Alternatives to prison?

Working in the community? Cleaning off graffiti, cleaning public toilets, picking up litter,gardening for pensioners etc. Only for non violent prisoners, though and definitely not for rapists or child groomers .

I think that the belief that prison is, itself, an effective punishment is highly questionable.

There should be options other than prison for non-violent crimes, unless the person is a repeat offender. Then there might be room for violent criminals to be given longer sentences.

It would be complicated to set up, perhaps, but could be more effective in the long run.

Yes Septimia, , but what options can you suggest?

The problem with community work is that it needs people to supervise and I don’t think they are always easy to recruit. However, it is a good solution if possible.
I’ve always thought that perhaps, for non violent crimes only, a waiting list system could be put in place, where people are told they will have to go to prison when a place is available. Obviously there would have to be travel restrictions and they would probably have to be given benefits as they would undoubtedly lose their jobs. Would that be cheaper than prison?

I wonder if making life inconvenient for more minor criminals would work? Banning them from pubs, football matches, cinemas - things like that. Restrictions on travel is another possibility, or a 7.00pm curfew for the length of a sentence.

The sanctions could be tailored to the lifestyle of the offender, so that they don't result in unemployment, and carry equal punishment - I wouldn't care if I couldn't go to football matches, for instance.

I think it very much depends on whether we see prison as a place for rehabilitation or punishment.

The majority in the country I suspect they see it as a place of punishment and revenge.

However, whether in the long run that is a very intelligent attitude depends on the level of repeat offending, and whether we want to keep society as safe and civilised as possible once the prisoners are freed.

The other variable is, I think the level of poverty, cost of housing and inequality. They all bring with them a level of criminality.

Whitewavemark2

I think it very much depends on whether we see prison as a place for rehabilitation or punishment.

The majority in the country I suspect they see it as a place of punishment and revenge.

However, whether in the long run that is a very intelligent attitude depends on the level of repeat offending, and whether we want to keep society as safe and civilised as possible once the prisoners are freed.

Agreed, and also I suspect that the threat of prison varies in intensity across different social groups. The very thought of it fills me with dread, but I am an older woman from a law-abiding background who would be afraid of other prisoners and would struggle with things like communal showers and set mealtimes etc.

Someone straight out of boarding school might adapt better, as might someone from a background where they are used to fronting up to threats of violence, and all sorts of other things about people's life experiences might make the thought of prison seem more or less horrific.

If that is true, then once someone has been in prison and survived, the chances are that they will 'fit in' better if they went back a second time, so it will be less of a deterrent for them.