Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Prohibition: Even Jails Can’t Stop Them

Jeremiah Dyke at the Mises Blog has an interesting post showing how contraband items have not been contained by the authorities even in jails!

Mr. Dyke writes,

Like contraband, drug paraphernalia, sharp objects and the various other illegal objects that make it into our prison system on a daily basis, prison systems can’t seem to keep cell phones out of the jail cells. It’s reached a point now where prison systems are seeking outside assistance from mobile phone companies, asking them to jam mobile phone signals by flooding the prison systems with airways.

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Well such phenomenon isn’t isolated in the US.

We see a similar dynamic here in the Philippines. This from the Philippine Inquirer

A surprise inspection of inmates’ cells at the Quezon City jail Sunday morning yielded more than 200 sachets of drugs, drug paraphernalia, cell phones and deadly weapons.

The operation, which was ordered by Senior Supt. Emilio Culang, city jail warden, led to the seizure of at least 250 grams of dried marijuana leaves, 206 sachets of marijuana and shabu, several bottles of solvent and paint thinner and drug paraphernalia.

Also confiscated were 70 cell phones, lewd magazines, playing cards, a bottle of wine and dozens of improvised deadly weapons.

These included spoons, forks, toothbrushes and pencils with sharpened points. There were also needles, lighters, belts, electrical wires, scissors, hammer, assorted ropes and nail cutters.

It’s seems to be a perpetual cat and mouse game even under highly controlled environment by the government.

To share Mr. Dyke conclusion,

The lesson that won’t be learned is of course, if we can’t keep illegal items out a fully secured prison facility, with 8×10 jails cells, how in the world can we expect to keep these items out of a nation with over 9,000 miles of border?

In short, most of prohibition laws can only signify as government failure.

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