Guernsey prison is defending new televisions and furniture for inmates.

Prison Governor Terry Wright said that TVs are permitted as part of a privilege scheme at Les Nicolles, and replacements were needed because of the digital switchover.

The women's wing also has a new leather-look couch.

The Governor said this was bought from a charity shop and paid for by inmates with money they earned through work done at the prison.

Their own earnings were also used to fund the television system.

So, what facilties do you think prisoners should be provided with?

Should they be allowed to use money they have earned while behind bars to buy upgrade items like sofas and TVs?

Of course they should have everything that pensioners and hard working families have.New TV's(old TV's work with a digi box)new sofas,plenty of heating and of course 3 hot meals a day with a choice.
Makes me mad.

bug1 wrote:Of course they should have everything that pensioners and hard working families have.New TV's(old TV's work with a digi box)new sofas,plenty of heating and of course 3 hot meals a day with a choice.
Makes me mad.

This topic comes up every now and again. Bug 1 you have to realise what the sentence is. What I mean by that is what a prison sentence actually relates to, i.e loss of freedom. Then you have to come to terms with what you want from the time a person serves inside, for instance do you want them to rehabilitate and yes it is acknowledged that a large % are past help but not all are. Then consider the responsibility that the prison has to the prisoner as far as basic rights are concerned, and yes unfortunately prisoners have a basic right. Get your head round those aspects of prison life and then you will not be so mad. Also remember no one said life was fair.

they are inside because they committed a crime and should not be allowed the simple pleasures in life...why should someone who has assaulted someone or abused a child be allowed to have home comforts....they should have no basic rights imo..they chose to commit the crime so should be punished for it and not mollycoddled x

Plimmerton811-I have no objection to basics just to a lifestyle that cannot be afforded by many honest law abiding citizens.As to re-habilitation-it's what I think of Xmas HUMBUG

As far as I am concerned the main function of a prison is to keep the blighters away from the rest of us. Preferrably in the minimum of basic comfort, as cheaply as possible.

Texas prisoners in the 'pink' .

Try this :

ADX Florence Supermax Facility





Colorado – This prison was built in response to the violent attacks
on guards and prison staff at other US prisons – it was meant to be the
ultimate deterrent, a place where inmates were completely isolated from
prison staff, and left to live in slow psychological torture as they
spent 23 hours a day in barren cells. Inmates at ADX are the worst of
the worst, often repeat offenders who have killed or injured other
inmates, or even prison guards, during their time in other institutions.
Describes by inmates as a nightmare vision of punishment, “meant to
inflict misery and pain”, this “clean version of hell” is also a violent
place, despite all the steps taken to segregate and isolate the general
population. In its 13 years of operation, two prisoners have been
killed at ADX Florence. Another prisoner, named Lawrence Klaker, was
shot and injured as he entered the Supermax prison for the first time:
he later killed himself within prison walls.

See above:-Progress at last!

GD wrote:
So, what facilties do you think prisoners should be provided with?

Should they be allowed to use money they have earned while behind bars to buy upgrade items like sofas and TVs?

I think any money they earn should first be used to compensate the victims of the crime. i.e if they have broken into a house and stolen items, the money should be paid to the victim to replace said items.

As for them living in comfort, it annoys me that as has already been said on this thread that decent law abiding citizens struggle to put three meals a day on the table, they struggle to buy a new TV, they struggle to pay bills and feel bad when they have to ask for more time to pay.

If you are put in prison it is because you have committed a crime, give them the bare essentials to keep them alive but dont give them luxuries.

I know for a fact that a few years ago there was one certain gentleman (not sure if he's still alive) that would be released and would be back in jail within 24 hours because he had it better in there than out.

there are still a few of them in guernsey...they are better off in than out in there minds ..warm bed,food and all the luxuries some pensioners have to do without..so they are locked up in their cells surely thats why they are sent to prison ..punishment for their crime is what they are in their for..its not for a holiday x

Remember all prisoners are innocent! lol

kat wrote:Remember all prisoners are innocent! lol

Not strictly correct Kat, as if they are 'prisoners' that would suggest that they have either pleaded Guilty in a court of law or been found Guilty by the court of a criminal offence and been imprisoned for a determined period as their punishment.

Those who are 'on remand' are not as yet convicted and therefore technically not 'prisoners' as they retain more rights and privileges.




.

kat wrote:Remember all prisoners are innocent! lol

Only Bill Stickers is.

Thistle wrote:there are still a few of them in guernsey...they are better off in than out in there minds ..warm bed,food and all the luxuries some pensioners have to do without..so they are locked up in their cells surely thats why they are sent to prison ..punishment for their crime is what they are in their for..its not for a holiday x

Thistle take some time to read what you have written and then reflect on the bigger issue. If people feel better off inside we should be asking, has society let them down, if not society who has let them down to such an extent they would rather be locked up as opposed to be as free as a bird. After visiting several prisons and viewing conditions from a compliance aspect I actually asked a prison officer why anyone would reoffend. The filth, the crappy food barely warm, for example water melon was "pudding" and the slice of bread was placed on top of the water melon all placed in one of those thermal trays with a cover to be served an hour later. Can you imagine the state of the bread an hour later, personally I'm not in for water melon flavoured bread.

The answer I received was that certain people identify with the discipline, regime of a prison, they are accepted by their peers whereas outside they are outcasts. Perhaps we law abiding people make prison a more attractive place by our attitude to offenders.

Everything comes a at a cost. The pensioners that you quote have a choice, same as the reoffender, if prison is that great why don't they sign up for a period of warm bed,food and all the luxuries?

Oddly enough I support fair sentences for the crime committed. Actually support the death penalty. I just have strong feelings about how we keep those locked up and our obligations towards them.