Dungeons & Dragons Banned in Prison

[Velocirapture07]

I think it's important to remember that these people are in prison.... They're there for a reason and I'm not sure it makes any sense to compare this to Jack Chick's general malevolence towards Dnd in general.

Perhaps the reasoning is a little flawed, but I can't say there is really any reason a murderer should be allowed to choose what he can and can't do in jail.

 

[Jaebird]

What's next? Monopoly being banned because it teaches you how to control the market? Checkers, because it shows you can do anything within a monarchy? Go-Fish for it's natural selection? When will the madness end!?

 

[Dogmeat T Dingo]

Well, at first I was wondering why he was allowed to have such things like tabletop gaming in the first place, but then it occurred to me that D&D is actually something that should be ENCOURAGED in a prison environment.

I've been DM for a few games before and we're talking about a game that encourages teamwork and builds relations with your fellow players. It's the perfect recreational tool for encouraging prisoners to adapt to function in "normal" society again, albeit in a very geeky way. I mean this guy is in for life, I don't know if that includes the chance of parole or not because I'm not too familiar with the US system, but surely there are other people playing with him that may be released at some point, and I'd rather that they spent their off time learning to co-operate with teammates in a game and building friendships than engaging in literal gang activity.

 

[Cain_Zeros]

Man, that's gotta be at least a -4 penalty on that Bluff check to try to pull that reasoning past anyone. Then again, I guess lawyers do have it maxed out, and usually have the Negotiator feat for another +2.

But on a slightly less nerdy note; Seriously? I'm in a gang? And my jackass of a DM is the gang leader? He doesn't even play an NPC half the time!

 

[OtherSideofSky]

The argument given against D&D seems to make it clear that the person making it has never actually played or researched the game, which seems a bit unprofessional to me.

As for whether or not prisoners "deserve" D&D, that question cannot be answered until the government can be bothered to concretely establish what our prison system is supposed to be FOR.

If we only want to keep criminals away from non-criminals, then I see no reason why they should not have D&D.

If the intent is to punish them, then they should never have been allowed things like games or religion to begin with and I don't see why they aren't being tortured as we speak.

If the intent is to reform them, then this is a question for a criminal psychologist who understands D&D.

In the first to cases, execution and subsequent cremation would seem far more efficient from a financial standpoint (depending, of course, what priority we place on not killing the potentially innocent).

I, personally, see no reason why prisoners should not enjoy themselves if it isn't hurting anyone else as I do not feel qualified to pass judgment on the morality of another person and prefer to examine matters from a purely practical standpoint.

 

[Glerken]

Right, so D&D is banned, and yet religion, for which some people some people kill themselves is still allowed, what great logic you morons.

Thank you for equating a game with an ideology and grouping every person in that ideology under "psychopathic murdering rapist." Makes me REAL respectful of atheists and agnostics...

Stop being overly sensitive. He didn't say every person.
His point is he feels religion in a prison is more harmful than DnD.
If you disagree there, then argue you're point, but don't put words in his mouth and look down on all atheists and agnostics because you're far too sensitive.

 

[fanklok]

Those dice are lethal! Especially if you roll a 20!

funny thing is a guy I know has a d20 the size of my fist so I think rolling a 1 would make it deadly (no one likes when they get a critical miss)

 

[the protaginist]

I think it'd be funny if a DM made a campaign where the party is apprehended and have to breakout using only what they have...

Actually, thats a good idea. I'm gonna go do that.

 

[Dr Beefcakes]

uh if D&D made gangs we would be up to our necks in gangs like the gamers from apocalypse lane...

That thought
Is almost as scary
As the spitter in L4D2
Naked
*Pukes*

 

[BlumiereBleck]

"dungeons"(prison) dragons=prisoners and why would prisoners even play that?

 

[Asturiel]

Looks like the ones in favour of keeping DnD rolled a critical miss on their Diplomacy checks

Repeated ones, followed by the player saying "Fuck it" and arguing with them.

Well im just going to have to laugh at ignorance so I shall Whatever you do dont take away Lights DND!

 

[Wildrow12]

I think it'd be funny if a DM made a campaign where the party is apprehended and have to breakout using only what they have...

Actually, thats a good idea. I'm gonna go do that.

Be careful what you wish for, captain. I ran a similar adventure before in Ravenloft.

*shiver*

Let me just say this: I will never look at femurs the same way again.

 

[The Youth Counselor]

When I was in the mental hospital they took away spinners and game pieces from many board games because they could be modified into weapons.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

I can see both sides of it.

On the one hand, we're talking about a jail meant to hold people for committing serious crimes, in some cases probably even gang-related. They have the difficult job of making sure that the inmates aren't constantly at each others' throats, which includes trying to discourage cliques from forming. By allowing a small group of people to play D&D, they could potentially start banding together outside of game time. Having a group of 4+ people working together to cause trouble can be harder to handle than a single person working on his own.

I think most people in here taking the instant "Anti" stance on the warden's decision aren't actually pausing to think "What is it like to run a prison?", and are just taking the knee-jerk "Hey he's bashing on games" response. An out-and-out ban might be a bit much without allowing for some experimental time to see how it works out, but at the same time if it ends-up not working out, trying to ban it after they've been playing for a short while could be a messier scenario than having banned it in the first place.

 

[clairedelune]

I would ban it if only because spending a year or two of my life playing D&D without having to worry about other responsibilities wouldn't be much of a punishment. It could even be an incentive.

 

[Alex_P]

These prisoners have nothing to do and are locked for crimes which they most likely didn't commit, at lease let them play a game.

Most people in prisons have actually committed the crime they're in for. The injustice in the system has more to do with sentencing and prison culture than false convictions.

-- Alex

 

[Weaver]

I say you let them play D&D. You can have them using their imaginations to play a game, or you can make them bored which would probably cause irritation and lead to an increase in physical violence.