Stripes are back for South Florida prisoners

From Correspondent John Zarrella

PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida (CNN) -- The striped outfits may look like they were lifted from an old black-and-white film, but it's modern-day living color for some county prison inmates.

These minimum-security inmates are headed to work, assigned to clean up roadside garbage. The outfits aren't meant to make them look respectable, but to identify them loud-and-clear as wrong-doers.

"It's kind of old fashioned to me," said inmate Brian Michaels. "I think it's good that we're out here working, but why make it obvious?"

It's the latest idea of Sheriff Bobby Knowles to make prisons uninviting for inmates in St. Lucie County.

"That's part of the punishment, being humiliated publicly," Knowles said. "If you remember, in our country not too long ago, you were in the town square."

Knowles said he's trying to give prisoners more reasons not to become repeat offenders. As a way to cut costs he's built tents instead of building prisons.

Inmates, if they have any money of their own, pay $1.20 a day for food, plus a health care co-payment. And there's no smoking or entertainment television.

"Jail should be a bad place to go, and not a good place to go," Knowles said.

At least some inmates say they're getting the message.

"It ain't just fun and games anymore," said inmate Ron Pena. "He's made it to where you realize where you are and how much a privilege it is just to be free."

Pena tries to ignore the people who constantly drive pass the road crew.

"You feel like the old ball-and-chain days," he said. "You don't realize until you have to put a suit like this on and walk out in public."

Related sites:

• The Corrections Connection
• National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
• Prison-related resources

Related newsgroup:

• alt.prisons

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