Time To Start Running Prisons Like Prisons?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38399677
how are they proposing to reduce prison population? Is it time end the Butlins experiment and turn jails into places that no one wants to return to? We should also consider outsourcing prisons for sentences over 6 months.

[mushroom25]

//There needs to be a far more expansive and robust programme of support for offenders to turn their lives around before they leave prison for the first time //

how would you turn around someone like (for instance) Ian Huntley, Andy?

[ummmm]

People like Ian Huntley don't get out!!

[TWR]

Saintpeter, you have said it all.

[bhg481]

I'm a great believer in the "three strikes and you're out (or do I mean permanently in)" principle. If you're in prison for a third offence it implies to me that you've no intention of "going straight". Whilst it's expensive to keep people in prison it must be cheaper overall than to keep catching them, trying them and locking them up again.

[ummmm]

Problem is it's very hard for ex offenders to go straight.

[bhg481]

It's very hard for the rest of us when they don't, ummmm.

[ummmm]

Yes, I know. I believe the main issue is employment. Some are not given a second chance.

[ummmm]

I'm not saying that.

Not all offenders are serial offenders though.

[hereIam]

NoM at 05:30 - choosing their own bedding - bloody hell !

[EDDIE51]

^ Yes Argos catalogs are available in prisons BUT the cash to pay for anything in them ( if it is on the 'allowed' list) has to be saved from the weekly 'pay' given to prisoners. There is NO cash, only credit on the prisoners 'canteen' account. This credit can be used for tobacco, sweets phone cards etc but also can be saved to buy things off Argos.
It is an incentive to behave well as those who behave well are upgraded to 'enhanced' status and get a higher weekly allowance.

[EDDIE51]

As always the insurmountable problem with your idea is the lack of staff, prison staff are under immense pressure and there is a 30% staff shortage already that is getting worse by the day!
You can't have actually talked to prisoners as I have, when I worked in a Prison education department. NO offender ever assumes that they will go to jail , they assume they will get away with it.
The death sentence DOES NOT deter murder! it is the same with prisons.
I have said many times that 75% of ALL those sent to jail even for a very short sentence NEVER work again. So in the large majority of cases prison affects you for the rest of your life!

[ToraToraTora]

just returned to this thread and i've gotta say I'm taking the unusual step of transferring BA to diesel. From someone who has been there and done that I love your candour and your comment to islay, a principle, yoghurt knitter, was bang on; "bs, its the likes of you soft fools thats the problem ": indeed they are the problem diesel, cheers.

[EDDIE51]

I see a lot of support for 'harder prisons' , 'lock them up for minor offences' 'Throw away the key' here on AB , but how many of you would be willing to work as a prison officer? The pay is poor the hours are long , it is dangerous and most of all a lot of the public see prison officers as little better than the prisoners they guard.
Police, firefighters, paramedics , ambulance crew, medical staff all do vital and sometimes dangerous jobs and quite correctly are respected and valued by the public. But who respects and thanks prison staff for the vital job they do?
Newspapers are full of stories about 'soft sentences' and 'easy' prisons, this prejudices their view of prison staff.
People think of prison officers as little more than 'Bluecoats' organising the activities at HMP Holiday Camp.

[ToraToraTora]

then we need to raise the profile of prison officers and make it a better job for them to do.

[Electrochem]

Perhaps we need to get tougher on people who defraud the government. Those who pay cash to avoid VAT etc. What do you suggest? Three years hard labour? Your continuous spoutings and insults to those who don't agree with you goes on ad nauseum. You would make a good politician! Parliament is like a kid's playground, with members of all sides shouting down others instead of listening. People are sent to prison as a punishment, not for further punishment.

[ToraToraTora]

no idea what you are on about. I always advocate harsher punishments so I'm not sure what you're ranting about.

[Electrochem]

I'm not ranting about anything. Your difficulty in not understanding what I have posted speaks volumes.

[baza]

I think the public no longer view prison officers as such since privatisation of some prisons, G4S , would you employ them ?

[ToraToraTora]

humour me then electrochem, I want to punish criminals so do you it seems so I cannot see what you are banging on about. All I can see is that you rate avoidance of VAT as a "crime" worse than any other.