Do prisoners have it too easy?

Question

I was shocked to hear that cabinet minister David Blunkett recently said that Britain's prison population has been ballooning over the past ten years.

How disgusting that convicted rapists, murderers and paedophiles are given thrill-of-a-lifetime hot air balloon rides whenever they feel like it. I'd love a nice balloon ride, but no, a good citizen like myself has to slog their guts out for the city council all week.

Thanks for listening.

Answer 1

a lot easier than their victims- i'm talking sex offenders and murderers and drug dealers here. Too easy.

But money/fraud crimes- they should give something back to the community, not be treated the same as above. i.e non violent criminals, but not ones that prey on old folk though- they are bad too.

Answer 2

I rather doubt he meant balloning as in hot air ballon rides. More like balloning as the prison population is growing more quickly over the past 10 years. Everyone commits some type of crime in thier life the only difference is not everyone gets caught. Have you ever gotten more change back when purchasing something or not be charged for an item? If so did you take the item back so you could pay for it? OR did you return the extra change to the cashier? I rather doubt it . Have you ever rolled thru a stop sign? Have you ever Jay walked? Have you ever lied about being sick when you werent because you didnt feel like going to work that day? Have you ever added a few extra dollars to your income tax deductions for charity and really didnt give that much? Have you ever cheated on a test? Have you ever driven over the speed limit? Have you ever thrown a piece of gum on the ground ? All these things sound real piddly I know compared to other crimes but they are still crimes. And no way are they going to let prisoners go balloning because of the escape risk. And i doubt that any prison is going to spend that kind of money on the prisoners. The prison system is a big business. They have the inmates working making things that are sold at regular price but yet the inmates only make 15 cents an hour instead of minimum wage. Then the states charge the federal government 30,000 dlls a year for each inmate and since the inmates do all the work in the prisons and the food is surplus there is no way it can even cost 10,000 a year for any inmate . That means that the state is raking in over 20,000 a year for each inmate that it has in custody. This is why the prison population is balloning because the states make sure that the prisons are always on full to collect that cash. At least that is the way it is in the US. Because of this is why there is parole so they can at any time restock the prisons by sending a parolee back for something lame.

Answer 3

No, inmates do not have it too easy
within the prison walls.
To anyone who says differently, I'd like to know What prison have you been visiting? I'd like to arrange for a cherished friend to be transferred there! The top notch medical/dental care I'm always hearing about would be nice!He had a small cavity in one tooth and the answer was to pull the tooth, he needs to see a doctor to renew a prescription for a chronic condition (no, it's not a drug with any recreational potential, it's Prilosec) but can't see the doc because he is not bleeding, and when he does get that script renewed, he'll be paying for it or rather either his mom or I will be doing so. The situation has gotten so bad with prison health care that a federal judge recently ordered the whole department into recievership.
He shares a 6 x 12 cell with one other man, and counts himself lucky that there are not 3 in that cell due to the amazingly overcrowded state of the facility, he gets to leave that cell about 4 hours a day, including shower, chow, dayroom and yard time... and THAT is when the facility is not on lockdown due to drastic understaffing, courtesy of a hiring freeze imposed by the Governor...on lockdown, it really is in the cell, 24/7, food passed through the door, etc the only thing that keeps going is the mail (and by the way, I send him paper,envelopes and postage, unless it is a letter to one's attorney of record AND there is no money on one's books, the prison does not pay for letters)....the educational programs, IF an inmate qualifies AND if there is a slot available in the class.....and surely you see the need to try to educate these people to improve the chances of their becoming productive citizens upon release?
The showers are hot and reasonably clean, but inmates buy their own soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.
The food is a joke, and is barely legal in quantity and quality... most inmates get VERY creative with the top ramen that is available at the commisary...
What Gym/weight room are you talking about? My friend does an aerobic routine in his cell each morning and spends about half his time in the yard running his usual 3 to 5 miles, but there's no equipment available...I'm not complaining about that, but I'd like to know where you get your information.

As to other recreational activities, if there are video games, it has not been mentioned to me... Television in the day room where what to watch is decided by vote...any TVs or radios in the cells were not provided by the state, either the inmate or someone like me purchased them and like quarterly packages and phone calls (collect and incredibly costly) they are a privilige that is EARNED... Surely you can see the value of rewarding good behavior?

Answer 4

Very funny - no they are not going ballooning as you know but ballooning in numbers.

No - as someone I nursed once said to me - I don't know what I am meant to be doing, I get shouted at because I am doing the wrong thing, I don't know the rules...


If like to share a cell with someone vomiting and excreting for all they are worth whilst coming off heroin or alcohol. If you like to hear screams in the night. If you like to go to the toilet or wash in front of others.

If you want to share your tea with rats the size of cats.

If you want everything done for you = you have lost your sense of self.

If you want to die a little every day because you see nothing but walls.

Become a prisoner - if you want to bemoan your job just think about the alternative.

EDIT

Why do the people answering from the UK seem to think they are in prison to be punished? They are in prison as punishment not for punishment. The deprivation of liberty is the punishment. The are entitled to their human rights when they are in prison.

Answer 5

As far as the UK goes I'm not sure but I know that here in Miami it's not pretty. My boyfriend was put in jail for a day for something he didn't do, got beaten by the cops, thrown in an over crowded room with ****, piss, and rats everywhere. He wasn't fed for 36 hours and watched as people were taken in and out of the cell to get food and water. He thinks it might have had something to do with him being Greek, but we'll never know. The guy who comitted insurance fraud on him walked away with $10,000 in his pocket while my bf barely posted bail.
Prisons can be really horrible.

Answer 6

I often think this.... But then I wonder what it is like in there, consider being stuck in your room/home all day with strict rules about what you can and cannot do - not to mention the scares you might get from other prisinors who are sexually tense! Like being a child again with abusive older brothers and sisters and parents who ignore it!

On that note I still think that they deserve more!

Answer 7

The problem is a surfeit of theorists who believe that prison is a place of rehabilitation and forget the punishment element .Social workers who cant or wont submit reports saying that this or that person should be locked up .Aprobation service where they are afraid of their clients in case they are assaulted .The police lock them up to protect society,the bleeding hearts let them out to protect their jobs ,punishment not nourishment should be the motto of the prison service,not do you need papers for your joint.

Answer 8

Have you ever considered, that out of all the prisoners. how many of them are actually Innocent... its so easy to frame a person for a crime... I bet they don't think prison life is easy...Its just my opinion, but they are ppl and they have their rights taken away, families taken from them, unable to make any decisions for themselves.. Plus not to mention the dangers of being hurt from other inmates...its not wrong to award inmates for good behavior...
just because a judge said you was guilty doesn't always mean you were ....when I think of your question, I have to keep in mind the innocent that are doomed to years of prison, and the guilty ones will get what they diserve in time ... it is not for us to judge... God will punish the murders and rapist



How easy could you do time?? this is my question to you. spend alittle time and then ask this question

Answer 9

Personally I think it's brilliant. I own my own hot air ballooning company and Her Majesty's Prisons have been paying my mortgage for the last ten years. It's fantastic.

Answer 10

Red letter days for all I say, ain't fair that cons get all the freebies, can't believe some of the apparently genuine answers on here who have taken this seriously

I like your spin on things tho'

Answer 11

of course they have it to easy they should adopt the chain gang
system like the americans, no work no food. take away all the tv's
pool tables and other soft touches and make it a punishment not an holiday