Don't throw a reporter into jail unless you want a five-part series

Following the incarceration of Judith Miller for refusing to reveal her source, the Hartford Courant has come up with reasons (other than the obvious) that reporters shouldn't be thrown in jail.

Here are just a few of the reasons why it's not a good idea to be sending reporters to the Big House:

Order: Reporters would not set a good example when it comes to following directions. You can't just tell them what to do.

To get a reporter to do anything, a guard would have to: ask nicely; explain the order in detail; debate at length whether the reporter has a better approach; and then begin the process anew after the reporter failed to do what had been agreed upon.

Accommodations: In general, reporters are not the type of people to become overly concerned with things like clutter, organization, sanitation or the possibility of an epidemic. Confining a reporter to an 8-by-10 cell is the equivalent of institutionalizing a landfill.

Language: Prisoners may curse and swear, but they are amateurs compared to seasoned reporters.

After associating with reporters for any period of time, the average inmate would be so negatively influenced that he would be virtually unemployable upon release (except at a newspaper).

Attire: The prison dress code would be compromised to such an extent that the orange jump suit, the muscle T-shirts and the do rag would seem like high fashion when faced with a newsroom style that features khaki, knockoffs, comfortable sizing and a lack of commitment to the iron.

Original Courant article