NationStates Jolt Archive

Below is the final draft. If you wish to see anything change, recommend it now because this will soon go forth to the UN:

Prison Reform Bill

ACCEPTS the rights of all nations to hold prisoners in captivity.
ALSO ACCEPTS the rights of all nations to indeed not have a prison system at all.

DEFINES a political prisoner as a person who acts against the governing party in a non-violent manner, and/or a person who is imprisoned to prevent them from voicing views against the governing party.
PROCLAIMS no nation has the right to hold political prisoners.

RECOGNISES the right of any nation to enforce the death penalty as a means of sentence.

REQUESTS that nations to provide prisoners with at least 2 meals a day, a bed and a sanitation facility, including a shower and a toilet.
FURTHER RECOMMENDS that nations respect the beliefs of individuals in prison, giving them the right to worship appropriately.

ENFORCES a law stating that all prisoners must spend at least 25% of their sentence in rehabilitation.
URGES nations to have prisoners in rehabilitation for 50% of their sentence.

INVITES all members of the UN to join a prison reform committee to keep track of the state of UN member prisons.
URGES all nations to set up prison reform committees inside their own nation.

The following are recommendations and are not enforced by the bill:
URGES nations to allow their prisoners outside once a day for 1 hour minimum.
FURTHER REQUESTS that prisoners be able to see their families at least once every three days.
FURTHER URGES the nation has to respect the belief of individual in terms of what they eat i.e. vegetarians and vegans.

Wow. That is pretty good. I like the modifications to the political prisoner part to begin with. And the rest is well written.

I have one minor question, to which I think I already know the answer, but I just want to check.

The part about prisoners being able to see their familes every three days - does it just mean they should be able to, or they have to? Because (for example) if we imprison someone in a jail that is fifty miles away from the prisoner's home, the family might not be able to afford to visit that often. And the family might not want to come and visit at all (for example if Mr Smith killed Sandi Smith, it's not beyond reason that Mrs Smith and all the little Smiths might not want anything to do with him).

It says 'be able to see their families', not 'have to see their families'.

So I assume not! But a good point.

I like it, I will lobby my delegate to endorse it when it is submitted. :)

What category, what strength?

What category, what strength?

This would probably be Human Rights, strength...medium. I'll put it on at 17:30 GMT. Please tell all your delegates to support it!

Done.

Giordano,
Acting Senior UN representative,
The Black New World,
Delegate to The Order of The Valiant States

I like it, but I'd like it to be three meals a day as opposed to two, just a minor qualm.

The meals issue depends on the society. Some eat two a day, some three, some four, and some more than that. I think it's fine as is.

FURTHER URGES the nation has to respect the belief of individual in terms of what they eat i.e. vegetarians and vegans.

I read this and thought "wow - there are nations out there that eat vegetarians and vegans?"

(smirk) I realise this is not what it meant, and no one would ever read it like this, but I had a late night last night and I am really tired so that is pretty much my only excuse.