursing home was powered up. It was only when the reporter began asking questions, that the state admitted that the nursing home was, now, a prison, for elderly convicts. When the reporter asked "Where are the guards, watch towers, and perimeter fences?" The "warden" said "There is no need, for any of that. Our inmates need help rising each day. Most cant even walk to the perimeter." The reporter found out that almost all of the inmates were serving minimum sentencing, for very minor crimes. Still, as the reporter was told "Everyone MUST obey the law, or be sentenced." This had become the attitude of my home-state. A place where some 500, mentally handicapped, persons had non-prosecution orders, protecting them from prosecution. It wasn't that the people were stupid. It was that the people knew that, while covered, by an order, they could NOT be arrested, or convicted, for any crime. Maybe half of these people only had one, or two, episodes, per year, when they committed criminal acts. These were the people, whom the police, and the courts, were most lenient with. The other half were the problem. These were the people who knew that they could stop medication, any time, commit crimes, and escape punishment. These were the people whom the police, and the courts, knew, all-too-well. The people, who were before the courts, so often, that some judges began saying "Back, again" to the defendants. It was when the defendants just SMILED, thinking "I cannot be prosecuted, due to the court order" and that prosecution would be denied, that a few judges held a private conference. While the consensus, of the judges, was that the defendants were ABUSING non-prosecution, the question remained "What CAN we do? The law says that these people cannot be prosecuted." This is when a judge remembered the story, about the elderly, incarcerated in a retirement home. When the judge asked "Why not start a prison, for those who abuse non-prosecution?" While some attorneys remained adamant, that non-prosecution meant just that! No prosecution, no matter what the offense. The judges pursued a vote, on the next, election ballot. "For those, who ABUSE non-prosecution orders, the state is suggesting a prison. A place, tightly controlled, where the worst offenders will serve out prison terms." When the media asked "Can you clarify the term "Abuse"." The judges would say "Those people, who, regularly, as in quarterly, or more often, commit crimes, only to sit in court, and SMILE, thinking that prosecution will not take place." The problem, that defense attorneys had, with the referendum, was the fact that the motion carried, by 4-to-1. Case-Managers, and Social Service workers KNEW who would be the first inmates, in the new prison. The clients, who BOASTED of crimes committed. When staff TRIED to inform clients that the law was changing, the clients just smiled, and said "I DARE them to try to prosecute me." Soon, the smiles would vanish, as verdicts of "Guilty as charged" were handed down, with defendants howling "But, I am protected by non prosecution!" The first 100, of these people, were housed in psychiatric units, until a local (and long abandoned) factory, could be converted into a prison. Soon, the media would give wide coverage to the entry, of the first inmates. While smiles remained, on the inmates faces, this would not last. Just like in the old time hospitals, of yesteryear, inmates would be strapped down, up to three times, daily, with drugs being given, via I.V. At this place, the guards were as big as football players, and they were NOT present to help prisoners into bed. While Social Services TRIED to work deals, for prisoner release, thankfully, the prisoner review system remained YEARS behind schedule. Prisoners, who had been waiting, for five years, for reviews, face another, five year wait. Now, some might call the new prison "torture", but, as reports came before the public, the people, who received the harshest treatment, were those who battled staff. The prisoners, who concerned staff, the most, were those who just bided their time, while plotting their next crime. What the families, and friends, of prisoners, could not believe was another change, over other detainment centers. In this detention center, while guards did not "spy" on visits, what visitors never expected was that, upon departure, guards would approach each car, and check it, inside and out. Once the car was "cleared", the guards would wish the visitors a good day. The reason, for such searches, was clear. Even I, who did not watch much television, knew that inmates tried to escape. In fact, at one facility, a patient had been clever enough to tell staff "I am just going to see my family off." It was not until three hours later, at meal time, that staff realized that the patient was missing. They had driven off, with family. As a result, each, at this, new, prison, departing, vehicle was searched. In only two cases, were violent inmates discovered, hidden inside cars. The majority were inmates, whose families tried to smuggle the inmates out of prison. For those, mentally disabled, who remained in the public, agencies placed reminder signs all over the place. The message was simple. "If you want to avoid prison, take medications, and avoid criminal activity." While the first prison filled up, much more rapidly than expected, officials were happy when the "wave", of new inmates, dropped off, to nearly zero. It would take prison number two three years to fill up. This is why the state had much more time, to prepare prison three. As a result, theft, arson, and other crimes, dropped WAY off, since non-prosecution was, no-longer, a guarantee, to avoid prison. When a human rights group tried to compare non-prosecution, and elderly, prisons, to black-sites, and death camps, The case seemed almost impossible to make. Now, sure, some seniors did perish, in prison, but none of it was due to torture. EXTERNAL coroners did the autopsies, to prevent charges, of coverup. For the seniors, the most common cause of death was simple heart failure. Not un-common, in people who smoked, or drank, during their lives. A few people died of injuries, but coroners reported that the peoples bodies had grown frail, with age. Even slight injuries could cause death. As for the "mentally un-stable" people, most of these deaths came as a result of prisoners, trying to escape. Most were either tazered, or electricuted, trying to climb perimeter walls. While, for the elderly, proper services were performed, for the "mentally un-stable", just a minimal service was provided. The GOOD news was that, once social services realized that non-prosecution was, no-longer a "safety net", for "impulsive" clients, these clients were moved out of state, and were required to wear trackers. Each was informed: If you cross the state line, you WILL be arrested, and jailed. There will be no protection. In some ways, this made our state a better one to live in. In other ways, we came to miss the people we had been friends with. All that the judges told the media was that the back-log, of cases, no-longer existed. The worst, repeat, offenders, were in prison, right where they belonged.