Mentors for ex prisoners...

[sandyRoe]

This could help newly released ex-prisoners from reoffending. But where are the mentors coming from? Would you volunteer to try and keep an ex con on the straight and narrow?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2235508/Ex-criminals-mentors-newly-freed-prisoners-offer-tips-straight.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

[Khandro]

Yes.

[naomi24]

//Would you volunteer to try and keep an ex con on the straight and narrow? //

I wouldn't be able to. The headline in your link says the mentors will be ex-criminals.

[sandyRoe]

Naomi, but if you had the necessary qualifications would you?
I fear that some who attempt to save their fellows from a raging sea of criminality will find themselves drawn into the maelstrom themselves.

[naomi24]

Yes, I would.

[FredPuli43]

It could work well. Alcoholics Anonymous have the same idea. Members have a fellow alcoholic, someone who is long sober, "in recovery", to help them, meet them regularly, and be on call when needed. AA find that this works well in stopping the recovering alcoholic from relapsing and in improving the alcoholic's life generally. But it works well only because the mentor is themsellf someone who has been a practising alcoholic and understands the difficulties in recovery.

But unless the ex-prisoner's only problem is alcohol and his offences only driven by that dependency, I too couldn't assist.

[emmie]

no i wouldn't, and as Naomi pointed out ex criminals are what's needed.

[VHG]

Maybe if prison was a bit harsher we would not get so many re-offenders.

Maybe prison holds no fear for some people so they are happy to keep re-offending as they know they will get a short sentence for minor offences, and if they do go to prison it will be "not too bad".

Hence the fear of prison does not worry them.

[sandyRoe]

VHG, most prisoners led lives so chaotic that the thought of cause(the crime) and effect(prison) wouldn't enter their heads. No matter how harsh prisons were they wouldn't be deterred.

[RedGrant]

On the news this morning it said that mentors would be ex reformed prisoners and other suitable volunteers. I don't think I'd have the time but yes if I did I would like to help a con go straight. I'm a firm believer in trying to deter criminals with harsh sentences but with every stick their should be a carrot and if mentoring reduces re-offending then that's good.

[FredPuli43]

Certainly,VHG, the most effective sentence for a first-timer is a short one . The old Stipendiary Magistrates in London were very fond of remanding a man in custody, for no valid reason at all, save one, between hearings. The one valid reason was that being in jail was such a shock to him, that the prospect of going to jail for longer than the three weeks he was remanded seemed horrifying. That was a deterrent; particularly so for young offenders who'd be detained in Ashford and locked up 23 hours of 24 on remand. Nobody told the defendants that being on a regular sentence was easier; more exercise, more chance of privileges etc; but even the first regular sentence was deterrent if short. After a few months the prisoner adjusts and career criminals simply regard jail as a hazard of their profession, which they tolerate before returning to work.

[Baldric]

Talk about the 'blind leading the blind!'

[pdq1]

There was some talk this morning about using probation officers. Also paying companies by results if they stick to the straight and narrow.

I would have thought if they paid the ex-prisoners instead there would be no need to live off crime. £46 on discharge from prison won't go very far.

[maggiebee]

Not sure about mentors for ex prisoners, but Samaritans train "listeners" inside prisons.

[atalanta]

One of the most intelligent and committed people I know tried to do this, and found it too harrowing and too demanding. And, it has to be said, he found he was not having any effect whatsoever on the ex-offenders. They just wouldn't listen to him.

[youngmafbog]

Something has to be done to break the cycle of offend-jail-reoffend etc. Ex cons ho have gone straight are best placed to help in this, but as previously posted Jail needs to be a mush harsher place to deter a) goin in the first place and secondly wanting to go back. Of course it will never work for the hardened few, but they are the few so I wold also suggest 3 strikes and you are out. A long term breaking rocks.

[chaptazbru]

No, I'd rather help their victims get their lives back on track.

[NOX]

This isn't a new thing at all, I and countless other ex offenders have been doing this for years- I think the focus here is on gang membership maybe, because otherwise it's really not a new idea at all. (It does work by the way ).

[ummmm]

Yes, it was mentioned on the news that ex gang members and the parents of gang members were to be involved in the scheme.

[Kiki-frog]

I think you would have to be an ex-offender or the close relative of someone involved in crime in order to do this mentoring successfully. Walking a mile in someone's shoes, etc. How can one mentor without really understanding what it's like to be in the offender's situation?

I'd like to be able to do this, but I'm just not qualified.

[ladybirder]

Yes, if I could, I would. Why wouldn't I? And if I were a victim of crime, I would be pleased that somebody was working to break the cycle of re-offending on my and everybody elses' behalf.