ATHENS, Ala., Aug. 21 -- Prisoners on one of Alabama's chain gangs Monday began the stereotypical chore of pounding big rocks into little pebbles with sledge hammers. Three months after Alabama reintroduced chain gangs to the shoulders of state highways, 160 prisoners from the Limestone Correctional Facility in Athens traded in their sling blades for 10-pound hammers -- at least on alternate days. Instead of cutting grass along roadways, every other day the inmates will be pulverizing big rocks into little ones that can be used to line state highways or in prison yards. Alabama Prison Commissioner Ron Jones said the new duties would prove to be yet another deterent to crime. 'It's all part of Alabama's get-tough policy for prisoners,' Jones said. 'Maybe it'll even give those on the gang something to think about in their life of crime. That'll keep 'em busy.' When Alabama began operating chain gangs again last May, the move sparked a major debate and a national media blitz. Since then, other states -- including Florida which plans to begin using chain gangs in December -- have considered reinstituting the old-fashioned form of punishment. Supporters of chain gangs say along with the deterrent effect, they save money because one guard can handle 40 prisoners at a time. Opponents say it is barbaric and that working along the highway in shackles endangers prisoners' lives and is cruel and unusual punishment under the Constitution. A number of black legislators are trying to end the practice. They say chain gangs are racist because the bulk of inmates in the quarter- inch stainless steel chains are black.
The new rock-breaking duties were viewed as a further insult to prisoners giving Alabama a black eye in the area of public perception. Sweltering temperatures across the state were adding to the dismal conditions. Prison officials said they would closely monitor how well inmates adapt to the new chores, and were planning to expand rock-breaking to other chain gangs if all goes well in Athens. According to Jones, chain gang members from the Station Correctional Facility near Montgomery were scheduled to begin breaking rocks on Tuesday, and the process will be started at the Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore later this month. In Alabama, the idea of returning to chain gangs was first advanced during Fob James' successful campaign for governor in November 1994. James promised to get tough on criminals and deter cime by reintroducing the controversial practice. Inmates at the Limestone Correctional Facility led the move back to chain gangs three months ago when they were the first in 30 years to be shackled together and forced to work alongside the state's highways.
