"ALI: Comedy in Prison? I was just reading the Stephen King book, The Green Mile, and was struck by a particular line, and it made me think. For those of you who don't know, this novel is baased in a 1930's prison on death row. There is much more to it than that, but is all the needs knowing for my point.

The lines (p.75-Book One) from the novel are:

"But then Brutal started to laugh, and we hurried to see what was happening. Laughing in E Block sounded almost as wrong as laughing in church."

And so I started thinking about how often any prisoner actually laughs? Especially on Death Row!

So maybe, as the saying goes: Laughter is the best medicine. Perhaps laughter could also be the best punishment?

I've read about people curing themselves of disease by watching funny movies, so maybe humour has much more curative powers than we know. I know that laughing makes me feel better whether I am sad, mad, scared, confused, embarrased etc..

It makes me want to research this idea of humour therapy...has it ever been tried anywhere? Could providing humourous experiences for inmates, as well as other things of course, help them become better citizens, or at the very least improve their spirits while incarcerated?

Here is something from the website the Daily OM: Look on the bright side of life. Laughter lowers levels of stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol and increases the levels of pleasurable endorphins within the body, leaving you with a happy afterglow and tension-free muscles. A positive outlook improves immunity and promotes faster healing after surgeries or illnes.

Donna F's reply: Ali All the things you say about comedy/laughter are true but the only laughter/joking around is slight (hidden between inmates). Its discouraged by guards as disrespect towards them and discipline. A smile can get an inmate into trouble. When an inmate has their picture taken they will get roughed up by guards so they have a "proper look" on their faces. The object is to make them look heinous as well as conditioned to be heinous by the time of their release.

What you say Ali, is true, comedy definitely should be part of their lives inside but it`s just not like that."

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This DONNA person is the one who blasted me for "showing contempt" for inmates when I was a CO!

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