09/14/2007
Inmate: Men in Pink Jumpsuits are Targets for Assault
With regard to yesterday's pink t-shirt story, here's a news item out of South Carolina.
USA Today reports that Sherone Nealous, an inmate serving time for assault and battery with intent to kill at the Allendale Correctional Institution, has filed a lawsuit against the state's penal system.
South Carolina apparently forces inmates to wear pink jumpsuits as punishment for sexual misconduct. Nealous claims that the pink jumpsuit is discriminatory and puts him at greater risk of assault from other inmates.
A legal memorandum issued by the Department Corrections denies that allegation: "When the inmate population views an inmate wearing a pink jumpsuit, it is known that the clothing was assigned by (the Department of Corrections) as punishment for sexual misconduct. [It] conveys no suggestion that the inmate wearing the jumpsuit is a willing participant in homosexual activity or otherwise vulnerable to … assault."
According to USA Today, "Court documents say pink was chosen as the identifying mark for inmates involved in sexual activity partly because other colors were taken — yellow for segregation units, dark green on death row — but also because the system's prisoners don't like wearing pink, which 'contributes to its deterrent effect,' the memo states. South Carolina's pink policy applies to male and female inmates. Josh Gelinas, a spokesman for the S.C. Department of Corrections, said he doesn't know of other prisons that use pink jumpsuits for those engaging in sexual activity."
The paper then goes on to discuss some of the other "pink punishments" doled out around the country.
Are there societal perceptions regarding pink and masculinity? Of course. And given the recent reminder from Nova Scotia, we'd have to side with the inmate on this one.
Prisoners in pink: Deterrent or scarlet mark of danger? [usa today]
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 4:45 PM EST by Andy in Fashion Men, News, South Carolina | Permalink
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"[It] conveys no suggestion that the inmate wearing the jumpsuit is a willing participant in homosexual activity or otherwise vulnerable to … assault."
What is it, Opposite Day? Up is down, right is left, lies are truth? A pink jumpsuit is issued for sexual activity. In prison sexual activity can only be homosexual. So a prisoner in a pink jumpsuit is being identified as having engaged in homosexual activity. There's no other was to parse it. What a lame, Bush administration-sounding defense.
Posted by: Paul | Sep 14, 2007 4:59:45 PM
Someone in jail for assault (sexual or otherwise) deserves a lot worse than a pink jumpsuit. He deserves everything... EVERYTHING that's "coming" to him. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
Posted by: They deserve it! | Sep 14, 2007 5:00:16 PM
...issuing a pair of crocs with those would be a double threat.
Posted by: A.J | Sep 14, 2007 5:28:37 PM
These stories strike me as especially bizarre because around the turn of the century, pink was considered so MASCULINE a color that it was inappropriate for women to wear...
Not that i would expect the average american to know much about american history, let alone a prison inmate....
What a sad state of affairs.
Posted by: Clayton | Sep 14, 2007 5:42:10 PM
"Someone in jail for assault (sexual or otherwise) deserves a lot worse than a pink jumpsuit. He deserves everything... EVERYTHING that's "coming" to him. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" -- THEY DESERVE IT!
Interesting statement. Does that hold true when the "He" is a "She" and the "him" is a "her"?
Do you believe that women who are in prison for assault deserve to be sexually assaulted while in custody or is it just male prisoners being raped that turns you on?
Posted by: Zeke | Sep 14, 2007 6:11:20 PM
Does it have a pink triangle sewn on the back, right next to the patch that says "Hurt me for free, I'm queer?
Posted by: Bill Perdue | Sep 14, 2007 6:35:28 PM
Does it have a pink triangle sewn on the back, right next to the patch that says "Hurt me for free, I'm queer?
Posted by: Bill Perdue | Sep 14, 2007 6:35:57 PM
It's not just for people in prison for assault. It's for any prisoner caught engaging in sexual conduct.
Posted by: Paul | Sep 14, 2007 6:52:13 PM
Zeke,
Just FYI.
"They Deserve It!" is the commenter better known as "Oh No You Did'nt!" [sic], the queen with the raging masculinity issues who shrieked, "Transgender has nothing to do with gay!!!!!!" in the Lana Wachowski thread.
Feed the trolls at your own risk.
Posted by: 24play | Sep 14, 2007 7:03:13 PM
what a bunch of nazis.
Posted by: vanitysmurf | Sep 14, 2007 7:55:28 PM
THe only guys i see wearing pink are "masculine" or pretty boys the social leaders i thought it has long left its insult status
Posted by: sasha | Sep 14, 2007 8:35:51 PM
What goes around comes around.
I hope all the perverts get tortured and murdered. Or at least cut their penises off.
They ruin innocent people's lives and should be stopped before they can do it again. Perverts never change - when they are released they commit the same crimes.
Posted by: amy winehouse | Sep 17, 2007 10:26:42 AM
AMY WINEHOUSE... The article is about imates that commit sexual crimes while 'incarcerated', its not about those who enter the penal system because of committing a sexual crime. So any man engaging in sexual activity is a homosexual, are you saying to cut the penises off of homosexuals? So then are you saying to cut the vaginas off of lesbians? This makes no sense to me, obviously you've read the article incorrectly...
Posted by: danielle | Sep 17, 2007 11:14:00 AM
TOO BAD!
If he doesn't like it, he should have not commited a crime.
Toss him in with the general population: if they kill him, more money saved for the taxpayer.
Posted by: Ednonymous | Sep 17, 2007 12:32:06 PM
This is ridiculous. I'm sorry, have you forgotten where you are? Well, let me remind you. PRISON. As in a place where you are sent by a jury of your peers to pay for your mistakes. And last time I checked, in prison, you have to wear what they issue you. If you wanted a choice in what to wear everyday, you shouldn't have commited a heinous act. Also, I love the fact that they must wear pink for a sexual misconduct they commited IN PRISON. You already did something wrong, and now you've gone one worse. I say if they make you wear a pink jumpsuit, say "thank you", and move along. Even horrible criminals in max lockdown get privledges. It's funny to me in this country, convicted criminals have more rights and a say in whats happening, not to mention better treatment, than the homeless that live in freedom.
I hope that prisoner gets it double time, just for that. Asshole.
Posted by: tati | Sep 17, 2007 4:52:29 PM
sexual misconduct can mean anything. so if the guy is going around, sexually assaulting people, i think thoses around him deserves to know.
Posted by: audi500 | Sep 17, 2007 7:05:30 PM
Making prisoners who commit sexual acts in prison wear the pink jumpsutit can be benificial to the officers so that they can be identified. However, I know of a case where a non-violent prisoner was accused of kissing a lady while on work release. He was shipped to a level 2 prison and forced to wear the pink jumpsuit for 90 days. Of course it is assumed by his peers that he has commited some horrible sexual crime. If the pink jumpsuit is going to be used, it needs to be issued to those prisoners who absolutely commit a SEX ACT
Posted by: tiffany | Jan 21, 2008 10:12:51 AM