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The Forum > Article Comments > Making prison work > Comments

Making prison work : Comments

By Andrew Leigh, published 24/11/2009

Why are prisons less a portal to a new life than a revolving door? Corrective services need to correct, not just punish.

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Andrew,

It amazes me that jails aren't used as educational pathways, that they are not set up so that prisoners have more education and/or skills when they come out than when they went in. Maybe this is putting too much faith in the redemptive power of education but even the most poorly educated prisoner can surely be given skills to improve their legitimate employment opportunities when they are released. How's this:

* prisoners should be given the option of doing their time, no parole, OR

* depending on their current educational or skill level, they are given the option of finishing a course equivalent to HALF of their sentence, then they are eligible for parole.

Even if a prisoner is completely illiterate, he/she is given the option of becoming literate, doing further study or gaining further trades-type skills, depending on the length of the original sentence.

If some guy is in for some horrific murder and gets, say, twenty years, then if he finishes ten years of study - yes, up to Ph. D. level - then he is up for parole.

Maybe most prisoners won't or can't (brain damage) take up the offer, but for those who can and do, maybe a special wing, or even an entire prison, could be designated and staffed appropriately.

I'm not much fazed by the annual cost of prisoners - the annual cost of having them on the streets is far higher: I had a mate on heroin who burgled two or three houses a day for a year - what do you think that might have cost the community, @ $ 10,000 a time ? And what would the annual cost of education amount to, if there is, let's say, a 50 % chance of reducing recidivism ? Peanuts.

Of course, it would take a change in the philosophy of penal systems, from punishment to possible future prevention, from revenge to possible reform. But in the cold light of cost-effectiveness, it might be worth trying. And if an ex-prisoner re-offends, no problem: longer sentences and/or more study.

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Tuesday, 24 November 2009 9:18:03 AM
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Bl//dy Hell
Haven't anyone woked it out gaols are now becoming owned by private enterprise they don't want crime cleaned up as this will stop the turn over hence less profit
The private ownership requires a revolving door to keep the gaol population up
It is not that hard to work out
Why do you think the Governments are not doing much about the street crimes,alcohol abuse, drugs, violence etc because the privately owned gaols need a steady turn over for profits
Thanks
From Dave
Posted by dwg, Tuesday, 24 November 2009 9:49:31 AM
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Andrew

Prisons do work incredibly well for criminals and the private enterprises that run them. (I'm with you Dave).

Even if policy makers braved the shock jocks and their ministers ignored for a while the opinion polls that tell them which side of the bed to get out of (the one where the barmaid isn't), prisons would still work well for the criminals and private enterprises.

No matter what the will, the entire conceptualisation and history of prisons is about penalty not reform. Changing it's a hard road.
Posted by Baxter Sin, Tuesday, 24 November 2009 10:39:00 AM
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From what I understand, up to 50% of those in prison have some form of mental illness which makes it difficult to operate in society, and these are the ones that return time and again. Many, but not all, are sociopaths with tendencies to violence.

The prison system in addition to its rehabilitative function, is there to act as a deterrent, and finally to remove dangerous criminals from society.

Often the problem is exacerbated by housing those that could be rehabilitated with those that can't, resulting in the rehabilitation of none.

While prison reform is needed, not all can be saved.
Posted by Shadow Minister, Tuesday, 24 November 2009 10:51:44 AM
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Well, yes, we can curse the darkness, Dave, Baxter (it can be very satisfying) or we can light a candle. Nothing will ever work perfectly, reform won't always work. Yes, evil forces will try to make a buck out of any form of human misery, private prison owners, chain-gangs, farm labour, whatever.

So what do we do about it ? Is it possible to get some criminals back on track to lead lives so that they are not a danger to others or their property ? Can we differentiate among prisoners with incorrigible brain damage, prisoners who are of more or less normal intelligence but total psychotics, and prisoners who might be able, and willing, to turn their lives around ?

Joe Lane
Posted by Loudmouth, Tuesday, 24 November 2009 11:08:59 AM
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Well Joe
The first step is to clean up society itself and get to the causes of most of societies problems
That being that which the Governments with the big "Apology" was over, the abuse of the children and the removal from Attachment and Bonding figures = Less depression, less self medication (alcohol and Drugs(legal and illegal)),less Violence (home and street)
Next decriminalising drugs as the "War on Drugs" has failed = less break-ins, burgulary, robbery and less violence
Bring in a "real" equality of society and get rid of the gender fight that we are in the middle of which is controlled by sex discriminating Governments with a Minister for Womens Affairs and have an equal counterpart, Minister for Mens Affairs
Then what have we left with those that would have some form of Mental Incapacitation which would be able to be assessed as to the capacity of rehabilitation
This would not probably solve all but it would be a big improvement
We have got to start at the base and the cause though and that is the children and Attachment and Bonding
In relation to this A&B read John Bowlby Attachment and Loss, The Trilogy

Thanks and See Ya tomorrow
From Dave
Posted by dwg, Tuesday, 24 November 2009 11:47:29 AM
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