prisoners earning qualifications whilst serving their sentence

[cm1179]

just seen on crimewatch, a criminal who skipped bail or parole whilst coming to the end of a life sentence for murdering his 19 year old girlfriend. he had obtained an NVQ in personal fitness training whilst inside and it turns out he may be working as a personal trainer!
do you think prisoners should be obtaining qualifications or breaking rocks?

 

[Moredhel]

Let's see, teach them, encourage them, and release them at the end of their stint as people who can contribute to society.

Or treat them as animals, make them break rocks for the duration of their sentence and release them back onto the streets with less than they left with, and no hope of a job or any future other than landing back inside...

Wonder which one would be better. I can't decide.

 

[Amp34]

Yes they should. Hoefully then they have a greater ability to start working legitimately and especially for theft I'm guessing would decrease repeat offending massively.

 

[Psymonkee]

If it helps to re-integrate and reform criminals then why not? Without any kind of qualifications they will have little prospects of getting a job that will allow them to live in relative comfort and they will likely see returning to their former 'career' as more lucrative - not ideal tbh!

I'd say it's a good thing personally


//Edit: Bah Ninja'd!

 

[cm1179]

Let's see, teach them, encourage them, and release them at the end of their stint as people who can contribute to society.

Or treat them as animals, make them break rocks for the duration of their sentence and release them back onto the streets with less than they left with, and no hope of a job or any future other than landing back inside...

Wonder which one would be better. I can't decide.

say you were related to or knew the person he raped

 

[tntcoder]

Yes, but they should pay back the education cost once earning.

 

[wozencl]

Prison is supposed to rehabilitate offenders. It costs money to keep them imprisoned so they should at least be doing something restitutional or productive.

 

[Azagoth]

do you think prisoners should be obtaining qualifications or breaking rocks?

Do you know where the phrase "Screw" comes from in reference to prison guards? That's what I'd have them doing, but these days have them wired up to the prison's mains and get them generating their own electricity.

 

[tuffty747]

Reality is, you can't run a prison where the prisoners just 'break rocks' all day. If you get them doing something constructive, then at least it makes them more able to contribute to society when they get out, otherwise they'd just run riot once again when they got out.

 

[Moredhel]

say you were related to or knew the person he raped

Then I would, quite rightly, have nothing to do with his sentencing.

 

[KNiVES]

Yes they should! It is all about rehabilitation. It is in our best interest to get them to be productive, reformed members of society.

Prison should be primarily rehabilitative, and secondarily punitive. Otherwise, what is the point. I absolutely hate how the prison system the world over is designed to dehumanize and ruin you. It's wrong. People who do their time, should do so in a way that is to everyone's benefit, and not as an act of retribution or vengeance. We are better than that. Or are we?

 

[Cosimo]

Yes, it may help contribute to their rehabilitation when they get out. Give them a chance of better employment and give them back some self-esteem. Society would benefit from that. Just breaking rocks will lead them to re-offending when they come out.

 

[Ahleckz]

He was in for murder, why should he be taught a skill to help him when released - he shouldn't be released.

 

[scorza]

How can he have come to the end of a life sentence?

I don't have a problem with prisoners earning qualifications inside, in fact I'd encourage it, but I'm not sure a personal fitness trainer qualification is appropriate here.

 

[wozencl]

He was in for murder, why should he be taught a skill to help him when released - he shouldn't be released.

We are not in possession of the full facts therefore we cannot say he should never be released. Also, judging by the age of his victim I'm going to assume the prisoner is also quite young, perhaps early twenties, do you honestly believe we should imprison people of that age for the rest of their lives?

 

[Meridian]

How can he have come to the end of a life sentence?

It doesn't: he will be released on licence. If he re-offends, it's straight back inside for another few years.


M

 

[cm1179]

He was in for murder, why should he be taught a skill to help him when released - he shouldn't be released.

I agree with this. this stems to how pathetic our justice system is. ok some 'minor' crimes should see lesser sentences and perhaps give the prisoner opportunity but where is the deterrant factor if prison is to become (or already is) a place of opportunity and rehabilitation? it is a place for punishment. opportunity and rehabilitation comes without having to break the law.

 

[Freeman]

Give them something to do and learn but don't give them the formal qualification. For a start 'normal' people over 19 need to pay for these qualifications, how come these prisoners get them for free?

 

[ennogs]

Let's see, teach them, encourage them, and release them at the end of their stint as people who can contribute to society.

Or treat them as animals, make them break rocks for the duration of their sentence and release them back onto the streets with less than they left with, and no hope of a job or any future other than landing back inside...

Wonder which one would be better. I can't decide.

+1

 

[Dolph]

It all depends on whether you actually want to rehabilitate them to try and prevent future crime or not.

Some people still can't seem to grasp the idea that we may actually want this...