• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Did Janeway torture Paris in "Thirty Days"?

The Overlord

Fleet Captain
Fleet Captain
In the episode "Thirty Days" Janeway sentences Tom Paris to 30 days of solitary confinement. Solitary Confinement is considered a form of psychological torture by many people and NGOs like the Red Cross. So did Janeway essentially torture Paris? How does this jive with the enlightened attitude the Federation is supposed to have? Even Lon Suder didn't seem get as harsh a punishment as Paris.
 
Yes, it's pure sadism on the part of Janeway. I think she says he agrees with him IIRC but says she is constrained by the PD, lol, the same PD she herself stomps over every third episode or so.

Whenever some of the other of our heroes go off the reservation they get the "You've disappointed, me, Lt/Ensign XYZ" dressing down although that is probably a kind of torture now that I think of it.

Even in a tough prison you get some fixtures and fittings and reading material. Paris doesn't get any of that here. It all comes down to Janeway's mood on whether you are given a two minute finger wagging or 30 dismal days in the clink. Funny stuff.
 
Thirty days away from Janeway would be a release from torture.
You'd think so. But not for our fly boy.

This episode offends me after watching Counterpoint when she should have had a helping of brig time. He was just going with his protective instincts as she did hers. yeah yeay I know, military if you want ot call this, rank trumps
 
I saw something the other day...

"I was in prison with this girl named crazy Eyes."

"Crazy eyes is character from Orange is the New Black."

"There's always a Crazy Eyes, in every prison."
 
How rowdy was the crew?

How used are the cells?

Synthohol my ass.

Drunk'n'disorderlies on Friday, thrown in the tank, spending all night pissing and vomiting in the cell next to Paris, waiting for the ships self cleaning program to kick in.
 
Plus, isn't there a guard there at all times?

He obviously isn't there when the brig is empty so presumably he has to abandon his other duties whenever someone gets banged up. Then again, what are most security officers doing all day anyway?

No really, when Janeway says "intruder alert, security to deck nine" what were those guys doing? Just walking about the ship?
 
The one thing I don't like about this episode was wasn't Janeway doing the same thing with hiding the telepaths in Counterpoint. Yes she was torturing Paris, especially with the food thing. I didn't like how harsh she was in this episode.
 
Military discipline is harsh, but necessary.

Paris was a convict when he was conscripted by Janeway. Maybe she thought he needed to be reminded.
 
Don't most prisons allow people in solitary at least one hour a day out of the cell? She wouldn't allow Tom to have one hour in the holodeck. He didn't need to be hanging out at the resort or at Sandrine's obviously but he could have run around a track or whatever in order to get some exercise.

I think the reason Janeway was so hard on Tom is that he was unrepentant. Everyone else who messed up was sorry but I got the impression Tom would do it again if he got the chance.
 
In the episode "Thirty Days" Janeway sentences Tom Paris to 30 days of solitary confinement. Solitary Confinement is considered a form of psychological torture by many people and NGOs like the Red Cross. So did Janeway essentially torture Paris? How does this jive with the enlightened attitude the Federation is supposed to have? Even Lon Suder didn't seem get as harsh a punishment as Paris.
I forgot about Suder and that was a great point about him.
 
I'm still not convinced. Janeway had no idea how long their trip home would take, so length of sentence is a non-issue. Therefore, why does a serial killer like Suder deserve a more 'humane' sentence than a loyal officer like Paris?
 
I'm still not convinced. Janeway had no idea how long their trip home would take, so length of sentence is a non-issue. Therefore, why does a serial killer like Suder deserve a more 'humane' sentence than a loyal officer like Paris?
Punishment for an offense vs confinement of an unredeemable criminal. Suder's crimes should have warranted the death penalty, but civilization had "progressed" beyond it. That, and if Suder was dead he wouldn't have been available when they needed his "talents." ;)
 
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top