I'm not from the US but it's very odd that a nice family guy with no criminal record makes a fatal mistake and they throw him immediately into a rough prison full of rapists, violent thugs and gang members. And there are also no cells but big sleeping rooms full of shady guys. Is it really possible in real life or it's just a dramatic exaggeration?
shareUnfortunately it's absolutely realistic. Overpopulation in America's prisons is a huge problem. A short article on the matter: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2009/06/roommates_for_life.html
shareBut isn't there a policy of not putting people with no previous criminal record together with hardened criminals, killers, rapists etc.?
shareTo my knowledge, there is no such policy. In fact, that's usually one of the biggest concerns when the courts are considering trying minors as adults. If the courts decide the crime warrants it, a 16 year old kid can wind up with the hardened criminals you mentioned. So, without any statistics on the matter, I would assume the courts would be even quicker to send an adult, even on their first offense.
shareI see, thanks for the clarification. What about former cops (or military, maybe) who got sentenced? I mean in some countries there are special prisons for such people as it is clear they won't survive long in an ordinary prison. Interesting is that the unofficial infrastructure of such a cop prison is no different from an ordinary criminal one.
shareThat is interesting. I guess it just comes with the territory, regardless of who you were on the outside.
shareVery real. Happens all the time if you’re not a rich person in America. So many non violent offenders or even worse innocent people being convicted and incarcerated with animals. Once you’re convicted of a crime punishable by jail time you’re now just paycheck in the states eyes.
shareMy guess is that this does happen, but in the lead character's actual circumstances (upscale white professional, DWI), he winds up with some kind of probation/suspended sentence and maybe does six months of county time at most, especially in California which has a worse prison crowding problem than other states. He seemed to have real legal representation, so he would have gotten slightly better quality justice than someone who was dirt poor.
I was wondering the same thing
shareI realize that this is an old thread.. However, it is completely unrealistic that an upper middleclass white man who causes a traffic accident that kills someone would ever be thrown into a maximum security prison. Not in America.. The guy more than likely would do a year or two in a minimum security prison followed by "maybe" five years probation. You have to remember that in this country we have something afluenza where it is determined that in some cases wealthy people(almost always white) are to rich to know right from wrong.. Hence they can't be held responsible for their actions.
shareGenerally speaking, yes, you're right.
It can and does happen though, I've seen US prison documentaries where literally this same kind of thing has happened and for whatever reason someone with a DUI manslaughter conviction and no criminal history has wound up on the same wing as killers and gang members etc.
It can happen, and it does happen. But hey, if they get tired of being victimised by the wolves in general population they can always get themselves moved into protective custody where they can live in relative safely along with the paedophiles.