Taking an outsiders view: Just having seen 2010s Crime Statistics for European Countries and the USA, my guess is that the citizens of our worlds only left super-power simply decided to annihilate themselves.
D&D promoting gang activity in prisons?
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Taking an outsiders view: Just having seen 2010s Crime Statistics for European Countries and the USA, my guess is that the citizens of our worlds only left super-power simply decided to annihilate themselves.
It is utterly terrifying that the ruling is made because it might potentially lead to gang activity in the future. This is literally something that cannot be disproven about anything.
In other news US prisons continue to be hellholes built around punishment, revenge, and for-profit motives rather then rehabilitation, disproving the notion that we are an advanced civilization.
In other news US prisons continue to be hellholes built around punishment, revenge, and for-profit motives rather then rehabilitation, disproving the notion that we are an advanced civilization.
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
You Americans just crack me up soo much - I still can't fathom that there are real people taking these things in front of real judges!!!!
but I wonder is there anyone talking about this case other than nerdy DnD players?
(and yes I do appreciate that there are many reasonably sane americans too
)
but I wonder is there anyone talking about this case other than nerdy DnD players?
(and yes I do appreciate that there are many reasonably sane americans too
)
Relique du Madde
Adventurer
I totally agree. Stupidity, in my view is an interaction of intelligence, wisdom, and various other non related attributes and how they effect perception (of the self or individual). See, you could have a Steven Hawking level intelligence, but you if you can still be stupid (if you routinely made bad decisions). The advance in technology onlyy makes it easier to err Kand be caught) then not to... which is a bad and a good thing (in terms of criminality).
While I certainly believe that D&D is not inherently evil, I also think it's naive to pretend it doesn't have the potential to be very dangerous in a prison setting. Using only the first page of this message board, I can see multiple reasons to be concerned about the game.
Consider this thread - http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...-name-cool-way-permanently-kill-rakshasa.html - where we are discussing different ways to creatively torture and kill an enemy. Or consider this thread - http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/300281-have-you-ever-driven-player-game-3.html - where people are giving multiple examples of the times gameplay has lead to argument, anger, and general social conflict between between players. There are even examples where it has lead to physical violence, like the time someone "chased a player off with a broom handle". Also, consider that this board has to ban comparisons of different editions because people are so strongly divided that we can't have civil discussion about which version of D&D people prefer to play.
If I were a prison guard, I would certainly feel a lot better if the inmates weren't allowed to take part in a game with such potential for violent discussion and social unrest.
Consider this thread - http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...-name-cool-way-permanently-kill-rakshasa.html - where we are discussing different ways to creatively torture and kill an enemy. Or consider this thread - http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/300281-have-you-ever-driven-player-game-3.html - where people are giving multiple examples of the times gameplay has lead to argument, anger, and general social conflict between between players. There are even examples where it has lead to physical violence, like the time someone "chased a player off with a broom handle". Also, consider that this board has to ban comparisons of different editions because people are so strongly divided that we can't have civil discussion about which version of D&D people prefer to play.
If I were a prison guard, I would certainly feel a lot better if the inmates weren't allowed to take part in a game with such potential for violent discussion and social unrest.
Firebeetle
Explorer
I feel the exact opposite is true here. Currently, prisoners have very little to occupy their time or thoughts. In my classroom, this is a recipe for disaster. I work very hard at keeping all my students engaged. When engaged in activities they behave better and will not act out out of boredom.
Prisoners would work the same way. D&D is, theortically, a "whole brain" activity. It involves abstract thinking (right brain) and math (left brain). Anytime you have both halves of the brain engaged you get better behavior, since this leads to a state where the subject is working from the non-emotional cerebrum and not the emotional cerebellum. Engaged prisoners doing hours of whole brain activity is a recipe for calm prisoners.
Of course, the Wisconsin prison system isn't smart enough to figure that one out.
I've visited a few jails & prisons in my day. Not all of them are mere warehouses of undesirables. Most DO have services like drug rehab, anger mgmt. courses, work release and job training programs. Some even have highly developed crafts programs that actually sell their wares worldwide. They have recognized that active, engaged prisoners are easier to control.
But even in those places, activities are constantly being evaluated. Many prisons (esp. Fed ones) are getting rid of weight rooms, for instance. Those have been identified as a source of danger in those prisons: when you have all day to pump iron, you tend to make great strides in physical power- adding to the hazards of a potential disciplinary action...or riot. Exercise is still permitted, just not THAT exercise.
OTOH, some prisons run supervised powerlifting competitions...for those who have earned the right to participate.
As for RPGs...again, prisons have other ways to entertain. They DO have TVs and libraries (for those so inclined AND who have demonstrated trustworthiness); they do have cards and boardgames, esp. Chess, Checkers, Dominoes and so forth.*
* Here's another problem for RPGs and "gang activities": most prisons ban or restrict access to things that can be used for gambling- a big-time gang activity. That includes standard playing cards, dice and chits. It is hard- though not impossible- to play most RPGs without some kind of randomizer.
But even in those places, activities are constantly being evaluated. Many prisons (esp. Fed ones) are getting rid of weight rooms, for instance. Those have been identified as a source of danger in those prisons: when you have all day to pump iron, you tend to make great strides in physical power- adding to the hazards of a potential disciplinary action...or riot. Exercise is still permitted, just not THAT exercise.
OTOH, some prisons run supervised powerlifting competitions...for those who have earned the right to participate.
As for RPGs...again, prisons have other ways to entertain. They DO have TVs and libraries (for those so inclined AND who have demonstrated trustworthiness); they do have cards and boardgames, esp. Chess, Checkers, Dominoes and so forth.*
* Here's another problem for RPGs and "gang activities": most prisons ban or restrict access to things that can be used for gambling- a big-time gang activity. That includes standard playing cards, dice and chits. It is hard- though not impossible- to play most RPGs without some kind of randomizer.
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TarionzCousin
Second Most Angelic Devil Ever
We can't play D&D in prison? Dang. There goes my lose my job/last-ditch retirement plan.
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