Offbeat: Prisons Should Ban Weights and Weight Lifting

Question: Why do most prisons allow their inmates to lift weights, work out, and get ridiculously strong during their term?

This is a question I’ve had for many years, as it just seems foolish when you take into consideration the concept of a prison. Prisoners are there to serve a term of punishment because they were guilty of a crime (this does not include people who are innocent in prison, please save that argument for another time). Part of their punishment is the solitude, confinement, and lack of freedoms that makes up prison life.

Allowing inmates to exercise and strength train with heavy weights creates a multitude of problems for the entire system. Inmates can become massive and strong, intimidating and, in circumstances, overpowering peers or guards if violence arises. Weight rooms are also expensive to build and maintain, and inmates may injure themselves or others with the weights, costing tax dollars.

Here are more points and issues of concern regarding weight training in prison.
Conversely, here is an article that discusses weight training in prison without specific heavy weights.

To me, the idea of allowing inmates to build strength is the same as sticking your arm in a cage full of cougars. It’s just asking for trouble. But there is hope. As I write this, there are already a number of prisons, and even State Legislatures, that are taking heavy weights out of their facilities. Some prisons are replacing them with aerobic machines and lighter weights. This is a much better solution. Heck, you could even throw in Monopoly or a Nintendo Wii. I’m all for giving prisoners some activities to pass time, but lets keep the weights in the weight room for guards, not inmates.