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Originally Posted by Chris W
Given that the prison population has now tipped 81000 and is still rising, isn't it about time something was done?
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I am slightly biased but
my personal opinion is that Prison isn't a deterrent any longer and that is one reason why re-offending rates are so high.
There was an article in the Sunday Herald last weekend that found some female prisoners were actually committing more crimes inside (fire raising etc.) or refusing conditions of parole as they preferred jail to being free. Their lives might be bad on the outside but jail should never (again in my personal opinion) be seen as a more attractive option.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris W
Why are 72% of the male prison population classified as having two or more mental disorders?
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I think the Police service and Prisons have become the new dumping ground for people with mental issues. Not helped by a sizable minority only having 'issues' when they are due in Court for sentencing for offences. Funnily enough they make a miraculous recovery after the sentencing date once their background reports show Prison would have a detrimental effect on their mental wellbeing and go back out thieving straightaway.
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Originally Posted by Chris W
Is that why there are so many incidents of self harm in prisons?
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I think there always has been only now they are being reported more widely. In the past they would have been swept under the carpet.
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Originally Posted by Chris W
As a society, we need to tackle the problems that are resulting in people being in prison- drug/ alcohol abuse/ childhood problems resulting in exclusion from school/ lack of education.
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Drug and alcohol abuse are major causes but alcohol is cheaper in a lot of places and drugs are more widely available (not that they are exactly hard to get in the UK) and they don't have, or appear to have the same issues the UK does with crime. I think as well as the prison issue there are more complex matters to do with the UK attitudes to crime and criminals.
And my final point (which will probably win the most disliked post of 2007 award from some) is that some people can't help themselves and no amount of rehabilitation will help them. They are quite simply unemployable. They don't come from a particularly bad background, they have had plenty of chances for education, training etc. yet they still continue to commit crime and view Prison as an occupational hazard knowing they'll have to be exceptionally unlucky to go away for a long stretch and if they do it won't be in the worst conditions.