MPs say cut prison places by 33%

[Osem]

The number of inmates in England and Wales' jails should be cut by a third, and the money saved put into community penalties, a report by MPs has said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8457554.stm

A reasonable idea or another example of putting Joe Public at risk to save money? What happens if the money 'promised' for these 'community programmes' is gradually eroded as tends to happen in all sorts of areas? Much harder to close a prison quietly than to sneakily trim a few quid off some community programmes budget I'd have thought. I'd love to think this could work but somehow....

terrible idea ,if someone is deserving of a prison sentence then he/she should be in prison not in the community.One of the main considerations that criminals have when commiting a crime ,be it theft ,drugs or anything is what are the penalties if i get caught and will it be worth the risk .If penalties get reduced to relieve the prison poulation then the crime rate will go up imo as criminals realise they can get more and more chances before going to jail

[Tarantella]

All those criminals fit and well enough should be formed into ad hoc battalions, equipped with the barest amount of equipment with minimal training and then sent overseas to do the governments dirty work.


Or have we tried that before?

Originally Posted by Tarantella

All those criminals fit and well enough should be formed into ad hoc battalions, equipped with the barest amount of equipment with minimal training and then sent overseas to do the governments dirty work.


Or have we tried that before?

i think your joking ,but i don't think putting criminals in the army is a good idea

[Charlie_Bubble]

How about putting the savings into wooden platforms, lengths of rope and bags of sand?

[Derek]

Put into community sentences that don't work for 99% of offenders.

Proper, meaningful, community sentences would work but there isn't the will to have those, criminals already complain they are being humiliated if they have to wear Hi-Viz vests on community service.

Personally for the majority of offenders who don't work and never have done I'd have them doing an intensive 0800-1600 working day doing things like maintenance of public areas and if they 'forget' to go or refuse to comply with the instructions given during the work they get an immediate prison sentence.

Of course for this to work prison needs to be a deterrent and for most people inside it isn't actually that bad. In fact some re-offend to go back inside as they have a better live behind bars than on the street.

[Angua]

Originally Posted by Derek S

Put into community sentences that don't work for 99% of offenders.

Proper, meaningful, community sentences would work but there isn't the will to have those, criminals already complain they are being humiliated if they have to wear Hi-Viz vests on community service.

Personally for the majority of offenders who don't work and never have done I'd have them doing an intensive 0800-1600 working day doing things like maintenance of public areas and if they 'forget' to go or refuse to comply with the instructions given during the work they get an immediate prison sentence.

Of course for this to work prison needs to be a deterrent and for most people inside it isn't actually that bad. In fact some re-offend to go back inside as they have a better live behind bars than on the street.

Prison doesn't seem to rehabilitate either

[BBKing]

A reasonable idea

The opposite idea, of carpetting Britain in prisons, is so obviously insane that changing course to locking fewer people up has to be a reasonable idea. Crime's been falling in western countries for a decade or more, so self-evidently we don't need more prisons.

Originally Posted by Charlie_Bubble

How about putting the savings into wooden platforms, lengths of rope and bags of sand?

Seems a bit harsh for shoplifting.

Originally Posted by Angua

Prison doesn't seem to rehabilitate either

thats because a lot of prisoners are'nt that fussed about about being rehabilited ..a)because they won't serve that long anyway and ..b)what time they do serve will be quite cushy

[Derek]

Originally Posted by foreverwar

Seems a bit harsh for shoplifting.

Cuts right down on the whole re-offending thing though.

Originally Posted by BBKing

The opposite idea, of carpetting Britain in prisons, is so obviously insane that changing course to locking fewer people up has to be a reasonable idea. Crime's been falling in western countries for a decade or more, so self-evidently we don't need more prisons.

all depends on how the government have whitewashed the figures ,do they count all crime from shoplifting to murder or just the ones that are jailable

[Angua]

Originally Posted by martyh

all depends on how the government have whitewashed the figures ,do they count all crime from shoplifting to murder or just the ones that are jailable

Given that the amount of crimes that can get you locked up has increased dramatically over the last few years it's probably about the same.

Originally Posted by Angua

Given that the amount of crimes that can get you locked up has increased dramatically over the last few years it's probably about the same.

isn't that what the public want though?more of the little *******s locked up and removed from society ,how many of us are realy bothered if they are rehabilitated just as long as they are out of our way and not bothering us

[Derek]

Originally Posted by martyh

isn't that what the public want though?more of the little *******s locked up and removed from society ,how many of us are realy bothered if they are rehabilitated just as long as they are out of our way and not bothering us

Some cannot (IMO) be rehabilitated. Some can but the majority would take a good 3-4 years of rehabilitation work to come out as moderately useful members of society.