Prison

[nailit]

Just curious as to how people here view prison.
The lock 'em up and throw away the key brigade often state that prison is for
punishment, deterrence, rehabilitation or maintaining public safety.
If it is for any of the above then how come it doesn't work as many cons return time and time again?
Would the cost of keeping someone in prison be better spent on addressing the reasons why someone offends in the first place and then try to address that?
BTW I'm not talking about the Ian Brady's of this world or kiddie fiddlers, People like that NEED to be kept away from the rest of society. No debate there.
Thanks.

[atalanta]

Education would help. My suggestion ( which may well be shot down in flames) is that full sentences should be served unless the convict passes some exams. A year's remission for every GCSE earned in prison ? Something like that, so people become more employable when they do leave.

[Mamyalynne]

Leaving aside the extreme cases as you rightly say that's still a huge question to answer.

There are many in Prison who shouldn't be and again some who should be in who aren't.

Re offending has many reasons and the earlier that can be addressed would be helpful too many.

I certainly don't see Prison as an easy option for all.

[Mamyalynne]

^ to many

[nailit]

// A year's remission for every GCSE earned in prison ?//
Subnormal or dyslexic prisoners might struggle with that...

[pixie374]

I think the reasons are supposed to be addressed already. It's difficult to generalise, because it depends which type of crime you're referring to. Do prisoners have to have any kind of therapy while they are inside?

[nailit]

// Do prisoners have to have any kind of therapy while they are inside?//
Sex offenders might do Pix, others are left to get on with it.

[johnny.5]

bring back hard labour

[nailit]

During my several prison sentences, not once was I asked what would it take for you to not come back here?

[pixie374]

I would have thought all prisoners would have to speak to someone regularly. What would it have taken you not to go back?

[nailit]

//bring back hard labour//
Bring back the workhouse while you are at it.

[johnny.5]

nailit
"During my several prison sentences, not once was I asked what would it take for you to not come back here?"

did you have or get offered counselling ?
did you not express why you offended and what would stop you from reoffending ?

[Islay]

Some are just bad and will end up on the wrong side of the law time and time again!

[jourdain2]

Dyslexia can be tackled these days, nailit. Very often adults hadn't been diagnosed correctly. The school I volunteer in has many pupils with problems (autism and dyslexia are the main areas). We regularly pick up year 7 (11/12 yr. olds) pupils who have not been identified in Junior school. I'm thinking of a little girl, loves books, Reading age was 3 years behind Chronological age. I referred her in Oct., she now has 2 complicated pieces of plastic to cover the printed word and is reading away happily and catching up very fast.

Not sure what you mean by 'sub-normal', but with time and the right approach some forms of qualification can be attained. One school I was in regularly got pupils jobs in the L.A.s gardening department. I rather agree with atalanta, as you have guessed.

To transgress merits/insists on a punishment. That is the loss of freedom, but it can be made into a positive.

[nailit]

//I would have thought all prisoners would have to speak to someone regularly//
Sorry, but you thought wrong then Pix.
Majority of prisoners are just thrown into a cell and left to get on with it.
//What would it have taken you not to go back?//
A listening ear wouldn't have gone amiss here and there, but my thoughts on how abysmal mental health services are havnt gone amiss on here.

[Sqad]

Nailit....you are quite correct, based on re-offending, then prison does not work as a deterrent.
The only other alternative for the management of villains is counselling and /or psychiatric evaluation and treatment and you know, more than anyone else, the poor quality and "iffish" results of that.
sqads answer.....prison for the villains, at least they are taken out of society.
Interestingly you mentioned or made a comment about the "workhouse"........at least you knew where the psychopaths et al were, as now, they are running free in the community.

[nailit]

//Nailit....you are quite correct, based on re-offending, then prison does not work as a deterrent.//

It doesn't work as ANYTHING sqad. Its a complete waste of time and resources for the most part.
Time to start rethinking.

[pixie374]

That seems insane. I can't see how just locking someone up without any doing anything else will ever change anything.

[pixie374]

^^ please translate that into English at your leisure :-)

[kvalidir]

I have no interest in seeing non violent offenders in prison, that's an absurd waste of potential, ( by non violent i don't mean people who break in and terrorise people in their own homes but don't actually hurt them either). I'd like to see compulsary education, counselling and work placements for non violent offenders, ( not the usual community service nonsense). My father employs a large amount of ex offenders ( being one himself) and they very rarely disappoint because they are treated with care, respect, not babiedor pandered to but allowances made where necessary and they feel appreciated and valued. If it can work for us it could work on a massive scale.

[-Talbot-]

punishment, deterrence, rehabilitation or maintaining public safety.
If it is for any of the above then how come it doesn't work as many cons return time and time again?


It doesn't work because many cons are that scumbaggy they are beyond any rehabilitation.