Guitars in prison

[Tyeetime]

Saw this news piece today and it made me wonder if guitars were allowed in prisons in Canada or the USA. Anybody know? I know we don't want to make life too enjoyable for inmates, but if it was me I would be a model inmate if it meant I could strum.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-28542329

[The Growler]

I hate to think what some of those guys might do with the strings....

Maybe in a low risk, non-violent offender type of lock up it would work.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by The Growler

I hate to think what some of those guys might do with the strings....

Maybe in a low risk, non-violent offender type of lock up it would work.

Good point.

I have no idea if there are guitars in prison.

[architype]

Well, in my all time favorite movie, "Cool Hand Luke", they allowed guitars and banjos!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3HCY3SgzlA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG9tuuznL1Y

[Steve DeRosa]

Have been for years - Leadbelly, Merle Haggard, Joe Pass all played while in prison...

[Long Jon]

You can get 'em in stir over here, but you have to earn that privilege with exemplary good behaviour.

Never mind how I know.

[Mooh]

A friend used to teach guitar to young offenders in a Canadian facility. Supervised, of course.

[Kitchen Guitars]

My guitar got time but it was really my playing that was the crime!

[Bilban]

Charles Manson learned guitar in prison.I don't think they let him anymore

[mdunn]

They let this ex-con have a guitar in prison.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG0f...yer_detailpage

[fazool]

Originally Posted by Mooh

A friend used to teach guitar to young offenders in a Canadian facility. Supervised, of course.

I taught CAD/CAM to bad offender(s) working in a prison metal shop. My company provided the CNC machines.

We found all sorts of weapons fabricated and hidden inside the machines. Inmates would peel black tape off wires to wrap knife handles, etc.

Everyone was totally cool to me and I felt entirely safe, but they obviously don't feel that way toward each other.

In that type of environment, I wouldn't want them to have steel strings.

[Staredge]

dont Shoot, I'm the guitar man

Pretty good book. Shows what guitar lessons mean to the guys inside.

[mc1]

some sort of musical outlet seems like a good idea to me.

[Bingoccc]

I'm not going to get into this in any depth, but I'm a retired correctional officer. I spent a few years at a minimum security work camp. Compared to a chain saw or a shovel, a guitar is not a concern. BUT... In the twenty plus years I spent dealing with medium and higher security, as well as the drunk tanks, I hate guitars in prisons. We did, for a while, have small supervised lessons but they were not allowed in cells or blocks. Mop handles and mop wringers were horrible weapons when used as such. Believe it or not, a tightly rolled magazine can ruin your day when used properly. A bar of soap with razor blades mounted in it makes for a bad shift. I love guitars and music but sometimes, some folks, just don't appreciate it as well. Many do but.... some just can't help themselves. They cause harm when they can and they find pleasure in it.

[Don Lampson]

Every prison I've been in has has plenty of guitars available, both acoustic, and electric. Almost all of them are low quality boxes, with terrible strings on them! The strings are frequently used for making homemade tattoo guns!

Musical instruments can be checked out thru various programs, such as Arts in Corrections, to the convicts. Church groups loan them out as well. Convicts sometimes own their own guitars too, mostly lifers, and others with extremely long sentences. That's where the better grade of guitars are found!

The best guitar I ever saw a convict with, was a Martin D-41, or 42, owned by Bruce Davis from the Manson bunch. The fretboard was covered with inlayed pearl, and abalone religious symbols... The workmanship was 1st class! Bruce found salvation in prison, and wanted everyone to know his dedication........


Don