As a tax payer in Maricopa County I say criminal!

The people of this county end up paying millions of dollars every year to pay off out of court settlements because of him. He continually violates peoples rights. Not criminals just the tax payers that pay his salary!

He has played to the fears of the older voters who get out and vote in Maricopa county for years.

Some how the news cameras seem to be where ever he is most of the day!

Read some of this:
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/search/search.php?keywords=arpaio&x=41&y=14

Like I said, world's largest dildo!

Giuliani had the same problem when he cleaned up NYC - lots and lots of $$ paid out to settlements. Does that mean crimefighters abuse the law and their authority or does it mean we live in a super litigious society where everyone thinks they're entitled to a jackpot lotto when the police get tough? And is it Arpaio's fault that the media pay him a lot of attention? Would you be better off if he just quietly went along with everything Amnesty Int'l. or the ACLU wanted? Personally, I think someone who makes those groups hate them is probably doing the right thing.

MORE from the Daily Kitten. http://www.dailykitten.com/chat/topic/1120.
John_AZ

Just some ideas. "Bragging " on that policy is stupid and if you're correct that he really does this? It makes me uncomfortable. The board of prisons or the Mayor or whoever ought to tell him to shut his piehole. So, yes, it does sound like the guy IS a self promoter and I REALLY dislike those guys. But, unfortunately it doesn't mean that his methods don't work. If tent cities are more uncomfortable...for lack of a better term...GOOD. I take no joy (and neither should he) in saying that. The idea is we want people to REALLY not want to ever go back to jail. This sounds like it contributes to that goal.

I tend to agree with you. If you adopt the methods of your enemies perhaps fighting those enemies is a moot point. You have become them. I tend to agree with that more than I disagree.

Yeah, I see where you are coming from but (and correct me if I am wrong) doesn't your state board of prisons or some such have standards by which incarceration facilities are run? If it does and he meets them, then he has violated no standards. If it makes the prisoners really dislike being in jail, isn't that a good thing? Unless of course you are beating, starving them, etc?

I TOTALLY agree with you on the "tyranny of the majority" argument. I really do. But, why if his methods were enacted in prison would they be cruel and unusual? Okay, if it were a prison and more black or hispanics, or Aryans, etc gained easier access to kill each other, then I see an argument. But discounting that aspect for a moment, why would something(s) that is not cruel and unusual in jail be judged so in a prison setting? I am honestly asking for your thoughts on that.

First, what's the "pain"? Sweating in tents? Disliking bolgna sandwiches? Wearing pink clothes? I mean, really. If there are other things I'd like to hear what they are, but those things sounds strictly like thigs meant to encourage bad guys not to come back to jail. Second, the penal theory thing - Really? is that factually true? I understand the harsher treatment pi$$ing a person off and making them meaner, so they act out and get sent to prison again. I "get" that argument if that's what behind the penal theory. I don't get it for any other reason. I am a law abiding regular guy so maybe I don't relate but if I go to prison I'm not going to want to go back no matter how good they treat me. And I am ESPECIALLY not going to want to go back if I hated the safe, legal, but otherwise uncomfortable, unappetizing-as-hell conditions there.

The way it turns out is that incarceration itself is the deterent. More bad stuff that happens inside beyond the incarceration doesn't affect recidivism rates. If anything there is a correlation with an increase in recidivism.

The county jail is a short term facility for petty criminals and for people waiting for trial but who can't make bail. The real bad guys aren't in the county lockup so the sheriff really isn't punishing the people you want him to. The people at the local county jail will be DWIs, driving after suspension, vagrants, people working off traffic fines, things like that. There are constitutional requirements for longer term facilities that don't apply to short term facilities. The longer the term the facility the more recreation and things are needed to avoid cruel and unusual punishment. That's how he can get away ith tent cities and the like.

Yes, he does brag that he feeds his dogs better than the inmates and the dogs sleep in air conditioned houses while the inmates sleep in the desert heat. Considering the never ending supply of people to throw in this county jail, it doesn't seem that the conditions are much of a deterent. Without some obvious benefit to humiliating inmates purposely and feeding them the most unapatizing food that will keep them alive, I worry that he's not doing it for any good reason and he's just a sadist masquerading as a law enforcement office and that he might start looking for people to lock up to feed his ego if he doesn't have enough people to do it to legally. That's why conservatives don't trust big government or anyone in authority who has too much power.

In the end, though, how prisoners are treated shouldn't be about who they are. How we treat them is about what we are.

MRM..

You do not seem to grasp the philosophy that surrounds the idea of being found guilty of an antisocial act.

I do not believe in "cruel and unusual" forms of punishment either, but Joe stays within the limits. His inmates are not beaten, "waterboarded", but are fed baloney, sleep in tents and wear pink and are forced (imagine that) to WORK!! Except for the wearing of pink, sleeping in tents and eating baloney sandwiches is recreational to lots of folks who enjoy camping and hiking.

Yes.....in our society people can even indict a ham sandwich. And will, given the chance. There are aways those practicioners of law out to make a buck off the "system"

What are the alternatives to incarceration? What are the actual numbers of specific crimes that find folks under Sheriff Joe's supervision? Seems there are more suppositions made re: the severity of crime than proven. I do not know the details, only that there are probably some waiting for trial that should be considered dangerous.

As to recidivism...Is there a study somewhere that would show the correlation betwen the severity of punishment and recivism? I really am curious about that. The "never ending supply of people".....Hey...Phoenix is a BIG City and is a prime destination for border crossers......Would that be a factor?

I truly cannot understand how a true conservative would be against a strong system that deals with crime and criminals. I would have expected that kind of reaction from the true bleeding heart "liberal"!!

I can't vote in Arizona. I can't help but hope you vote for Sheriff there. As far as I know, sheriff is the only ELECTED law enforcement officer. All others are appointed.

Hooray for Joe. Treat criminals like...criminals.

Can we vote for him to become potus?

Funny that more people who live in Maricopa County (Joes kingdom) have not chimed up here. BTW, he was with the DEA for something like 30+ years and was known as something of a nut case there.

First, I totally agree with the way he treats prisoners. This is not a country club, make them wear pink and feed them the daily minimum to make them not want to return.

He has a "Deadbeat Dads" session every Christmas. The day before Christmas his guys go out and find as many Fathers that they can find who are not paying their child support, and throw them in jail for Christmas. He says that if you are not going to support your child that you do not deserve to have a holiday. Agree totally!

He banned smoking at the jails. Banned all television other than the Weather Channel and things like the Disney Channel and so on. That way they know how hot its going to be in "tent city" the next day, and Disney reminds them of their kids, who are without their Fathers, and that type of programming settles them down.

The downside is that the jerk is a criminal right now. He has been caught in several situations where he took money from someone to let their friends or family get into the "good cells" with A/C and not in "tent city" which is hell during the summer. He will be removed from office someday and while his treatment of inmates is televised all around the world, Arpaio's true colors have come out several times.

Another recent issue was his allowing his deputys to stage a sting targeting hookers. Problem was that he allowed the deputys to have sex with the ladies THEN arrest them, which is illegal. They arrested almost 100 of ladies, and the court cases of more than half of them was thrown out due to the illegal behavour of the deputys. More wasting of public funds...

One newspaper in Phoenix ran a story recently about a Grand Jury. It involved Joe Arpaio and he did not like it. Arpaio had the publisher and editor arrested and they spent the night in jail. Finally when cooler minds (read the rest of the legal system in Phoenix) woke up they were released but this is the way he works, by intimidation and illegal dealings. It will bite him on the a$$ eventually.

He has numerous lawsuits that have been settled for inmates who were beaten to death while in custody. His treatment in some areas is simply criminal, yet enough people have supported his other actions so far to keep him getting elected. Funny thing is that he is currently under legal action that is trying to get him recalled along with the Phoenix city atty for "Disobeying and violating the United States Constitution and abuse of power" and so far it looks like it may make it on the ballot in 2008.

Still I do like the way he treats criminals... as criminals. Many days I drive out of my house and see his "chain gang" cleaning the road on the way to the airport. They should do things like this everywhere...

More info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Arpaio

Well hey, if they didn't want to get beat to death, they shoulda paid those traffic fines. All you have to do is listen to this guy talk.

being a taxpayer of the county, a native, a CCW holder for quite some time, i agree with shurf joes incarceration program. i agree with his immigration program.

knowing all too wll how the system works with my older son, i feel what hes doing is good for the county in general. jail aint supposed to be a country club. if yer sentanced to 366 days you go to the joint and thats a whole 'nuther league run by AZDOC az dept of corrections.

the tent city jail is for 365 days and less. and it is HELL ON EARTH in the summer. kinda think back to the 1800's and the YUMA PRISON.

having played football @ brophy college prep here, with dave hendershott #2 and larry black #3 under joe, i kinda know who they are. a close friend of mines dad and joe are childhood pals and still hang together. i also know that btwn san diego and phx. you are NOT going to get a jury of your peers. you are going to get elderly voters,retired military, as your jury. towns like carefree and sun city vote heavy and vote for joe. they dont like crime. who does? the chances of you or anyone walking away from a crime, scott free even with mega buck lawyer are very very very SLIM! soooooooooooo............alot of first offenders no matter who they are, get jail time, which obviously adds to population of jails and a bigger budget. which joe is over budget right now.

the illegal alien problem here is beyond belief. and he has taken the bull by the horns and done something. i dont agree with everything, but by and large i think hes doing a good job with what he has to work with. the alien problem in cave creek/carefree has been taken care of big time. crime is down across the board. racial profile? you bet! if you are not a citizen you better have a "green card" and im just fine with that.

do i see him being voted out.........yes he is getting up in years. and with any elected official you only get so many runs at the poll. do i agree with everything he does??? no, but i doubt i would agree on every item eye to eye with any elected official. and being the sheriff anywhere IS A HIGH PROFILE POSITION, and then add stupid criminals and you get goofier than SH!! headlines every stinking day. and as the shurf you get to deal with it as you see fit or can afford.

need a job???????? MCSO is hiring! and will continue to hire for along time to come. or until criminals figure this is a really bad place to break the law. would i want his job? hell no! you cant pay me enough to deal with that kind of crap.

by the way...........maricopa county is the LARGEST COUNTY IN THE U.S.! and I LIKE CHAIN GANGS! especially FEMALE CHAIN GANGS! always fun watching that action!

after my CRIME SPREE when i was 18 and ditched a U. of A. cop(same as DPS) on my dirt bike, i swore i was NEVER GOING BACK TO JAIL and THEY WOULD NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE! well im 50 now and shurf joe has REINFORCED THE FACT that i will never ride my dirt bike at 2am on the streets of arizona.....drunk! EVER!