The long arm of the Justice Minister

www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2014/03/23/comment-why-has-grayling-banned-prisoners-being-sent-books

I also read that they now cannot receive home made cards from their children - this makes and as all the evidence says that released prisoners who go home to their families are less likely to re-offend than those whose family ties have broken down

Whilst I am puzzled at the reasoning behind this (a form of drug smuggling perhaps?), I would just like to point out that prisons do have libraries.

Prison is meant to be a punishment, not a put-your-feet-up-and-have-a-nice-rest scheme.

And anyway, they can earn books:

"Prisons Minister Jeremy Wright has now issued a statement denying Crook’s claims:

The notion we are banning books in prisons is complete nonsense. All prisoners can have up to 12 books in their cells at any one time, and all prisoners have access to the prison library.

Under the Incentives and Earned Privileges scheme, if prisoners engage with their rehabilitation and comply with the regime they can have greater access to funds to buy items including books."

Tough call trying to decide who to believe - Frances Crook or Jeremy Wright

Not really!

Not really!

Did not mean to post twice, is anyone else having problems todat?

And Jeremy Wright didn't actually deny that prisoners could no longer receive books from family or friends, did he?

Well I don't know who you'd believe but Frances Crook's article never mentioned banning books in prisons but banning them being sent in. Wright didn't actually address that point but made up another one to answer - which is standard politician level of debate. France's Crook has done sterling work over many years and I've never heard of Jeremy Wright before

Ana - x-posts

Seems like a vindictive policy to me. What if you were in prison and you did not like the stuff in the library? What if you wanted to spend the time improving your education?
Stopping women prisoners from having their own underwear brought in is just mean and nasty. I think all prisoners should be allowed their personal underwear and not have to use stuff that other people have been wearing. Degrading.
Has anyone started a petition about this?

I would think it is probably to help prevent drug smuggling which is rife. Introduced into Scottish prisons over a year ago I believe.

Of course, there are some people who will say that this is against prisoners' human rights.

"Women prisoners are particularly hard hit by this rule as they are not provided with a uniform and are dependent on family for underwear and outerwear. If underwear cannot be sent in, women are forced to wear the same pants and bras for months."

That's just unacceptable. Underwear brought in for women prisoners could be checked by prison officers for drugs etc. before being given to them, surely?

Women prisoners can work and buy more underwear from the many catalogues in prison and new supplies are stocked in case of need. If they have money sent in it is put into their account so they can spend it in the prison shop or send for what they want. Local colleges teach education every day and distance learning is also allowed. Prison libraries have a full and regular supply of books and I have seen boxes of donated new books in local prisons. Local libraries will provide multiples if the same book if prusoners have a book club. They dont worry about books not beung returned. Some prisoners on enhanced status work in the libraries. Books sent through the post have been found to contain drugs, hence the ruling last November - don't know why it's become news today. I don't understand what the issue is about children sending cards in. Perhaps they have to fetch them on visits so they are examined going through security.

Oh FFS! Not another bloody petition!

They are criminals. Why should they have nice stuff sent in from outside? There are adequate, plenty in fact from what I am64 says, books and suchlike in there. Let the so and so' s do without the home comforts. They did n't get in there from being nice to old ladies.

I don't believe it's anything to do with drugs. Just justifiably tough measures.

So Frances Crook is exaggerating a lot slightly, then, it would appear!

Does this apply to those on remand? They are not proven to be criminal - yet.

There are several issues here that need to be disentangled - have drugs been smuggled in in books,parcels containing new underwear etc? If yes, why punish everyone for the few? The drugs must have been found as all parcels are searched thoroughly surely? Secondly, is it true that no prisoners go without a reasonable stack of underwear ? Women will need a good number of knickers for example when mensurating or if they suffer from eg stress incontinence. Thirdly, magazines are mentioned - surely prisons don't provide these? And then there is a different issue altogether about how prisoners are treated and what minimum standards should prevail.

anyway I thought a lot of drugs were smuggled in by prison officers

Not at all the same, but they're talking of banning smoking completely in prisons, and on prison premises. At present prisoners can smoke in their cells as those are classed as 'home premises'.

Regardless of what we think about smoking generally, can you imagine the trouble such a ban would cause?

I am a bit puzzled by this. I can understand there being some vetting of books, e.g. nothing of a paedophile nature, or extolling terrorism. But a lot of prisoners are on courses and need reading material - it is part of their rehab. And the books would need to be checked to be sure nothing was being smuggled in. There has to be balance between rehab and punishment, but banning books seems odd. Presumably prisons have libraries, but there must be occasions when particular books are wanted.

Here's some (a lot) information about the regime in a women's prison. Styal is the local one I know best, but I have visited all of them and know they don't always maintain standards. Some women complain of their own clothes disappearing, or being issued with clothes that don't fit when more supplies are requested. Prisons do stock new clothing to issue to prisoners who need them. Most women wear their own personal choice of underwear and clothing. They should have access to fresh clothes and underwear every day, and there are laundry rooms available in each dormitory or house.

If you explore this site, you'll see a typical latest book list for the library, additional to educational resources and the massive stock that the library holds.

www.insidetime.org/info-regimes2.asp?nameofprison=HMP_STYAL