Prisoner's rights... has it gone a bit too far?

[alexxxxx]

yes. this is what some people do. if you think about it, you get free shelter, food, games & other rewards such as gym.. so if your homeless and go begging and have to beg all day to get a packet of crisps to get some food down ya, it'd be easier to go to jail.

however, there are things like homeless shelters, but homeless people tend not to bother with them

they're full of drug addicts, violent people and outcasts afaik.

[Starburst..x]

I was reading throug some of these comments and I disagree with quite a few of them lol.

Firstly yes, prison is meant to act as a punishment, but it also there for rehabilitation purposes. So many people say "Yeaah go lock up all the scumbags put them in prison, let them rot, throw away the key" Right yeah okay, good one, because thats really going to help isn't it!? If they are not helped through prison i.e education and are just left to sit there in their cells all day what is it going to ahieve? The recidivism rate (the rate of which prisoners re-offend and end up back in prison) will just stay the same.
I remember being told that an mp called prison 'social services for criminals' i.e this is where criminals are thrown when everyone else cannot be bothered. Prison is the last resort when society fails someone - their families have failed them, education has failed them and prison is there to pick up the pieces. It gives them routine and some sort of meaning. Now before anyone throws a hissy fit, Im not necessarily talking about your murderers or rapists etc, I'm talking about those who commit petty crimes.
I remember watching a documentary on female prisoners in Holloway. There was one girl who came from an awful background, no one was ever there for her and she got caught up in crime. The sad thing was is she carried on re-offending to get back into prison NOT because it was "cushty" but because they gave her routine, they made her feel safe, and in a weird sense provided a family. I dont know about anyone else, but there is a lot wrong with society if this is the case. But it's too easy for people to blame it on other things rather than looking deeper into the problem.
I do realise people are going to say "but you cant blame that on the way they behave" and no you can't I totally agree, but locking them away and letting them "rot" isnt going to solve anything. Anyway, doesnt everyone moan about prisons being full of people that shouldnt be there!??...yeah exactly.

I got to visit a prison on a school trip, and it was horrible! The cells are tiny and the televisions they did have were so ridiculously old it was unreal. Furthermore they had to earn the rights for things like tvs, and if they broke it they would never recieve another one throughout their sentence.

So yeah before you start lapping up everything a journalist says about these so called 'luxurious' prisons, just remember that there's about a 99% chance they have never been in one and are only going by word of mouth, hmm very reliable.

[immense]

I was reading throug some of these comments and I disagree with quite a few of them lol.

Firstly yes, prison is meant to act as a punishment, but it also there for rehabilitation purposes. So many people say "Yeaah go lock up all the scumbags put them in prison, let them rot, throw away the key" Right yeah okay, good one, because thats really going to help isn't it!? If they are not helped through prison i.e education and are just left to sit there in their cells all day what is it going to ahieve? The recidivism rate (the rate of which prisoners re-offend and end up back in prison) will just stay the same.
I remember being told that an mp called prison 'social services for criminals' i.e this is where criminals are thrown when everyone else cannot be bothered. Prison is the last resort when society fails someone - their families have failed them, education has failed them and prison is there to pick up the pieces. It gives them routine and some sort of meaning. Now before anyone throws a hissy fit, Im not necessarily talking about your murderers or rapists etc, I'm talking about those who commit petty crimes.
I remember watching a documentary on female prisoners in Holloway. There was one girl who came from an awful background, no one was ever there for her and she got caught up in crime. The sad thing was is she carried on re-offending to get back into prison NOT because it was "cushty" but because they gave her routine, they made her feel safe, and in a weird sense provided a family. I dont know about anyone else, but there is a lot wrong with society if this is the case. But it's too easy for people to blame it on other things rather than looking deeper into the problem.
I do realise people are going to say "but you cant blame that on the way they behave" and no you can't I totally agree, but locking them away and letting them "rot" isnt going to solve anything. Anyway, doesnt everyone moan about prisons being full of people that shouldnt be there!??...yeah exactly.

I got to visit a prison on a school trip, and it was horrible! The cells are tiny and the televisions they did have were so ridiculously old it was unreal. Furthermore they had to earn the rights for things like tvs, and if they broke it they would never recieve another one throughout their sentence.

So yeah before you start lapping up everything a journalist says about these so called 'luxurious' prisons, just remember that there's about a 99% chance they have never been in one and are only going by word of mouth, hmm very reliable.

you have no idea how happy you've made me. i love you. this makes so much sense to me and is so much closer to the truth than half the tripe posted. god bless your soul. i've been trying to make them see sense for the last 8 years.

[Starburst..x]

you have no idea how happy you've made me. i love you. this makes so much sense to me and is so much closer to the truth than half the tripe posted. god bless your soul. i've been trying to make them see sense for the last 8 years.

There's no need to be a smart arse, funnily enough I was giving my opinion in a thread that I thought was called a debate?
Do correct me if I am wrong.

[Inseriousity.]

There's no need to be a smart arse, funnily enough I was giving my opinion in a thread that I thought was called a debate?
Do correct me if I am wrong.

lol that was his way of saying 'I agree' without getting a warning for it
And yes you are dead right, the media paints a different and inaccurate picture to what prison is actually like. However, I would question if the rehabilitation was actually working. Giving them qualifications won't really help if they have the 'criminal' label. A homeless person needs a stable shelter, for example, not an NVQ and with the high reoffending rate, I don't think it's working.

[DeejayMachoo$]

Right first of all i'll put that I haven't read most of your comments because I quite frankly cannot be bothered, but going on i'll put across my views on prisoners rights.

I think that yes in some terms they need less rights and im more terms they need more rights. I am posting this from my first hand experience from being in prison for a brief amount of time this year until being released by the court of appeal.

While i was incarcerated in a category A prison (stright from court while I was waiting my prison allocation) I came to face with Pedohiles, Murderers, Arsonists and a few people who didn't pay there council tax.

About the person in the first post who wanted more TV chanels, I think that is truely ridiculous. I don't think people should have free view or sky or things like that but think of it if you was in the situation where it's a Sunday. They let you out of your cell at 8am, you play pool for a few hours, get locked in at 11 and then have a cold lunch. Then locked back in your cell until 8am monday morning. I'm sure most of you would be the first to complain. When you are not aloud a duvet incase you attack someone with it. Considering something stupid like 80% of UK prisoners have not even been found guilty yet.

While i was there I had a very very old TV in my cell what had a very bad quality channel 1, 2, 3 and 4. Also there were people who shouldn't of been there e.g speeding or not paying council tax, infact there was a 90 year-old man there for not paying his council tax.

Where'ever you stick up for there rights or think they have to many rights. Think about it. If you was accused of something which you didn't do and you was locked in prison awaiting trial. Would you want extra free-view chanels?