Monday, August 02, 2010

Ian Huntley

Whilst I haven't got the slightest concern for Ian Huntley's wellbeing, the fact is that prison inmates should not be able to slash each other with home made weapons.

Rather than giving him a large sum of money, we should perhaps do something to stop prisoners from getting their hands on razor blades, knives, drugs etc. by taking the obvious step of not allowing them to receive parcels or have any contact with visitors.


8 comments:

Lilyofthefield said...

The children at our school do not need razors or glass to slash each other with. The snapped shard of a biro casing attached to a pencil with an elastic band can open a cheek very effectively, as can the ring pulls of soft drinks cans when worn as a knuckleduster.
They'll find a way.

Anonymous said...

At my school, they started unscrewing the blades off pencil sharpeners...very effective little weapon. Now, they're only allowed such pencil sharpeners where the blade isn't srrewed on. They'll soon find a way around that, no doubt!

Anonymous said...

Why do prisoners need razor blades? Millions of male religious followers wear long beards...why not let prisoners grow them too?
But then they could hurt one another by setting fire to each others' beards, or rip each others' beards off, more money for the juman rights brigade lawyers.
And why shouldn't prisoners attack one another? Might sound harsh, but it seeems clear that the juidicial system doesn't deal effectively with paedophiles and child molestors ( Venables springs to mind) wo I for once find it quite refreshing to read about such people having a hard time inside.

jaljen said...

I've long been surprised at the alleged ease with which prisoners gain access to all sorts of things. Drugs and mobiles being the most obvious.
Prisoner-on-prisoner violence? Surely a modest bit of aggravated buggery would suffice???

Anonymous said...

Let's not forget that every prisoner is a volunteer there. They are there because they chose to undertake crime. Absolutely and entirely their own choice, so they should stop whingeing. If they don't want to be in prison, simply don't break the law. Simples.

Anonymous said...

I've never entirely understood how it is that people like Huntley can be attacked by anyone other than prison officers. How is it they SEE anyone other than prison officers? How is it they're in any kind of contact with any other humans? For the very, very few such prisoners, people who realistically are never going to be released, why are they not kept in solitary?

Anonymous said...

People like Huntley are considered worse than vermin by other prisoners. I visit a lifer regularly and he thinks he's an outstanding candidate for the return of the death penalty. If the authorities won't execute them, then the other inmates will have a go.
The obvious answer is not to hold them in solitary but to bring back hanging.
As to drugs and mobiles being freely available (at a price), I get searched every time I go in. I couldn't smuggle an aspirin in even if I wanted to.
A poorly paid prison officer might consider the extra income an adequate recompense for being treated so poorly by their bosses, and stoned and drugged inmates are easier to control.
The prison staff are responsible for the vast majority of the drugs being in prison. Isn't to government in favour of entreprenurial initiative?

Anonymous said...

I can now trot out my argument against capital punishment: let's have a national referendum. Let's agree that, while there are many uncertainties surrounding capital punishment (is it cheaper, given interminable appeals? does it deter? etc.), one thing is certain: the criminal justice system, being administrated by fallible humans, WILL, inevitably, unarguably, sooner or later execute an innocent person.

Hence: national referendum. Two questions:
1. Do you favour the return of capital punishment?
2. Do you, personally, volunteer to be the first innocent person to be executed?

People answering "Yes" to Q1, but "No" to Q2, don't get their votes counted, because they don't REALLY favour the return of capital punishment.