Kilted Prison Reform

[Riverkilt]

Chas mentioned a member of the rabble may not be posting due to incarceration.

Got me to thinking (run!!).....

Being forced to wear pantz while also incarcerated seems like cruel and unusual punishment....double whammy.

On the other hand security is big in prisons - particularly in the area of clothing. Inmate's tennis shoes have notches cut in the heel for eaiser tracking, many institutions issue distinctive garments in bright orange, stripes, etc. to make the inmates easy to identify should they escape.

Seems to me that a functional kilt - like a utilikilt type kilt - in prison denim or bright orange would provide both comfort and FREEDOM while behind the walls and and still be an easy garment to spot should the inmate escape.

Would also make searches for contraband easier for corrections and detention officers.

Once used to kilts inmates would probably stay with them when they were released. The new "tough guy" prison image of kilts would help make them popular on the outside too.

Time for kilted prison reform...

Ron

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Why don't you float this past Joe Arpaio and see what he thinks?

[Riverkilt]

That's easy,

Have no respect for the man. Turned the honorable field of corrections into a joke.

Kilts are serious.

Ron

[Expat2011]

As kilts cost substantially more than the cheap prison pants or jumpsuits prisoners are required to wear I, as a taxpayer, don't want to foot the bill for kilts...

And, because prison is supposed to be punishment (aka, a loss of freedom) for a crime committed I offer that if they should remain bifurcated...

And, although I would like to see kilts more generally accepted as casual wear in the States, I don't think using convicts to help change the fashion world is a very logical idea...

And, I drank too much coffee this morning.

[Riverkilt]

A good point Expat,

You are correct that being in prison/jail is the punishment. But once in prison/jail there is no punishment other than for infractions inside. So seems being forced to wear pantz is an unearned punishment.

Understand the point about cost, but what about long term value. Would guess well made kilts could be reused longer that pantz would last.

Trying to image some prison movie remakes where the inmates are all kilted...Monty Python missed that one eh?

Ron

[Chas]

Hi Ron,

Thanks for reading and quoting my thread. Unfortunately here in the UK it would be a non-starter. ALL aspects of a prisoners incarceration are controlled by the prison Governor. The prisons work as a kind of national kibbutz in as much as the prisons make equipment for all the other prisons. Male and female prisoners are issued with a track suit like garment made by other prisoners. The washing machines have one setting - 'boil to death'. Add to that is the fact that 17% of the UK prison population is Muslim. Which in itself is not a problem, except that they have recently, successfully, petitioned the Home Office to be allowed to wear ethnic/ Islam dress for prayers on Friday and all other Holy days. Having won the right, they would not give it up to wear an ethnic dress from another country. It's a great idea, but it would never happen over here.

Regards

Chas

[McMurdo]

Mod Hat Off

Ron
I daresay most kilt wearers in the world are the type that wear the kilt for tradition and heritage rather than comfort, as one such individual I find your proposal to be ludicrous, and offensive. Please lets all remember that the kilt is the national dress of Scotland. Perhaps Dashiki's for prisoners would be next? I mean really, I for one would not want the National Dress of Scotland to be associated with convicts, and if convicts wearing kilts made them more popular I may sell off mine or only wear them for special occasions as I do not want to be associated with convicts either.

The other problem as I see it would be convincing the inmates themselves to wear them, I'm sure there would be some resistance there. I'm no expert on the prison system in either my country or yours but I can guess that most prison officials and guards would rather have happy inmates.

[Riverkilt]

Guess I've spent way way way too much time in prisons and jails...come to see the inmates there as folks just like us...there but for the grace of God...danged if they won't be released sooner or later and be back among us...there is no "prison caste."

Wasn't talking about the "National Dress of Scotland" was suggesting functional denim or orange duc solid color work type kilts such as Utilikilts makes and some of the advertisers on this board make. Don't think that by making plain colored functional work kilts they are in any way insulting the "National Dress of Scotland."

And God knows what Australia would be like today without convicts.

And I'm guessing its really hard to see my tongue when its firmly planted in my cheek...gonna don my helmet and lay low in the foxhole until the firing dies down.

Ron

[McMurdo]

Sorry Ron
I could not see your tongue planted in your cheek from here. Although you were not talking about the National Dress of Scotland do you not see the potential correlation the general public would or could make between the two? As for prisoners being people, of course they are, and you are right but for the grace of God go I as well. Having said all that, I still see the potential problems with the inmates themselves not accepting it, and people on the outside not liking it much either.

[duchessofnc]

Guess I've spent way way way too much time in prisons and jails...come to see the inmates there as folks just like us...there but for the grace of God...danged if they won't be released sooner or later and be back among us...there is no "prison caste."

Wasn't talking about the "National Dress of Scotland" was suggesting functional denim or orange duc solid color work type kilts such as Utilikilts makes and some of the advertisers on this board make. Don't think that by making plain colored functional work kilts they are in any way insulting the "National Dress of Scotland."

And God knows what Australia would be like today without convicts.

And I'm guessing its really hard to see my tongue when its firmly planted in my cheek...gonna don my helmet and lay low in the foxhole until the firing dies down.

Ron

I disagree with them being just like us on every level because they are so far from it. Enough said.