Why are prisoners given weights etc so they can develop huge muscles and pose even more of a threat to guards?

Answer 1

I find that to be a problem 2. They need to limit their exercise time

Answer 2

I don't agree with them being given weights, but I do think they should be able to work out and be healthy. I know a guy who spent four months in a detention center where all exercise was forbidden unless they were doing actual work. The inmates actually had to take turns watching for the guards so they could all do situps and pushups. They also didn't permit smoking. All the while getting in these people's faces and calling them names and telling them their wives and girlfriends were screwing around. This is supposed to keep them from being a threat to the guards?

Answer 3

This one's for you Marcus B. Would you rather fight someone who is very strong and could maybe hit you with one or two good punches if you couldn't get out of the way that is. Or would you rather fight someone who could fight for maybe 10 minutes without falling out? Big dudes can be rather intimidating but they move slower and fall harder. You stand on a yard and watch level 4 inmates run for the whole entire yard, 2 hours without stopping. While 20 southern mexicans are running in groups of two around the yard you have 20 more northern mexicans doing matt furey's combat conditioning in their corner of the yard. Then at the same time you have 20 black inmates hitting the heavy bags and doing pullups and bar dips continuously. Seriously, can you do pullups in sets of 20 and do it weighing 250 lbs? And in the other corner of the yard you have the whites doing their aerobic workout and barely breaking a sweat. All they are doing is training stand their ground and defend themselves for as long as they can. Have you ever seen a riot on a prison yard? There is no way a muscle bound he man could defend himself against the onslaught of a group of badgers. I agree that the weight pile was a dangerous place and lots of weapon stock was available but the alternative now is well conditioned fighting machines.

Answer 4

Because a body is a terrible thing to waste.
Seriuosly, think it through, one can allow the prisoner to use thier mind ALOT or one can hand the monkey a toy to be amuzed with.
You now have Life +500 years to figure a way out of prison. Humanity is a pretty lady in curlers and skates.

Answer 5

Not all prisons allow heavy bench pressing and power lifting. There are many regulations in Texas prisons anyway. We have worked with many people who have been on "state mandated vacations" and they were allowed to exercise, but not body build. They mostly wanted to go home, they don't mess with the armed guards, at least not often....

Answer 6

Anyone who would work as a prison guard deserves anything they get. Possibly the only occupation as despicable as being a police officer.

Answer 7

Huge muscles verses night sticks and guns...hmmm...not even close. Don't think just because one has big muscles he is automatically a threat to society (guards). That's just silly thinking.

Answer 8

Thank to feel good left for this one. Hell, I know criminals that don;t want to leave prison because it is a better life there than civilian life.

All states should reinstate the chain gang and only allow a two man, 12x14 cell.

Answer 9

Good question. There are other forms of exercise that they could use to vent frustration, etc. Weights would not be a choice I'd give to prisoners.

Answer 10

You know that is a great question, one I have often wondered myself. And the only reason I can think is that we as a nation are so busy making sure the "rights" of the criminal are protected that we totally bypass the lack of common sense in it all. Great question, thought provoking.