Prisons -do we lock too many people up?

Being tagged with curfews weekends and evenings?

I agree with you, rigby, that persisently driving without a licence isn't a minor crime, but I'm not sure that jail is the answer, especially if somebody gets used to it and just sees it as a normal part of life. Maybe spending a few weeks in a locked room with the the only 'entertainnment' being watching the emergency services scraping RTA victims off the road might do the trick. I don't know, but it does seem that there are some people who hate authority for the sake of it and seem to think that traffic offences are some kind of curtailment of their freedom.

No I didn't read grannypipers post.

Oh dear maggie - did you not get my irony? Sorry

Rigby46 rubbish. Say that if they smash you or your car up.

Driving without a licence means you are uninsured - so kill, injure someone, destroy property - nothing serious, just a rogue.

Well it sounds as though the love of a good woman did indeed change him grannypiper.

Janeainsworth, Nothing ! he is just such a rebel, he doesnt see why he should be dictated too and hates the establishment. He is not a nasty person and would do anything for anyone. He only bucked his ideas up in his mid 40's when his wife told him if he went back inside she would divorce him.She booked him a driving test for the day after his ban was up, he passed paid all outstanding fines but he is a rouge and always will be.

Infact I would not be surprised if the figure is higher than 1 in 10 .

It is absolutely true mumofmadboys together with mobile phones too.

It must be them. Visitors are frisked very thoroughly-phones handed in, bags left in lockers, pass through Xray type security etc etc.

It is said one in ten prison officers smuggle drugs into prisons. I wonder if this is true.

Ana, you are quite right. Drugs etc. are smuggled in. Surely,it cannot be beyond the authorities to sort it. I wonder if that would show a stronger stance and encourage prisoners to look for a better life. Not on its own of course but with other measures.

I agree with you, Ana. It sounds like a total waste of time and money to lock somebody up for not having a driving licence. Maybe the next time he gets caught the punishment should be not to send him to prison.

Jane10, Interesting what you wrote about a prisoner enjoying the structure and timetable. I wonder if that's why people with dysfunctional lives often enjoy the army.

Oh, unless I've got it wrong and he had lost his licence but continued to drive illegally.

Sounds as though it would have been cheaper and easier to give him proper driving lessons and pay for him to take and pass his test!

What do you think would have made him change grannypiper?

janeainsworth, yes they do have a nice time in prison, my brother has been inside so many times and has served time in borstal during the short sharp shock days and he has spent time in Barlinnie. He didnt mind the at all and life inside was a walk in the park and it certainly didnt stop him re offending. His crime was to constantly drive without a license and non payment of fines so he was never rehabilitated. He was just left to do his time and pass his days as he saw fit.

Just make sure you never get stuck in jail in the USA. They appear to be really dire places.

Well, no drugs or alcohol are supposed to be allowed in now but somehow some prisoners seem to get hold of them!

Victims do need to see justice being done - very important, Bound to add salt to the wound if the punishment is too lenient. I did hear tell of one chap who found the worst thing about being in prison was not having enough books to read! (I worked with his then girlfriend). There is a strong argument in saying that prison should be much tougher. I don't think I would constantly offend if I thought that life in prison was horrible. No colour television, no drugs or alcohol allowed in. Restricted visiting. I do think this would curb the number of "return visitors!".

After hearing about the riots and conditions in prison today I may be having a rethink about the type of criminal we lock up. As Daddima says it is the wives and families who suffer a great deal not just the prisoner. There does have to be some recompense however and that means supervision and money spent. I have some experience of criminals working with groups of vulnerable people and there were great successes but also failures. I am not sure what the answer is but the victims do need to see justice being done. Not sure what happens in other countries maybe someone has a better solution.

I worked with families where the dad was in jail, and their opinions were very interesting. The men seemed to agree that if your first spell in prison was longer than 4 weeks, you got used to it, and the prospect of a return wasn't too bad.
They did, however, appreciate that it was their partner who had to cope with finances, childcare, travelling to visit etc.
And I agree with Jane10, if they were in any way " decent", their friends did look out for them, and they were a supportive group.
Mind you, the ones who volunteered for the course were " better behaved" prisoners, many of whom left with electronic tags.

I have to say that I had a client who absolutely loved his time in prison! He liked the structure to life, the plain decor, the timetable and even the food! He was a transparently nice chap so I think that he was sort of looked out for by the others. His poor wife was miserable but he still smiles when he thinks about his time in gaol!

I agree Rigby46 and suzied.