How Easy Is It To Get Jailed In The USA
Discussion
Am curious about this one after a conversation with my cousin in the US who told me his son was stopped by Police to check his new motorbike.
The bike was split new and faultless but the cop told him to remove some stickers he had put on it (really silly juvenile stuff like "born to wheelie" "chicks dig scars" "No Fear" and the Roadrunner saying "meep meep" .
When the boy asked if they were illegal the cop then said "If I don't like them they come off."
They didn't come off and a 2nd stop had him told "If u want to go to jail you're going the right way about it". Jail? Really? For silly immature stickers on petroltank of a motorbike?.
The way my cousin spoke his son being on this cop's radar is serious cause for concern.
This doesn't seem an isolated incident. I was looking at Mustangs on AutoTrader recently only to be rewarded with a Plethora of Mustang related video clips on my FB news feed. among them was US cops stopping stock Mustangs for loud exhausts. Once cited no prosecution was made but the car had to visit a county station to have the exhaust checked and this would cost the owner well over $100. Basically a racket. Once theyed been stopped a few times owners would get justifiably angry at the Police and verbally kick off. Call a cop a crook and "say that again and you are going to jail".
Surely this can't be right? Or can it?
The bike was split new and faultless but the cop told him to remove some stickers he had put on it (really silly juvenile stuff like "born to wheelie" "chicks dig scars" "No Fear" and the Roadrunner saying "meep meep" .
When the boy asked if they were illegal the cop then said "If I don't like them they come off."
They didn't come off and a 2nd stop had him told "If u want to go to jail you're going the right way about it". Jail? Really? For silly immature stickers on petroltank of a motorbike?.
The way my cousin spoke his son being on this cop's radar is serious cause for concern.
This doesn't seem an isolated incident. I was looking at Mustangs on AutoTrader recently only to be rewarded with a Plethora of Mustang related video clips on my FB news feed. among them was US cops stopping stock Mustangs for loud exhausts. Once cited no prosecution was made but the car had to visit a county station to have the exhaust checked and this would cost the owner well over $100. Basically a racket. Once theyed been stopped a few times owners would get justifiably angry at the Police and verbally kick off. Call a cop a crook and "say that again and you are going to jail".
Surely this can't be right? Or can it?
Edited by Tannedbaldhead on Saturday 1st October 15:25
Prison is a big money maker in USA, the prisoners make stuff eg no.plates, and are paid a LOT less than someone not in prison. It's not a lot different to slave labour. They also have a 'three strikes and you're out' policy, so commit three minor crimes and your in prison. They have to keep the numbers up cos $$$
steveo3002 said:
maybe more to the story that youve been told?
if i was getting repeatedly threatened over legal stickers then i would get a body worn camera and be having a word with his superiors
This doesn't work in the USA, his 'superiors' would take absolutely no notice. The justice system in the USA is totally different to the UK..if i was getting repeatedly threatened over legal stickers then i would get a body worn camera and be having a word with his superiors
The US have the highest % of the population in prison than any other country, and it does seem that the result of making a complaint is that they close ranks and mark your card as a trouble maker so with that extra attention quite possible that you could end up along with many of your countrymen in prison.
As was alluded to above, the prisons are privately run businesses and have to maintain a population to make a high enough profit to make their political donations.
As was alluded to above, the prisons are privately run businesses and have to maintain a population to make a high enough profit to make their political donations.
The USA strikes me as a great place if you’re a middle class, middle aged white guy, or higher. A little like South Africa during apartheid. Keep your head down and keep quiet if you’re anyone else, and you might be ok. Don’t make a mistake, and don’t fall ill without medical insurance.
Ok, a little distorted, but I’d never think about living there as I’d never earn enough to be clear of the pitfalls.
The police/sheriff/politicians are all too intertwined.
Ok, a little distorted, but I’d never think about living there as I’d never earn enough to be clear of the pitfalls.
The police/sheriff/politicians are all too intertwined.
Edited by Tony1963 on Saturday 1st October 14:46
I had a couple of dealings with the police during my time living and working in Mississippi and they impression I got from a few of them is that they just make it up as they go along.
One stop was for a slight speeding infraction.
I stopped immediately, stayed in the car till approached made sure I said all the necessary ‘Yes Sir, No Sirs’ when spoken to.
The cop who stopped me took a look at my UK driving licence and declared that it was illegal for me to drive in the US. This was despite being presented with my passport (to confirm my ID) the car rental documentation as well as my Unescorted security pass for NASA site I was working on, and finally my security badge from Rolls Royce, all of which were photo ID’s.
I was told in no uncertain terms that Unless a US resident could come and drive my hire car away then it would be impounded and I was instructed to park up at a gas station and wait there for the person I’d just called to come and pick it up.
I was also made to promise that I would just drive off after he left the gas station forecourt to go another job.
He then disappeared.
Almost 2 hours later the other person turned up, jumped in the car and drove the car away. Just as we pulled out of the gas station this same cop popped out of his hiding spot and went off in the opposite direction. He’d clearly been sat there the whole time just waiting for me to jump back in to the drivers seat of the car.
One stop was for a slight speeding infraction.
I stopped immediately, stayed in the car till approached made sure I said all the necessary ‘Yes Sir, No Sirs’ when spoken to.
The cop who stopped me took a look at my UK driving licence and declared that it was illegal for me to drive in the US. This was despite being presented with my passport (to confirm my ID) the car rental documentation as well as my Unescorted security pass for NASA site I was working on, and finally my security badge from Rolls Royce, all of which were photo ID’s.
I was told in no uncertain terms that Unless a US resident could come and drive my hire car away then it would be impounded and I was instructed to park up at a gas station and wait there for the person I’d just called to come and pick it up.
I was also made to promise that I would just drive off after he left the gas station forecourt to go another job.
He then disappeared.
Almost 2 hours later the other person turned up, jumped in the car and drove the car away. Just as we pulled out of the gas station this same cop popped out of his hiding spot and went off in the opposite direction. He’d clearly been sat there the whole time just waiting for me to jump back in to the drivers seat of the car.
Decky_Q said:
The US have the highest % of the population in prison than any other country, and it does seem that the result of making a complaint is that they close ranks and mark your card as a trouble maker so with that extra attention quite possible that you could end up along with many of your countrymen in prison.
This. The cops in the US are as corrupt as they are in third world s
tholes, but for some reason the people tolerate it over there. And there's fecking millions of them everywhere. Every street corner there's cop waiting to pounce and even in the middle of nowhere without another vehicle for miles they can regularly be found hiding in the side roads waiting to ambush you. Completely different to over here where you never see a cop car except for 30 mins either side of shift change at the station.r3g said:
The cops in the US are as corrupt as they are in third world stholes, but for some reason the people tolerate it over there.
This is the bit I don't get.tholes, but for some reason the people tolerate it over there. His boy has done nothing wrong yet his card is marked and my cousin is taking the view "fair enough, that's what happens when a cop tells you what to do and you don't do it right away."
Most of the rural police forces are essentially cash generating machines. Third world levels of corruption seem to be endemic and largely tolerated. They leave the locals along - largely but prey on 'out of towners'.
I had a friend who was mugged, injured and left in his underpants. Promptly arrested for vagrancy! Only when we bailed him out could we get him to a hospital!
Great place to be wealthy, pretty crap otherwise,
I had a friend who was mugged, injured and left in his underpants. Promptly arrested for vagrancy! Only when we bailed him out could we get him to a hospital!
Great place to be wealthy, pretty crap otherwise,
Pete54 said:
Most of the rural police forces are essentially cash generating machines.
Yep. Many small rural towns have no local taxes, so fines are the only way the township can generate any income.Pete54 said:
Great place to be wealthy, pretty crap otherwise,
In *so* many ways. The USA is not a rich country; it's a poor country with a lot of rich people.Tannedbaldhead said:
This is the bit I don't get.
His boy has done nothing wrong yet his card is marked and my cousin is taking the view "fair enough, that's what happens when a cop tells you what to do and you don't do it right away."
And that's exactly their attiitude. They've been conditioned to think that if you don't do as you're told right away you risk being shot, so anything less than that is seen as a win.His boy has done nothing wrong yet his card is marked and my cousin is taking the view "fair enough, that's what happens when a cop tells you what to do and you don't do it right away."
Decky_Q said:
The US have the highest % of the population in prison than any other country, and it does seem that the result of making a complaint is that they close ranks and mark your card as a trouble maker so with that extra attention quite possible that you could end up along with many of your countrymen in prison.
As was alluded to above, the prisons are privately run businesses and have to maintain a population to make a high enough profit to make their political donations.
I remember reading an article once where it said that the private prison companies built them for free, on the promise that the local authority would guarantee them a minimum 80% occupancy rate. They were also guranteed no bid federal contracts, at 10c an hour labour, to make stuff for government.As was alluded to above, the prisons are privately run businesses and have to maintain a population to make a high enough profit to make their political donations.
It's the only country I can think of that has targets and incentives to imprison people.
We do a lot of business in NC, a few of the local guys who worked for our old distributor out there seemed to have a different view of ‘jail’ than we do, and almost treated getting thrown in the local jail overnight as an occupational hazard of pushing the rules and expressing their liberty (ironic I know), they would usually be quite proud of having a punchy lawyer who would end up having one over on the cop or getting them off with a paltry fine
These were middle aged, white collar people doing relatively sophisticated jobs in a very modern town by NC/Virginia standards, not chavs/trailer trash
These were middle aged, white collar people doing relatively sophisticated jobs in a very modern town by NC/Virginia standards, not chavs/trailer trash
Which" US cops" is the OP talking about:
Sheriff's department?
Municipal Police department?
State Police/Highway Patrol?
America has a complex Law enforcement system, and the various departments don't always see eye to eye about jurisdiction (most times they work together without issue, but there are some regions whose various Police forces see each other as rivals, or even enemies)
Based on what was (allegedly) said, I'd suspect it was a Sheriff department Deputy Sheriff or Sheriff - They seem to be a bit of a Law unto themselves, and all too often seem to just make the Law up as they go along.
Sheriff's department?
Municipal Police department?
State Police/Highway Patrol?
America has a complex Law enforcement system, and the various departments don't always see eye to eye about jurisdiction (most times they work together without issue, but there are some regions whose various Police forces see each other as rivals, or even enemies)
Based on what was (allegedly) said, I'd suspect it was a Sheriff department Deputy Sheriff or Sheriff - They seem to be a bit of a Law unto themselves, and all too often seem to just make the Law up as they go along.
Zumbruk said:
Pete54 said:
Most of the rural police forces are essentially cash generating machines.
Yep. Many small rural towns have no local taxes, so fines are the only way the township can generate any income.Pete54 said:
Great place to be wealthy, pretty crap otherwise,
In *so* many ways. The USA is not a rich country; it's a poor country with a lot of rich people.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff