Prison- should life mean whole life ?

[unclebulgaria67]

There has been discussion on whether some jailed for life should be kept inside for the whole of their lifes. Should this be the case, no matter how much it costs or should the government look at other options ?

 

If someone is kept in a maximum security prison for 50 years, that would cost approximately £2.5 million. This is the equivalent of the tax paid by 500 full time workers on average salaries. How would these people feel that their hard earned tax is going on paying for murderers meals, accommodation, plus their funeral costs at the end of their life ?

 

While I do not support the death penalty, when you work out the costs of justice and that the family of the murdered may be paying their taxes to feed/house these people, it does make you ask the question.

[rebel11]

They should be made to work for their keep in prison. How about fixing pot 'holes', a chain gang, they do it in some states in the US.

[ssparks2003]

I assume that this post comes off the back of the release of Harry Roberts; my personal view is life should be life (personally i would like to see the re-introduction of the death penalty, but that is a diffrent conversation).

 

What dies cheese me off a bit when the whole "should life mean life" argument gets going is the suggestion the someone who kills a poiliceman should be punished with a longer sentence than someone who kills a fireman, florist or chicken farmer. I fail to understand why the police should be put on a higher pedistal than anyone else who is gonig about their lawful activity.

[Nystagmite]

It depends on the situation.

 

It shouldn't matter who you kill either. All that should matter is things like how many people you killed, etc.

[Conniff]

Sentencing regime is wrong full stop. What's all this 'maximum' crap, there should be minimum sentences not maximum, take it away from the crappy judges half of who haven't got a clue about how the victim feels.

[citizenB]

Sadly with the removal of the death penalty there is no "ultimate" penalty.

 

I can understand why it was removed - if even one person is sentenced to death and they were not guilty of the crime.. that is not good at all.

 

I think it should be reinstated, but those who are convicted and sentenced to death, could then have their sentences commuted to Life without parole.

 

I find it very odd that at the moment a "Life" sentence means that the offender can be released after about 10-15 years. Irrelevant that they have to report to a Parole officer on a regular basis. Life should indeed mean life.

[citizenB]

IMHO, some of the sentences handed down by liberal judges make you wonder why the offenders were even brought to the court in the first place.

 

It would be interesting to see what happens to the young thugs in the story aired on BBC today.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-29754597

 

A 12-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl are among 11 people who have been arrested on suspicion of raping a woman at her home in Liverpool.

 

The 43-year-old woman, described by police as vulnerable, was attacked at a flat in Anfield at about 16:20 BST on 24 September.

 

Paramedics called police to report the woman had been sexually assaulted.

 

Two men aged 18 and 19, eight boys aged between 12 and 16, and the girl have been released on bail.

 

 

[Guest]

have prev threaded about our 'criminal' sentencing.

it (our sentencing) is soft atm, but its not entirely the judges fault. they have their formal sent guidelines which are from parliament, which they must follow. then is re parole.

alot of it is about cost and space.

we're not the worst though. eg that Piers Morgan in norway only got 20 yrs for killing how many people!, although he may not be let out if still considered a 'threat'. apparently though, conveniently, he has recently renounced violence!

[Nystagmite]

Those young thugs (not the 18 and 19 year olds) will be tried as children and wouldn't get as severe a prison sentence.

[renegadeimp]

They should be made to work for their keep in prison. How about fixing pot 'holes', a chain gang, they do it in some states in the US.

 

Slavery is illegal in Europe. Supposed to be in US too, but thats America for you.

[king12345]

Making prisoners work and earn their stay at HM hotels cannot be considered slavery.

There should be a work program for prisoners where they would have options to do a range of different jobs rather than laze about all day long at our expenses.

So many jobs could be performed from behind bars, including the running of the prison itself (cleaning, make or repair furniture, redecorating etc.

Many prisoners are not convicted of violent crimes so they could be escorted to public offices in groups every day to work there.

Unfortunately we are too politically correct to let criminals work because they have the right to squeeze money out of society after they've committed a crime.

Nice!

The problem is that most citizens would like to see the death penalty reintroduced, life sentence not reduced, harsher prison conditions etc.

But the 5% of us are wanna be heroes, do gooders, communists at all costs and human rights activists who think that if someone killed 200 innocent people, they should still be treated with respect and have the chance to be released into society one day.

In essence this 5% of us rule society.

In my books this is not called democracy.

In a democracy the majority makes decisions, not a small, very small group of people shouting 'human rights' at every opportunity.

Why are we scared of them?

Because we don't want to be the one not fitting.

Just think how many times we think about something but we don't say it because it's inappropriate, especially at work.

[unclebulgaria67]

Prisoners already do work and they get paid a small amount. You will remember the media running stories about inmates making phone calls to peoples homes on behalf of companies. My local open prison has a garden centre where you can buy plants and the veg they produce. I think some of the prisoners work in the centre when it is open to the public. It always worries me when I hear that someone dangerous is on the run, when they have exceeded the amount of leave they were on. If they were potentially dangerous, why did you let them out for the weekend ?

 

I think the prison service needs major reform, so that they have a different approach. It appears to me that they have too many mixed category prisons, when they should have different levels of austerity. Perhaps those who commit murder should have to do hard labour for a period. Locking them up for 23 hours a day when they will probably try to sleep for most of it, is not a great way to treat people. Perhaps if they are made to work, any money they earn can go into a general victims fund.

[king12345]

Prisoners already do work and they get paid a small amount. You will remember the media running stories about inmates making phone calls to peoples homes on behalf of companies. My local open prison has a garden centre where you can buy plants and the veg they produce. I think some of the prisoners work in the centre when it is open to the public. It always worries me when I hear that someone dangerous is on the run, when they have exceeded the amount of leave they were on. If they were potentially dangerous, why did you let them out for the weekend ?

 

 

 

I think the prison service needs major reform, so that they have a different approach. It appears to me that they have too many mixed category prisons, when they should have different levels of austerity. Perhaps those who commit murder should have to do hard labour for a period. Locking them up for 23 hours a day when they will probably try to sleep for most of it, is not a great way to treat people. Perhaps if they are made to work, any money they earn can go into a general victims fund.

HOW DARE YOU!

WHAT ABOUT THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS!

I'm outraged at your suggestion!

(NOT)

[Conniff]

I remember we used to wave to the prisoners on Dartmoor doing outside work.