I was thinking today about how it would be cool if we could make a SciFi prison like we see in various media, all we would need is an impassable version of existing forcefields. Then i thought, perhaps forcefields really aren't the best thing to keep your prisoners in with, the issue is forcefields need energy to operate, they also presumably need a whole host of other intricate components, and if any of those break or the energy is cut the forcefield will come right down. All the while the good old steel bars work just as well in keeping the prisoners in their cells and has none of the aforementioned vulnerabilities, so why replace a technology that works with the one arguably worse?
For long term prisoners, standard steel bars would work fine though ALON or something similar would be better for an advanced civilization. Forcefields would be ideal for short-term prisoners who'll need to be removed or restrained; provided the forcefields are configurable to allow guards to enter and exit at will, while the prisoner is unable to leave. The forcefield would also be better in such a situation since it can seperate atmosphere for specific creature requirements, or make it uncomfortable inside if necessary. Though an airtight ALON cell would be able to do most of that as well. Note: ALON is Aluminium Oxynitride. You could call it "Transparent Aluminum" if you want. Thanks to... professor scott, it's real now.
Thing is, things that transport those temporary prisoners seem the most vulnerable to the forcefield failing, either because they came under attack or for some other reason, either way if the power is out that means there is some sort of emergency, and the last thing you want in an emergency situation is your jail spilling all the criminals/prisoners of war out of their cells so they can wreak havoc.
Eh, i don't want my prisoners dying on me, and if they are criminals in prison then what's the point of keeping someone frozen for 20 years, they will come out the same as they came in, won't learn any lessons, won't be any older, and will be really pissed at that, so i am just foisting my problem on someone in the future.
I think the French got it right the first time - the 'oubliette'. Dig deep hole, stick prisoner in and forget. No need for power - food and water optional according to you disposition Otherwise I figure air locks would make for good prison cells. ... oops wrong button..my bad!
Not at all, because as if what would become of the Circus Maximus if no Slaves...ahem...Prisoners would fight all those brave, wild Animals in the Arena.
Did this thread just become a philosophy thread? Nonetheless, I think actual forcefields would be a neat addition, and we would find uses for them, outside of just imprisoning criminals.
Seriously, just because they are in the future, doesnt mean they wont have politicians !!!!!!!! There will be a need for prisons LOL !
We have forcefields. It's just that they keep air in. I'm inclined to think a truly advanced civilization would have equally advanced means of dealing with potentially dangerous criminal elements, such as keeping them in a form of stasis where they're aware of the passage of time, rehabilitated by means of neural stimulation or engramatic manipulation, or something equally advanced, alleviating the need for physical prisons.
I dunno, a bullet still seem easier or spacing em. I dont know why people think a super advanced species would be any kinder than any other to be honest, its not what we see in nature, and we are the most dominant creature on Earth and we dont practice such things at that scale , at species scale, all of us, and any species that makes it that far, still needs some form of economic system, which in turn drives competition, of the dog eat dog type. Do species just magically change into perfect moral entities at some point and then just do the right thing forever ? Do people seriously believe that ? Why do we assume an older species will be a fairer species ? Its more logical to assume they would be just as aggressive as our species. There is absolutely no evidence to show our species will ever become that super advanced fairer species. So what drives that whole idea or hypothesis ? Star Trek probably, its all I can come up with lol. Nope I recon, if we ever meet an advanced species in OUR solar system, consider the Earth no longer a Human planet. They wont be likely to be coming here to say high, wanna cup of tea and a chat......lool..... Much more likely, if they would bother, to come to take what they can. But there hundreds of years in the future vs us I hear some say, they must evolve to be better not worse, I hear some say, well, just like Humans have over thousands of years yes ?? And WW1 and WW2 ? lol Just seems illogical to me to expect anything like that if we were ever to meet, aggression is much more likely. Its a nice thought, species growing to a point of true understanding of life etc, but you know, every species we know about is a competitive species, competing for food, a place to live etc etc. I just dont ever see that changing, no matter the environment or time.
I remember a Star Trek episode where one species used a virtual reality where prisoners could experience decades in prison while only hours passed in the real world. It was a pretty dark episode.
Even Star Trek can't make their mind up what to use: The TOS had Force Fields, the Motion Picture Last Frontier saw Bars, and DS9 was back to Force Fields. Go Figure
Wait were talking about the one film that is considered the worst one of them all. Come on, Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley sit around a campfire singing Row Row Row Your Boat The whole movie should have been behind bars.
