Should prisoners have the right to education in prison?

[Shannon]

It is fair, many of them may have dropped out of education when they were 14, so they not be as educated as normal people, so it gives them that opportunity they may not have had. This gives them a platform in which they can build upon, they need to learn things again, its not fair just tossing them back in the gutter :/ I think its fair, gives them another chance

[e5]

Maybe if you educate prisoners, they'll learn how to live life by the law.

[-:Undertaker:-]

A lot of people are missing the point here, i've seen prison described as something intended to 'rehabilitate' prisoners - it's nothing of the sort. The original intent of the prison service and of any sane justice system is to punish those who have broken the law which is what justice is. The concept of rehabilitation has only come about since the 1960s cultural revolution, and since we've had softer prisons and more crime.

I also see people saying that prisoners are not educated - that may be true for some, but does that excuse acts of evil and malice against your fellow subjects? I certainly don't think so, and i'd say a great deal of prisoners are actually pretty wise and clever especially those involved in fraud or elaborate schemes. I think there is a case for education though of the old Victorian mantra of self help; that those who are young and who have done wrong ought to be given the chance (self help) to change their ways and become a better subject. A great deal of books should be on hand, as well as low-cost workshops where skills are learnt in classical subjects such as Maths, English, Woodwork, Home Economics etc.

So absolutely there's a case for good strong education (as opposed to sop) and hard work - to instill a genuine work ethic into prisoners. In a way you could call our old prison system (described above) of punishment, work and education as rehabilitation - but a genuine form of rehabilitation compared to the guff we have now where prisoners sit and talk about their icckle feelings and say sworri to their victims.

[Adam]

Human rights. I could just leave this post as this but I will go into slight details

If we take away education, how do these criminals learn different? They will be released with no education, a criminal record, depression and no moral compass. Therefore they are much more likely to commit an offense again. Give them an education, some will put it to good use, some won't. It then begs the question of should we "kill" the persistent offenders? I think we should, but that's for another debate.

But the end of the day, we have human rights. Everybody has a right to education regardless, just means the tax payer has to fork out more money. Is it fair? Life isn't fair. Pisses me off knowing I'm paying some 18 year old spotty faced chav's job seekers.

When you commit a crime you give up your human rights.

All prisoners should get a 10x10 grey room, no bed, no nothing. That's a prison. Prison these days is like a holiday camp.

[peteyt]

When you commit a crime you give up your human rights.

All prisoners should get a 10x10 grey room, no bed, no nothing. That's a prison. Prison these days is like a holiday camp.

While I do agree some people get treated too good - you hear of people who get room service and stuff in prison in some cases (maybe rare I don't know) there is not enough room to simply chuck everyone in.

At the end of the day what would happen if the prisons became full? I think education is the answer to this as a lot of people end up in prison because they didn't really get a great upbringing and sometimes where brought up around so much crime it seemed normal to them.

[Cixso]

When you commit a crime you give up your human rights.

All prisoners should get a 10x10 grey room, no bed, no nothing. That's a prison. Prison these days is like a holiday camp.

Sorry, just logged in after a few months.

You give up your rights for freedom. You do not lose your human rights, it is protected by law. Prison is not as what you describe. Prison is not about a 10x10 room etc for people who break the law to suffer. I think you're getting carried away.

[AgnesIO]

Yes, if they work to pay for it.

[Adam]

Sorry, just logged in after a few months.

You give up your rights for freedom. You do not lose your human rights, it is protected by law. Prison is not as what you describe. Prison is not about a 10x10 room etc for people who break the law to suffer. I think you're getting carried away.

You're too soft.

I was born in the wrong era, I want people dead for committing hideous crimes, not free to walk in 7 years. Absolute ********.

[AgnesIO]

You're too soft.

I was born in the wrong era, I want people dead for committing hideous crimes, not free to walk in 7 years. Absolute ********.

Case in point; couple who trafficked a girl over a decade a go...

Husband committed; benefited fraud, human trafficking, 13 counts of rape... received 13 years
Wife committed; benefit fraud, human trafficking... received 5 years

You couldn't make it up.

[-Moniquee.]

I guess it would depend on the level of education they are receiving. The thing about many prisoners is they have it too good in there these days. They get fed quite good food (in Australia it showed a program on what food prisoners eat and the foods not that bad). They get pretty much everything provided for them. The negative about this is that when they come out they can't cope so they re-commit. I don't know how much an education can change a multi convicted prisoner? I think we should be more focused on children of our future.

I understand that some prisoners may not have been given a fair go through their upbringing. But, at the end of the day they have been put into prison for a reason. They are the only ones that can change their own actions.

I would understand maybe putting educators in children's prisons.

I also am undecided on how many prisoners would actually want to learn in prison?

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Personally, as a taxpayer who is paying for what prisoners get; I don't think they deserve much. They should get the basics, not luxury. My dad used to be a commissioner in IT at corrective services and I went with him to a prison opening and the prisoners have it better than most people.