Prison

[proggy]

There are three "regimes" that prisoners are put on: "Basic", "normal", and "enhanced". By default they are on normal, and this gives them access to all the things I mentioned.

If they repeatedly break prison rules they'll be put down to Basic, and this means no TV, books or association with other prisoners. But it only lasts for a few days before they return to normal.
If they are good for an extended period of time they can be put up to "enhanced" which means they get twice as many visits (one every week, rather than two weeks) and are allowed to purchase a playstation.

By the way gay sex is rare in prisons, contrary to myth. And prison officers do effectively prevent gay rape or assaults.

So what did you get done for? And by rare do you mean you only got bummed once a week?

[KentPhilip]

So what did you get done for? And by rare do you mean you only got bummed once a week?

This is all from a number of books + websites I've read.

Rare as in one incident per prison per year perhaps.

I find the concept of prison and law courts interesting and, strangely, alluring.

[AtW]

I find the concept of prison and law courts interesting and, strangely, alluring.

You need some help mate...

[KentPhilip]

You need some help mate...

Oh come on, we all need our interests.
Your interests involve masturbation, and my interests involve the criminal justice system

[AtW]

my interests involve the criminal justice system

Did you tell that your cleaner girlfriend?

[NotAllThere]

....

UK prisons provide TV's, books, newspapers, gyms, and decent basic food to prisoners. They are hardly what I would see as a punishment...

Did the book mention the constant threat of violence, the separation from family and friends, being unable to go for a walk wherever you might wish, the lack of (legal access) to alcohol, bubba, being locked up 23 hours a day, having to spend extended periods of time in the company of criminals... etc. etc.

Her Majesty's Prison Service serves the public by keeping in custody those committed by the courts. Our duty is to look after them with humanity and help them lead law-abiding and useful lives in custody and after release.

If prisons delivered that latter part, then I don't care about any featherbedding. I'd rather that criminals were rehabilitated and never broke the law again than that they're punished. (Though it's a false dichotomy - the punishment is part of the rehabilitation, designed to show that society considers certain actions unacceptable).

[minestrone]

I know a few people that have done time, one person very well who has been in and out of places his whole life. They all say that prison time is very easy to do and is not a deterrent to committing further crime. You are just sitting about all day talking crap with your mates.

[Malcolm Buggeridge]

I remember donkeys years ago staying in a hotel in Mevagissey with my parents. We were half board and would dine every night in the hotel.

Among our fellow diners was a dapper old chap and his wife who both took a shine to me. I would go over to their table, sit on one of their knees and they would feed me ice cream.

Turned out he used to be the governor of Fartmoor.

I razzed him about the prison, trying to get all the grimest details. During the course of these conversations it emerged that he still had some contact with the prison and knew the current governor.

Upon hearing this, I made it my mission to try and wangle a visit to the gaol. He kindly gave us the address of the governor so at the end of our holiday we made a diversion via Tavistock where we parked our old Vauxhall Cresta in the leafy street on which he lived.

Upon knocking on the door a rather stern looking military type greeted us and we explained the reason why we were there.

"Certainly not!", he barked, and slammed the door in our faces, before doing so threatening to call the police.

So, no I haven't as yet been inside a gaol but, as those of you who read my posts may know, I have been threatened with incarceration in HMP Portland and ,as a young rake, spent many a balmy summer evening outside Shepton Mallet prison tantalising the inmates with ice cold pints of lager.

[KentPhilip]

Did the book mention the constant threat of violence, the separation from family and friends, being unable to go for a walk wherever you might wish, the lack of (legal access) to alcohol, bubba, being locked up 23 hours a day, having to spend extended periods of time in the company of criminals... etc. etc.

There is no constant threat of violence. If you report that you have been threatened by another prisoner they discipline that other prisoner. If the threats continue then they will move you to another wing of the prison to keep out of the way of the idiot.

You can go for a walk - you just have to keep turning round every few feet.

bubba? There ain't no bubba in jail - it's a myth.

Although you can be banged up 23 hours per day, this is the exception not the rule. Most prisoners are out of their cells for around 8 hours of the day while they are at work, association with their fellow inmates, getting daily outdoor exercise, or getting meals.

The other points are valid. But some would say they are therapeutic..

[mudskipper]

Most long term prisoners are out of their cells for around 8 hours of the day while they are at work, association with their fellow inmates, getting daily outdoor exercise, or getting meals.

FTFY

Most short term are not.

Edit:

http://www.insidetime.org/info-regim...=HMYOI_POLMONT

“One of the worst consequences of overcrowding is that prisoners spend longer and longer periods of time locked in their cells. Because there are increasing numbers of prisoners, and no increase in work spaces available or in the number of prison staff available to supervise, it is not unusual for a convicted young offender in Iona to spend as much as 20 hours in one day locked up in a cell for one person with a stranger. No matter how clean and bright the hall is, this is not a good recipe for tackling offending behaviour. "Tragic" is the right word when splendid new accommodation is prevented by very high numbers from making the difference it could have made to changing the lives of young men whose lives need to be changed for the sake of everyone in Scotland - and not least for the sake of themselves.

“As is nearly always the case, where there is overcrowding and where "time in cell" is high, the people who suffer most are prisoners on remand. Some of them can sometimes be locked up for at least 23 hours out of 24. The title of an HMCIP report on remand prisoners published in 1999 was "Punishment First - Verdict Later". Many of these remand prisoners in Polmont will not receive a custodial sentence.