Ships At Sea
by Patrick Kearney

Some very famous writers from the past have tried to draw parallels between life in prison and life aboard ship, especially the old sailing ships of 80 to 200 years ago. They would often quote old seafaring stories like "Moby Dick."

One comparison was, of course, that ships at sea, like prisons, were usually almost all-male environments. Nowadays, however, there may be more women aboard Navy ships and others too.

You could also say that both places (ships & prisons) are, effectively, separate and isolated worlds unto themselves. A big ship, especially an aircraft carrier, is like a city. There are thousands of men on board--as there are in many prisons--and each will have its own bakery, fire-department, barbershop, clothing-store, shopping-center (exchange), canteen, hospital, chapels, library, post-office, laundry, jail (brig), and so on. A prison does too. A carrier even has its own airport! Prisons and smaller ships often have heliports.

There are also some similarities in the rules and the discipline. In fact, the job of a prison guard is effectively a para-military one. In both places, the rules must be enforced, and discipline maintained--even if it takes force to do so