Hello Fellow SFTGG Tour Guides,
Fraternal Greetings to all,
I never cared for Prison Tours.
It is extremely unfathomable to me to understand why others do.
Back in the 1960’s,
San Quentin State Penitentiary offered free prison tours.
I did go on one.
After an ID/warrant check,
a Captain and a Lieutenant of the California Prison Guards escorted guests through the entire penitentiary,
including the Execution Room, where you could get an up close and personal look at
California’s Gas Chamber.
Incidentally,
There were two chairs in the chamber,
However,
Two chairs were rarely,
although not never,
used.
It took between 10 to 20 tortuous minutes to kill the condemned.
Absolutely, Positively, Disgusting.
Lethal injection is not much better.
If society must have legal executions,
Utah,
And some other States give the condemned the option of a firing squad.
It is the quickest method.
Life in prison
w/absolutely,
positively,
no possibility of parole
would be better.
The Prison guards told us that
Prison Chaplains were available to the condemned,
All Faiths,
All Denominations,
The condemned often accepted a Chaplains visit,
And often declined the Chaplains visit.
Also,
A last meal of the prisoner’s choice.
Generally accepted,
Although occasionally,
very rarely,
declined.
The Department of Corrections stopped the prison tours in the early 1970’s,
when prison violence became overwhelming.
The prison tours were meant to be a very strong method of deterrence to the general public.
And,
They certainly were.
The California Department of Corrections restarted the prison tours in the
2000’s for troubled high school students who had a criminal record w/the juvenile justice system and were definitely headed to a lifetime of career criminal behavior.
I don’t know if those tours are still being conducted,
or if they deterred many youths form a lifetime of criminal behavior.
Human behavior is extremely difficult to change.
Just ask any Dentist or Doctor.
This was one of my rare,
Remembrances of tours past.
And thanks to
Marcel Proust for that last sentence,
I sincerely hope that I did not bore you,
because I have other tales to tell you,
and in the future,
I will.
When the time is right.
Just be patient my friends.
I’m wishing you all,
Happy Travels,
Safe Trips,
And,
Positive Tour Guests!!
Cheers,
Bob