# Pistorius sentenced; what will happen to his prosthetic legs in prison? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 6, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268 "2016-07-06T23:43:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/1 "2016-07-06T23:43:28Z")
[Oscar Pistorius](http://http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/06/africa/oscar-pistorius-sentence/) has been sentenced to 6 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend. What this makes me wonder is how will prison officials deal with his prosthetic legs (knee-down)? It seems like those legs could be used as weapons as well as other contraband. I have no clue how he will be dealt with in prison. I’d love to hear an answer. Or even theories. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/2 "2016-07-06T23:50:44Z")
Calling Qadgop! I know he works in the U.S. and not South Africa. However, he’s the one to ask WRT prison issues. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/3 "2016-07-07T00:34:36Z")
Pistorius was in prison last year and used his prosthetics. He was kept in a special protected hospital unit. I doubt he’d survive in the prisons general population. his life in prison > **[Exclusive: Oscar Pistorius' life inside maximum security prison | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/africa/south-africa-pistorius-in-prison/)** > > New details are revealed of Oscar Pistorius' life inside a maximum security prison and the complaints he made. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/4 "2016-07-07T01:35:45Z")
Ever see Guardians of the Galaxy? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/5 "2016-07-07T01:44:26Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Ever see Guardians of the Galaxy? No. ---
**Author:** ![WilyQuixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@WilyQuixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WilyQuixote)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/6 "2016-07-07T06:15:17Z")
Disabled prisoners are assessed on a case-by-case basis. > **[Correctional Services outlines policy on inmates with disabilities](https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/correctional-services-outlines-policy-inmates-disabilities)** > > Pretoria – The Department of Correctional Services says it has a policy regarding the handling of inmates with disabilities, which stipulates that inmates will be accommodated in line with their type of disability. > [@](#): > > Also on admission, assistive devices that the offender needs should not be taken away from them but should be recorded and utilised by them. I could not find the policy referred to online; its likely to be internal Departmental protocol. My understanding of the above and viewed in the context of the Constitution and other applicable laws, is that he is likely to be allowed the use of his prosthetic legs during the day. However, it is possible that they will be stored outside his jail cell at night, to alleviate any security concerns. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/7 "2016-07-07T14:59:33Z")
Any prosthetic with parts that can be easily weaponized would not be acceptable. However, most prosthetics don’t fit in this category. Thus patients with prosthetics are accommodated on a case by case basis ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/8 "2016-07-07T15:24:42Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Ever see Guardians of the Galaxy? So are you planning to explain how that’s relevant? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/9 "2016-07-07T15:30:07Z")
At one point the main characters of the movie organize a jailbreak and the raccoon masterminding it tells the protagonist to acquire the prosthetic leg of another prisoner. When they put the plan into action, the prosthetic is never used and the raccoon explains that he just thought it was funny to see Starlord trying to convince the guy to give it up. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/10 "2016-07-07T15:52:13Z")
So not at all relevant to the OP’s question. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/11 "2016-07-07T15:58:09Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > So not at all relevant to the OP’s question. It does show that galactic prisons allow prosthetics too. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/12 "2016-07-07T16:01:40Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > It does show that galactic prisons allow prosthetics too. as well as how other prisoners may try to take advantage of them in case of a jailbreak. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/13 "2016-07-07T17:19:56Z")
While his regular prosthetics (not the carbon fibre racing ones; he will not be allowed these) may well provide raw materials for a weapon in prison; the lack of one leg is unlikely to go unnoticed by the prison guards. I doubt that refining a prosthetic leg into a usable weapon overnight, in a cell, with only rudimentary tools is a particularly good strategy, particularly when the propective former owner of that leg will be somewhat interested in retaining it, and will likely rat out the person who relieved him of it. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/14 "2016-07-07T18:26:37Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > I doubt that refining a prosthetic leg into a usable weapon overnight, in a cell, with only rudimentary tools is a particularly good strategy, particularly when the propective former owner of that leg will be somewhat interested in retaining it, and will likely rat out the person who relieved him of it. Using the highly reliable source of “the first website on Google when you type in 'how much does a prosthetic leg weigh,” I have calculated that a prosthetic leg weighs 3.5Kg. That would make a pretty effective cudgel without any sort of time or refining necessary beyond flipping it around and holding it by the ankle. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/15 "2016-07-07T18:46:02Z")
> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > That would make a pretty effective cudgel without any sort of time or refining necessary beyond flipping it around and holding it by the ankle. Smaller inmates also make excellent cudgels. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistorius-sentenced-what-will-happen-to-his-prosthetic-legs-in-prison/759268/16 "2016-07-07T22:34:27Z")
Especially if they’re missing a limb or two to make them more aerodynamic!