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I think this is sick... A meth dealer can get a free license when on parole or leave.


97A.445 EXEMPTIONS FROM LICENSE REQUIREMENT.


Subd. 2.Angling; institutional residents.

A license is not required to take fish by angling with the written consent of the superintendent or chief executive of the institution for the following persons:

(1) a resident of a state hospital;

(2) a patient of a United States Veterans Administration hospital;

(3) an inmate of a state correctional facility;

(4) a resident of a licensed nursing or boarding care home, a person who is enrolled in and regularly participates in an adult day care program or other similar organized activity sponsored by a licensed nursing or boarding care home, or a resident of a licensed board and lodging facility; and

(5) a resident of a drug or alcohol residential treatment program under the age of 20.

So a person could save themself between $203 and $383 (depending on age) on the lifetime fishing license buy getting sent up the river for good

And here I thought it was just three hots and a cot.

Of course, do they get opportunities to use their free license?

edit: scratch that question. This is really stupid.

maybe instead of doing drugs they want them to get outdoors and enjoy fresh air instead of meth. Wait its just another way to stick it to honost people

need to pay like everyone else, if they don't have the money the equal is 5 packs of cigs

(5) a resident of a drug or alcohol residential treatment program under the age of 20.

This one I agree with. Get those young guys out fishin!


(3) an inmate of a state correctional facility;

This one is ludicrous! What kind of punishment is fishing?

I don't have any problem giving the inmates a free license.

It has been proven that the better one treats these convicts, the better the chance they will make it after they serve their term.

I would rather have them make it on the outside after they are released than to have them go back to jail again.

Its costly to keep these people as inmates.

Beat a dog with a stick it will bite back. Give a dog treats for a job well done he will be a content puppy. Now do not this to literally but it does have some merit.
I believe rehabilitation should be focused on rather than punishment.

An inmate of a correctional facility.

Rehab works. One can look at the rate of repeat offenders in Minnesota and then compare with those in other states.

One can treat them like an animal which does not work as they will be someones neighbor one day.

I realize that they are in jail and have very few rights but as I stated, the majority will be on the streets again and hopefully if we treat them like a human being, they may do ok after they are released.

I am all for doin whatever we can for youth offenders to try to get them back on the right path but once those youth offenders turn into repeat adult offenders...well you cant rehabilitate stupidity.

One shouldn't act like an animal if they wish not to be treated as such.

What I'm trying to say Rob is that if we put a person in jail and then the prision treats the inmates poorly, they will be that way when they get out.

If they are treated with some respect, hopefully they will work their way back into society. I agree you earn respect but there are jails in this country that are not very respectful to their inmates and when they come out, they will have a huge chip on their shoulder.

I'm not saying either that inmates should have every right in jail as they are there for a reason but one cannot treat them like dirt.

Yes, if they are adult offenders, then whatever happens, happens.

Yeah the is a habitual criminal (methhead and thief) that lives by my work and is walking down to the river everyday to go fishing while I am hard @ worl which makes me mad anyway now I hear he probably has a free license this is [PoorWordUsage] I haven't even been able to buy a fishing license cause I can't afford it my wife lost her job and my two kids are over 16 yup this really

A very good friend of mine found him self in a major mess 3-4 years ago. Very down to earth, nice guy with a great job, nice house, wife and two kids. I lost touch with him as he sunk into bad times. He lost everything and was facing some major hurtles in the court system when he started to call me again. Still not knowing if he was going to spend many years of his life in jail, his lawyer was able to get him into treatment, instead of the county jail. During this time he had no money other than what went to the lawyers. Hard to even imagine this could happen to someone that did so well for himself and family, but it does happen.

Talking to him on the phone I found out the one thing he could get was a fishing lic. (I think it is only a daily one, not a year long one) from the front desk. His lawyer also worked it out that he could leave the rehab center for fishing. Well as soon as I heard this I got some poles together and headed up their. We just went shore fishing and only about a hand of times, but it was a steer in the right direction.

Today he is back with his family, saved his house from going back to the bank and even got his old job back. He worked hard, got threw it and is living a great life again. He pretty much lost all his friends also and most of his family had lost any hope and trust in him. Funny how that also can happen when someone hits rock bottom but I figure it is part of the deal. I just wanted to help him (he has done many things for me in the past from helping me build my house, to helping me when I was in over my head with a relatives house remodel project and many many other things over the years). I figured the least I could do was go fishing and provide a postive and good time to help him deal with what could happen at his upcoming court date.

So I give this program a big thumbs up. If it helped my friend in any way I am not sure. I have to think it did. Will it work for everyone? I am sure not. He still fishes now and has kept out of trouble. God for bid I ever found myself in his shoes, I know being able to fish would help me keep on the right track.

For inmates maybe they have a fishing day or something.

Thats great to hear Shack. No, it won't work for everyone but it will or may help those who are willing to help themselves.

So, what you're saying is that it is better to reward those that don't give a rat's behind about the rest of society by giving them more privileges than those of us that keep ourselves in line? Sounds a lot like the bail out packages we have been giving away. The guy that works his butt off to keep up with his payments can't take advantage of the bail-out monies available but if he goes into default on his mortgage he can.

I must have a twisted brain or something because I don't see the logic in this line of thinking.

I agree with you on this all the way. For the rehab kids, hopefully a few learn something to take them away from the drugs. For inmates, well there's always ditches to clean.

Right there with ya Bob. This sociaty keeps rewarding ignorance. If it doesn't stop or change no one will have a reason to do what's right.

It has been proven in many states that if you treat these inmates like a human, when they are released, the chance that they will fit back into society will be much greater.

So yes, if you want to call it a bailout, fine. Its like pay a little now or a much greater amount later.

Its too bad that all cannot recieve a free license. I also purchase my license but if it helps keep some on the straight and narrow, I would rather let them fish a day than pay another $25,000.oo annually to keep them in jail if they have to go back.

It does work.

I'm guessing that for every inmate you find that turned his life around by being treated "like a human" while in prison, there can also be one found that was raised like a human from birth but is now an inmate.

It doesn't work any more often than raising them right in the first place.

Man I have a HUGE problem with this one. Treat them like humans?...Yes. Give them treats?...No way! What ever happened to work release? Let them get out and clean up ditches, shorelines, or community service of some sort. Give them a little taste of WORK so they know what they'll have to do when they get released......to Stay released.......WORK. It bugs the poor word usage out of me that I'm paying for an inmate, who does nothing all day every day, to go sit on a pail with his toes in the water drowning worms. Meanwhile I'm busting a hump trying to make a living for my family. It's further appalling that patients of VA hospitals and nursing homes are lumped into the same paragraph with "inmates of a correctional facility". Are we paying for their fishing gear too? This is what happens when the "touchy feelys" are in charge of legislation. It's as ludicrous as San Francisco giving free shopping carts to the homeless. Like thats ever going to help them get a roof over their head! Nothing more than "feel good" legislation.

I agree with you completely. And I agree with Tom completely. You both are right. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But, IMO, it's always better to treat humans like humans unless they prove they prefer to be treated otherwise.

Great story, shack.

This is a very touchy subject, I feel a little conflicted by it.

For starters, just because the law allows for it, there's a lot we don't know in terms of how much this legal allowance is utilized. If I were running a prison facing budget constraints it would be the second thing I cut, after cable TV.

I am going to go out on a limb here and Assume that the incarcerated individuals are not free to decide to come and go as often as they want ("See ya warden, I'm off to the BWCA this week!" ) and that the privilege to go fishing is part of some program that they have to qualify for (Read: non violent crimes, non-flight risks, etc.)

Even if these assumptions are true, I still feel the sting of knowing that I have to work my butt off, provide for my family and contribute to society, all before I pay to go fishing. Plus I am naturally suspicious - it just seems that it would be too difficult to determine who would truly benefit from it and who is just looking to take advantage in order to get out of jail for a while.

On the bright side, you know these guy's aren't filling a freezer somewhere with fish!

If any of those guys come away with an idea that maybe there's more to this world than whatever he left behind when he got locked up, then perhaps it would be worth it. But the cynic in me keeps saying that the odds are not good.

Like I said, a touchy subject.

My dad's in a nursing home and I think it's great that he can fish for free. I don't think he needs a separate paragraph in the regs.

I'd be curious to know this too. In my dad's case no, and it shounds like in Shackbash's case, no.

I agree that this sounds touch feel-y to me. But since it's already in the books I'm curious how much it is actually used and even more so if anyone has made any effort to determine if it actually works.

Hi Surreal, I meant that, IMO, It's sort of a slap in the face to veterans and nursing home residents to be lumped into the same paragraph as inmates. Also, I re-read my post and I meant to ask, are we paying for the INMATES fishing gear too. Not the patients. I think it's just great your dad can fish for free as well.
As to your last point, I'm very curious about that too. I think it's somewhat telling that you need to go to the dnr website to find this information. If,"Berens Lake" had not posted on this, I wouldn't have known about it. It's not printed in the 09 fishing regs booklet. The paragraph pertaining to VA hospital and nursing home residents is in the book but the "Inmates" part was left out. Why do you suppose that is?