Why Is The Whole Uk Not Moving To Smoke Free Prisons?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-40623320
Well done Scotland for taking the lead.

[aelmpvw]

perhaps they should concentrate on making them drug free first?

[paddywak]

Because the authorities are scared of infringing the prisoners human rights

[albaqwerty]

gawd, cue riots.
Prisoners will be complaining it infringes their hooman rights.

[Ken4155]

Being a prison guard is, i imagine, quite a dangerous occupation. Wonder just how much more dangerous it would become if smoking were banned?

[cassa333]

Human rights

[1ozzy]

Can't see that it affects anyone who is not in prison.

Wouldn't smoking and non smoking areas appease all doing stir?

[albaqwerty]

Warders would still be inhaling 2nd-hand smoke tho.
Prisons should have been no smoke areas when the ban was brought in

[atalanta]

It wouldn't be surprising if some prisoners were schizophrenic. Smoking is known to have a calming effect on some sufferers from schizophrenia. Not that smoking should be encouraged, but if the alternative is mental distress, it may be the least-worst option in some cases.

[ToraToraTora]

what about the non smoking prisoners' rights?

[albaqwerty]

local hospital grounds are no-smoking, however there is a bus stop on the road at the bottom of the hospital.
I lay awake at night wondering how the ciggie smoke from the smokers knows not to enter the grounds.

[Mamyalynne]

There are a few reasons for the delay in introducing this ban - it's a balancing act between the health of the Prison population as a whole, inmates and staff and the possible unrest it may cause.

Who deals with the unrest ? Prison staff.

I agree with the above comment too , illicit drugs should be the prime target.

[albaqwerty]

I know this isn't the same thing but I've heard that 'lifers' in the US are given comfy access to things, don't know if that's bedding/food/whatever just to make them feel 'human' even without hope of parole and it helps to keep the peace.

[fender62]

i can imagine a lot of very angry hard core prisoners upsetting the delicate balance of order, id ask the prison guards if they think it's a good idea first and not the ones behind a desk shuffling paper, but the front line ones.

[EDDIE51]

The % of smokers in prison is the reverse of that in the UK as a whole.
75 to 80% of prisoners smoke against less than 18% in the general population.
Being a prison guard is hard enough as it is without them having to face the bad tempers & arguments that forcing the inmates to give up would cause.
All the prison warders I know would far rather put up with some smoke than face the difficulties that forcing the inmates to give up would cause.
As is well known on here I am 100% against smoking but in a jail other considerations would override my objections.
All jails have smoking and non smoking sections now anyway, so it is possible to avoid smokers.

[emmie]

get the drug and mobile phones sorted out first, would say they take priority.

[trt]

I wonder if they would allow them e-ciggies, or vapor.

I think there is more important issues that should be brought in, and to take stricter measures, to stop mobile phones, drugs, etc, being smuggled in. Being able to go on FB is a joke.

I watched a documentary a few weeks ago on BBC about Russian jails.
The prisoners dont have TVs, radios, and are not allowed to sit/lie on their beds, during daylight hours.

[EDDIE51]

Before you all start on about how Jails are 'not tough enough' and life in them should be made all but unbearable, perhaps you should look at this thread here on AB? At least 40% of UK prisoners are actually suffering from mental health problems and should be getting help rather than punishment !
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/ChatterBank/Question1561493.html

[ToraToraTora]

have a day off eddie, no doubt some do have diagnosable mental illness but it's modern society that has give these "syndromes" names ie excuses for their behavior. Thus respectibility. By all means lets separate the low life scum from those with genuine mental illness but most are not.

[albaqwerty]

the word is 'behaviour' in this country btw.

Never knew you were from the US 3T

[ToraToraTora]

so you have no quarrel with what I typed alba you just want to point out a typo. Right oh! message understood! (BB noted). PMSL!