Oh, there's MUCH more to know about Sheriff Joe!
Maricopa County was spending approx. $18 million dollars a year on stray animals, like cats and dogs. Sheriff Joe offered to take the department over, and the County Supervisors said okay.
The animal shelters are now all staffed and operated by prisoners. They feed and care for the strays. Every animal in his care is taken out and walked twice daily. He now has prisoners who are experts in animal nutrition and behavior. They give great classes for anyone who'd like to adopt an animal. He has literally taken stray dogs off the street, given them to the care of prisoners, and had them place in dog shows.
The best part? His budget for the entire department is now under $3 million. Teresa and I adopted a Weimaraner from a Maricopa County shelter two years ago. He was neutered, and current on all shots, in great health, and even had a microchip inserted the day we got him. Cost us $78.
The prisoners get the benefit of about $0.28 an hour for working, but most would work for free, just to be out of their cells for the day. Most of his budget is for utilities, building maintenance, etc. He pays the prisoners out of the fees collected for adopted animals.
I have long wondered when the rest of the country would take a look at the way he runs the jail system, and copy some of his ideas. He has a huge farm, donated to the county years ago, where inmates can work, and they grow most of their own fresh vegetables and food, doing all the work and harvesting by hand.
He has a pretty good sized hog farm, which provides meat, and fertilizer. It fertilizes the Christmas tree nursery, where prisoners work, and you can buy a living Christmas tree for $6 - $8 for the Holidays, and plant it later. We have six trees in our yard from the Prison.
Yup, he was reelected last year with 83% of the vote.
Now he's in trouble with the ACLU again. He painted all his buses and vehicles with a mural, that has a special hotline phone number painted on it, where you can call and report suspected illegal aliens. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement wasn't doing enough in his eyes, so he had 40 deputies trained specifically for enforcing immigration laws, started up his hotline, and bought 4 new buses just for hauling folks back to the border. He's kind of a 'Git-R Dun' kind of Sheriff.
TO THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH JOE ARPAIO
HE IS THE MARICOPA ARIZONA COUNTY SHERIFF
AND HE KEEPS GETTING ELECTED OVER AND OVER
THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY:
Sheriff Joe Arpaio (In Arizona ) who created the ' Tent City Jail':
He has jail meals down to 40 cents a serving and charges the inmates for them.
He stopped smoking and porno magazines in the jails. Took away their weights Cut off all but 'G' movies.
He started chain gangs so the inmates could do free work on county and city projects.
Then He Started Chain Gangs For Women So He Wouldn't Get
Sued For Discrimination.
He took away cable TV Until he found out there was A Federal Court Order that Required Cable TV For Jails So He Hooked Up The Cable TV Again Only Let In The Disney Channel And The Weather Channel.
When asked why the weather channel He Replied, So They Will Know How Hot It's Gonna Be While They Are Working
ON My Chain Gangs.
He Cut Off Coffee Since It Has Zero Nutritional Value.
When the inmates complained, he told them, 'This Isn't The Ritz/Carlton......If You Don't Like It, Don't Come Back.'
More On The Arizona Sheriff:
With Temperatures Being Even Hotter Than Usual In Phoenix (116 Degrees Just Set A New Record), the Associated Press Reports:
About 2,000 Inmates Living In A Barbed-Wire-Surrounded Tent Encampment At The Maricopa County Jail Have Been Given Permission To Strip Down To Their Government-Issued
Pink Boxer Shorts.
On Wednesday, hundreds of men wearing boxers were either curled up on their bunk beds or chatted in the tents, which reached
138 Degrees Inside The Week Before.
Many Were Also Swathed In Wet, Pink Towels As Sweat Collected On Their Chests And Dripped Down To Their PINK SOCKS.
'It Feels Like We Are In A Furnace,' Said James Zanzot, An Inmate Who Has Lived In The TENTS for 1 year. 'It's Inhumane.'
Joe Arpaio, the tough-guy sheriff who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic. He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates: 'It's 120 Degrees In Iraq And Our Soldiers Are Living In Tents Too, And They Have To Wear Full Battle Gear,
But They Didn't Commit Any Crimes,So Shut Your Mouths!'
Way To Go, Sheriff!
Maybe if all prisons were like this one there would be a lot less crime and/or repeat offenders. Criminals should be punished for their crimes - not live in luxury until it's time for their parole, only to go out and commit another crime so they can get back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy things taxpayers can't afford to have for themselves.
19 comments:
Amen.
Great article, Joe. I too have followed Sheriff Joe and know your blog is spot on. There is a message here for all Counties and States - even MD!! Know that Sheriff Joe calls his facility a PRISON!,, not a Correctional Institute. Why can't and why shouldn't we get some of Sheriff Joe's magic in our County and MD State prisons??
I wonder if we can talk him into coming here...
That's a great idea. I got my pound hound from Miss Canille at Worchester county Humane. She had a mentally challanged young Mexican named Carlos working there and he may be challanged however he was made for training animals.
He trained my dog, I can tell my dog to stay and throw a ball and he will not move until I tell him to "go." That also works very well crossing the street. I mess with him all the time, I check well for traffic, and I can be standing in my yard and he will be sitting on the sidewalk across the street until I tell him to come on buddy!
JOE ARPAIO for POTUS 2012
The man's a genius. He made prison a punishment. People wonder why there are so many repeat offenders in the US, it's because prison is a joke. Why do they get cable TV? There's people outside of prison that don't even have cable TV.
If one thinks that would happen in Maryland with all the liberal arses in Washington and annapolis then they better move out to arz.
HE IS MY HERO!!!!!
JAIL IS EXACTLY THAT JAIL.
JUST THINK HOW MANY HEADS WOULD ROLL IF HE EVER CAME TO THE SHORE.
That system gets results, less repeat offenders. That means it will never happen in MD government, because it makes sense.
It's actually a great idea and a little therapy for the inmates. They get to interact with a loving creation and make it positive for everyone.
What do you think Mike? I wouldn't want to do away with Linda and staff however it could help make it that much more rewarding for all involved? Staff could have more time fund raising. Training and walking dogs isn't cruel and unusual punishment. I like it.
AMEN!!! A man using his brains and GUTS to get things done!!! My hero.......p l e a s e get him to start a mandatory system just like his all over the US! I love his ideas and he saves money! There is no downside. Unless you LIKE to break the law.....HEY? can we send Barrie there?????!!!!!
countrygirl@heart
I agree with Bryan.
well-listen up. that idiot of a director we got here and his two top staff people would not make a pimple on this sheriff's butt.he's honest and a straight shooter. he's not stealing money or abusing his correctional officers,and his boss(hint,hint) is also an honest and fair man.the wicomico county detention center has a long way to go.this sheriff is to be respected.I wish Sheriff Lewis ran our detention center.
but is crime down any since he has been sheriff? kudos if it is
Look, it's good to point out accomplishments but the guy also has a well-documented history of less than stellar accomplishments when it comes to how his department treats innocent people and terorizes neighborhoods and kills pets. I don't want to go into Godwin territory or anything here, but just because someone is tough on crime or accomplishes something by being a tough lawman type doesn't excuse or justify other more "anti-American" actions. Surely there are a lot of tough characters who get results in some ways, but here in the USA ( or at least we are supposed to) we are supposed to have more of a respect for the citizens with a limited government and more friendly relationship with our employees ( they work for us not the other way around) in law enforcement. Of course if you are the type who doesn't care about things like the 4th and 5th Amendments and considers things like that to be a nuisance- you probably disagree with me.
Greg C,
Either you're a total idiot or you believe hat criminals (you know, those people who break the law and create victims)should be given every luxury possible while they are in jail. Yes, people are presumed innocent until proven guilty but that has absolutely nothing to do with a jail. Jails should not be inhumane but on the other hand jails should be such miserable and undesitrable places that law abiding people would do anything (you know...like not break the law) not to visit. The problem with people like you is that you have never been a victim and only see the what the liberal criminal hugging government wants you to see. The return rate for criminals to jail is well over 66% so what do you have to say about that? Is this ok? Are our jails and prisons such wonderful places that these people have no problem continuing their criminal behavior and have no problem retuning to jail? I care deeply about the constitution but I care also about the victims of these criminals and the resources (that could be better spent on education, transportation, health, etc), that we literally waste on criminals because jail has become easy. Sheriff Joe has a remedy that seems to be working. Maybe instead of criticizing him we need to learn a lesson from him. Its time to realize that our correctional system is not working and look at other alternatives.....and just maybe Sheriff Joe has found a workable alternative without violating our constitution.
The point is you make it so they don't want to come back to that jail. Treating inmates like school kids isn't punishment, they don't mind coming back at all, three hots and a cot, medical to boot.
They are lucky, some people have nothing to eat at all.
Hey Greg C.....If Sheriif Joe is anti-American then I guess I would be proud to be called a communist. I can't think of anything more anti-American than intentionally committing a crime and violating the rights of my fellow citizens. Perhaps you need to go to a victims meeting or meet several victims one-on-one to better know & understand who the true anti-Americans really are.....CRIMINALS!
Why should criminals be able to break laws and then get treated like royalty. I am a full time teacher living by myself in a one bedroom apartment. I don't break laws. I can't afford cable (i don't bother with basic, i want the real stuff).
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