I
once had an experience that gave me the opportunity to give this
situation much thought. When I was high school age, I was in the
prison barber shop having my hair cut. In the shop were six men
barbers and a bootblack. As they were all inmates, I was the only
"free" person present. They were idle and were engrossed in
a serious discussion. The subject was Solitary Confinement. After
much debate and expression of opinions, pro and con, they agreed that
Solitary Confinement was the most severe punishment. One declared
that he would rather be hanged than to endure solitary indefinitely.
The others seemed to agree with him. I was a bit surprised to hear
this conclusion coming from convicted men.
This
brings up another occasion that was quite similar to this one. I was
again the only customer in the prison barber shop one afternoon, and
the men were having a "bull session." This time the subject
of their discussion was "Highway Robbery." It was pointed
out that the sentence for conviction of highway robbery was usually
several years. These prisoners took the position that highway robbery
was a very serious offense. They concluded that the crime was
definitely premeditated and that the man was a potential murderer. He
would place a gun into your ribs and say, "Your money or your
life". If he met with resistance he would usually pull the
trigger. His purpose was to get your money or else. He faced you with
a loaded gun.
These
men contrasted this premeditated threat with a person who may have
committed murder in a fit of anger or passion on the spur of the
moment, and the premeditated attack was at least as severe as the
attack on the spur of the moment, incited by anger. Again I marveled
at this conclusion from convicted men, who agreed that the crime was
equivalent of murder.
At
another time young Duffy was at the prison front and an alarm was
sounded. Captain Russell was in the barber shop having a shave. I can
see him today, running out of the barber shop to the front gate. He
still had the white barber cloth tucked into his neck and draping his
body, and his face was completely covered with white, soapy lather.
Author:
William J. Duffy, Jr.
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