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'Ware in Prison

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WellsIDidIt

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« Reply #45 on: <02-13-14/0913:24> »
Keep in mind that things legally owned can easily be contraband for a convict. Look at the U.S. today. It is perfectly legal to own a firearm in most of the country. Some jurisdictions impose varying restrictions or require licenses, but they have to find a way to let you own a firearm per the second amendment.

Once you're convicted of a felony (let's face it, 99% of running crimes), that right goes away.

That said, there would most likely be a multitude of laws covering what rights disappear when it comes to ware, but I would assume that for physical crimes, most of your physical ware would go away and you'd lose the right to own it.

Restricted gear is most certainly going to have it's licenses stripped away. Which means you can't own it anymore. Forbidden gear, you couldn't own to begin with. Both of those are definitely going to be confiscated. Any non-restricted gear that a felon would lose access to, is likely going to be confiscated as well.

There may be some argument as to what you can connect to a crime to seize, but with the way asset forfeiture has been going, I'd guess anything on your person (or in your person) is going to be seized in most felonies by 2075. Look at asset forfeiture today.

Seiver Fever
Asset Forfeiture

The most common asset seizures are related to drug crimes, but illegal immigration and terroristic actions are both cause for asset seizure in most states. Think about a typical shadow run. How many involve breaking into another "country" (assuming you're legal in your "home" country to begin with) or actions that could be considered terroristic?

All that said, I would propose that 90% of ware, if not more, is getting stripped out upon incarceration in a major prison. Sure, they aren't going to strip it out for a week long stay in your local jail for a petty crime, but anything landing you in an actual prison is probably going to be hefty enough to run project "strip down."

While surgery is expensive, there are multiple ways for them to recoup some of the costs. First off, keep in mind that surgery costs involve mark ups on medication, services, etc. For a "state run" program, it wouldn't actually cost that much. The surgeon is likely on salary, and likely isn't that great to boot. In addition, they can funnel the seized assets straight into guards and perfectly legal auctions to other paramilitary and law enforcement groups.

I could actually see Law Enforcement groups like Knight Errant and Lone Star giving a yearly stipend for officers to spend at auctions to improve performance. After all, the seized assets are coming in, the might as well let their personnel benefit.

Some might say the cost is too high for removal, but keep in mind, the implants will almost definitely not have to be back in. Also, remember that most insurance policies would not cover damages caused if proper precautions aren't taken. If you don't strip out those cyber razors, insurance is not going to cover deaths caused by them. Just like it doesn't cover deaths caused by prisoners that weren't searched today. In all reality, they can't afford not to strip out ware that could assist break outs or prison assassinations.

All that said, this is a logical approach to the situation. Shadowrun is a dystopian universe, so whatever is fun for your group is the best way to run it.

Reaver

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« Reply #46 on: <02-13-14/1335:22> »
Realistically, it doesn't matter guys :D


Unless you had held for less then a week you have an other serious issue:

"How long is your lifestyle paid up for?"

lets say you are in a RP style campaign (only real fezable option here) and you end up with a 1 year prison sentence and you don't break out.... If you lifestyle ain't paid up for that full year and change, then anything IN that doss is GONE. Your scummy landlord took it, Or the new squatters, Or the little kiddies in apt 113 got your guns and ammo-and thus hold the building hostage in terror...



If you go all the way back to the Lone Star book for 2e (I think this has been mentioned) it tells you what happened in the 2050s:

Awakened: Drugs and restraints. Unless deemed "hostile", then cyberware implantantion overload is allowed.
Legal Ware: where possible, is either logged, locked, and/or removed and cataloged for return. cyberarms are recalibrated to "factory" settings and locked. (3s) [as pointed out by a poster in the book, it still hurts WAY more to be hit by the cyberarm then meat arm]
Restricted ware: Removed. The prisoner is billed the cost of the surgery, minus the resale value of the ware.(all licenses for said ware are deemed to have been invalidated by conviction)
Forbidden ware: Removed. The prisoner is billed the cost of the surgery and a summary conviction for possession of illegal ware is added to an existing sentence.


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Like I said, usually ending up in police custody for more then a few hours is "game over" for a character.. unless you are in a heavy RP game and something is worked out with the GM.... but then, things like this should be "hand waved" by the GM in the first place, as the story and it's realism dictate.
Where am I going? And why am I in a hand basket ???

Remember: You can't fix Stupid. But you can beat on it with a 2x4 until it smartens up! Or dies.