Pull a Jonestown and just get it over with, for chrissakes. Your demise is too slow, painful, and hideous to watch anymore.
Posted on 06/03/2008 6:29:03 PM PDT by blam
'Cushy' prisons see dozens trying to break in
By Robert Winnett and Christopher Hope
Last Updated: 12:50AM BST 04/06/2008
Tens of thousands of prisoners are opting not to apply for early release amid allegations that Britain's prisons are now so comfortable that they are effectively "expensive bed and breakfasts".
The figures were released on Tuesday by Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, who also disclosed that dozens of people have been caught trying to break into prisons over the past few years.
The news was seized upon by the Conservatives who described the mismanagement of prisons by Labour as "ludicrous".
Shadow ministers claim that the figures provide the first hard evidence that prisons are now so "cushy" that people would rather stay in prison than be free.
The latest figures show that 37,000 inmates eligible to be released early declined to apply for the perk between 1999 and 2006.
Between 2003 and 2008, 42 individuals were detected attempting to break into prisons. The number of prison break-ins has increased from five in 2003-04 to 19 over the past year. Most were people breaking into open prisons.
Nick Herbert, the shadow justice secretary, said: "Labour's mismanagement of prisons is descending from tragedy to farce. How secure are our jails if criminals can break into them? Whether these are offenders trying to return to jail, as prison officers have alleged, or dealers trying to traffic drugs, it is ludicrous that supposedly secure establishments can be breached in this way."
On Wednesday, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) will call on ministers to improve prison rehabilitation programmes – with the help of the private sector if necessary.
In a speech at a CBI conference on criminal justice today, Dr Neil Bentley, the confederation's director of public services, will say that if prison is meant to be about rehabilitation as well as punishment, then re-offending rates show the "colossal failure" of existing criminal justice policies.
"Punishment must go hand-in-hand with rehabilitation, otherwise taxpayers, including business will keep paying for an endless merry-go-round of crime – custody – court, with prison just used as a hugely expensive bed and breakfast facility that keeps criminals out of circulation," Dr Bentley is due to tell delegates.
Glyn Travis, the assistant general secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, said: "It tells me there's something wrong in society when people are breaking into prisons to bring in drugs, but the prisoners are quite happy to stay inside."
Inmates at a top security prison recently told Mr Straw that conditions there were like a "holiday camp".
"Prisoners receive a wage for being in prison, they receive a bed, a TV in all cells, Sky television in most areas for recreational use, free telephones, breakfast in bed on many occasions, cash bonuses for good behaviour," said Mr Travis. "And prison staff are forced to deal with them in such a subservient way. It's ridiculous."
A spokesman for Mr Straw said that prisoners may choose not to apply for early release as they believe they are unlikely to pass the risk ass-essments. Others may be un-able to provide an address to which they will be released.
Send Sheriff Joe Arpaio over there to run the system.
Holy cow, Britain has become a parody of itself.
Pull a Jonestown and just get it over with, for chrissakes. Your demise is too slow, painful, and hideous to watch anymore.
Life & art; art & life.
Along about 25 years ago, I read a sci-fi magazine story about masses of people trying to break into prisons. The guards had to fight to keep the out, and laws were passed making prison terms off-limits for anyone trying to break in.
Why? Because the outside was a Socialist Paradise of rampant crime; food & other shortages; no work...but the prisoners got good food, good beds, plenty of perks, and most of all, a SAFE place to live!
lol
I think I see a way to reduce the family living expenses in the face of rising inflation!
What would be the penalty for breaking into prison?
Hmmmm . . .
I’ve heard that here in the US the homeless will often use a similar scam, especially when the weather gets ugly. Get caught doing some trivial crime so they get a few nights of a hot and a cot. What we really need to do is just give all the “less fortunate” more food stamps, subsidized housing, free health care, etc... that’ll fix everything!
It's an old scam.
During the Great Depression, my dad was in the court house for something or other, and a bum was before the judge for vagrancy.
The judge was going to fine him, instead of jail him, and he started to protest.
The judge told him to be quiet, or he would fine him for contempt.
Dad said the guy asked if he could be fined for thinking? The judge told him of course not.
The guy then said, "Good; because I'm thinking you are a dirty rotten SOB!"
That finally did it; 30 days at tax payer expense, off the mean, cold streets.
I never realized that Monte Python was a pioneer of reality T.V.
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