what next?

[seoirse2002]

Well,one lives and learns...
Bumped into one of my neighbours who is a senior prison officer yesterday.Apart from the usual happy xmas,new year etc. talk, he tells me that the governor where he works has totally banned smoking anywhere within the confines of the nick, whether in or out,where previously there were a few outside areas where an officer could have a smoke on his or her break,but now there is nowhere to smoke at all....so what? I hear you say.....
Thing is,all the prisoners are allowed to smoke in their cells,and some of them can wear their own clothes,can have their own electric kettle,TV and DVD player and even computer in certain cases in their cells also.What about non smoking prisoners? well, they are also catered for,with non smoking cells provided.
I can imagine the scene as the new prisoner arrives,having been sent down for maybe mugging someone or terrorising an old granny in her own home or even a lot worse, after the formalities,being asked "smoking or non smoking cell?"
I can also imagine the officer,walking along the rows of cells,dying for a smoke,looking in on convicts sitting comfortably,enjoying a nice cup of coffee,watching a good movie,and having a good smoke....its no wonder the prisons are full,and reoffending is rampant. What has happened to the "tough on crime" policy?
Another thing that really pees me off is that Ive had to pay a £60 fine for being 6 mins over on a parking meter,when another one of my neighbours gets his car broken into,radio and cd ripped out with at least £800 worth of damage and the toerag who was caught with the radio gets a "caution"
How unfair is that? and they say crime doesent pay:scratch:

[Smoker]

has to be some daft bugger that thought that one up! so inmates will soon be bribing guards with smokes? it used to be called porridge now its ready brek, glass of orange some croissants followed by a full english then the prisoners get to play xbox.

[prestonchipfryer]

Surely it should be the other way round. Enforce the cons who smoke to a smoke-free sentence. And those cons who don't smoke to share a cell with a smoker.

[Macca]

Surely it should be the other way round. Enforce the cons who smoke to a smoke-free sentence. And those cons who don't smoke to share a cell with a smoker.

You couldn't do both though :scratch:

[prestonchipfryer]

Well stop 'em smoking altogether then!

[Audioman]

They are total twats because if they allow prisoners to smoke they've made it doubly difficult to prevent weed coming in. Anyway they are in contravention of the no smoking legislation as prison cells should be regarded as a place of work since guards need to have access to perform their job. If you are not happy I suggest writing to the minister concerned. Was Ken Clarke until PC Dave shoved him into some irrelevant position and I can't remember who it is now.

[keiths]

Well stop 'em smoking altogether then!

They banned prisoners smoking on the Isle of Man. Though I believe it initially was effective in reducing offending, this article suggests that they are now having problems enforcing the ban.

http://www.isleofman.com/News/details/16728/prison-has-lost-control-of-smoking-ban-according-to-chief-prison-inspector

[prestonchipfryer]

They banned prisoners smoking on the Isle of Man. Though I believe it initially was effective in reducing offending, this article suggests that they are now having problems enforcing the ban.

http://www.isleofman.com/News/details/16728/prison-has-lost-control-of-smoking-ban-according-to-chief-prison-inspector


FFS, nicotine patches turned into roll-ups.

How does one smoke pubic hair? The mind boggles.

The authorities are far too lax. Give 'em rice and a boot up the backside.

[Macca]

Most of the prisoners are young, under 35 and have only ended up in prison after commiting in some cases hundreds of offenses over the years and the court finally has enough. Prison places are scarce, they don't hand then out willy-nilly. The theory is that as these people are still young they can still be educated and matured and treating them like animals is counter productive to this. Which makes some sense.

My solution would be to start at the first offence, age 14 or whatever - solitary, bread and water 2 days. No criminal record, all done and forgotton. Second offence 6 days - and so on. Short sharp shock but harmless and admistered at an impressionable age.

[seoirse2002]

Most of the prisoners are young, under 35 and have only ended up in prison after commiting in some cases hundreds of offenses over the years and the court finally has enough. Prison places are scarce, they don't hand then out willy-nilly. The theory is that as these people are still young they can still be educated and matured and treating them like animals is counter productive to this. Which makes some sense.

My solution would be to start at the first offence, age 14 or whatever - solitary, bread and water 2 days. No criminal record, all done and forgotton. Second offence 6 days - and so on. Short sharp shock but harmless and admistered at an impressionable age.

Yes, I believe in short sharp shock....I also believe in taking away someones freedom for offences committed....but then giving them back the freedom to relax in their comfy cells having a smoke and a coffee and biscuit whilst watching a dvd with no bills to worry about,3 square meals a day,free medical care,free education should they feel up to doing a degree, might....just might rehabilitate them,but it seldom does as reoffending figures show.
In certain countries,reoffending is rare as the prisoners are treated so badly by the police and prison system.Thats the kind of shock they need:steam:

[Macca]

back in the 1970s prison was a lot tougher and before PACE the Police could beat you up and even torture you with no comeback. My uncle once told me he would think nothing of breaking a suspect's arm in order to wring a confession from him. People really did 'fall down the stairs'. There was just as much re-offending then as there is now. Better to tackle the root of the problem instead imo.

[Canetoad]

They should be worked hard for 12 hours a day while in prison! There'd be less re-offending as most petty criminals are that way because they're too lazy to make an honest living. For hard-core individuals prison is their natural environment!