Seeing Prisoners celebrating their release?

There's no staff for our current prisons let alone for any new ones which may or may not get built!

The issue is the here and now. Everyone seems happy to hear of crowded conditions prisoners are in, but it's not good for anyone, to be shoved into a crowded wing on 23 hour bang up. Creates frustrations and leads to spiralling mental health
.

And I suspect that lots of prisoners were released early under the Tories - the Tory-owned media just kept quiet about it.

It did and I think it was reported on - I think Labour criticized it but have also been forced to do it - not least as riots over summer have meant an greater influx than usual.

Under the Tories, a release scheme was implemented to free prisoners up to 70 days early. But it was criticised as at times it would give just a day's notice of an inmate being freed early. Labour's scheme is intended to give probation services enough notice to prepare release plans for offenders to make sure they are properly monitored.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/uk-prisons-start-releasing-5500-33627033

We apparently need to build more prisons - and Labour did say they were shocked there was budget not spent showing Tory mismanagement nearly as soon as they got into government.

Also more radical suggestions that we need to look who we are sending, why and for how long - because we all want the dangerous prisoners off the streets and people to get punished when they break the law but perhaps we aren't doing any of that well at the moment.

There were also suggestion of sending our prisons abroad to prisons and paying for that - those suggestions happened under last Tory government and apparently Estonia had some preliminary talk with current Labour government.

I'm not accusing you. I'm encouraging you to hand out those foil blankets.
Of course we're both free to state our views on MN. But I'm asking you not to silence me out of utilising this safe space.
And your thread topic has everything to do with the early release scheme. Or at the very least, there are loose ties to it (and that's putting it mildly). You may want to pretend your thread has nothing to do with this scheme that is all over every news outlet, but please. Let's stay within the realms of reality. I mean, I'm not even going to argue that point.

Why on earth would you care whether or not I recover or even, enjoy my day? Why would you wish me well in any sense? Please. There's no need for such falseness after the honesty of our painful disagreement.

I’m not discouraging you, you’re free to say what you want. Don’t tell me what I should and shouldn’t post either. It’s not my right to “try to silence” anyone, but I suggest you consider that same thing applies to you before accusing others of doing it.

Don’t accuse of me of “handing out foil blankets” and the like, you know nothing about me. I made no comment on early releases, YOU chose to bring that up.

Clearly I’ve upset you, but I’m as free to state my views as anyone else. I hope you continue your recovery. With that in mind, enjoy your day.

Did I change the thread? Really? Because I gave you a birdseye view of the victim's experience I 'changed the thread'?
And are you attempting to silence me with your rhetoric?
MN is as much my safe space as it is anyone else's. Don't discourage posters like me from being vocal within this safe space, a woman's space I'll add, a space that has been an essential part of my recovery, a space where I have been able to find, utilise, and grow proud of this voice of mine, a voice that was rendered silent by my daughter's abuser for years.

Don't tell me what I shouldn't have done. Because all that I have done is for my daughter's recovery. Never say 'shouldn't' to victims or their families. You're just another silencer. Go hand out foil blankets and pup tents to early release prisoners if you want to be a saviour. Give 'em bars of soap if you must.

@SerenityNowInsanityLater horrendous! Just what we need, more violent scum roaming the streets alongside the untreated schizophrenics and psychopaths. Tory gov have made our country unsafe for women and children.

That sounds difficult for you but you got involved in a debate with me, actually changed the thread of what I was talking about and, much as this sounds brutal, you shouldn’t have done that if you need to space.

I’m not sure most people in prison worry about seeming distasteful! 😂

Nope. Violent males too. I linked to an article on another thread. I'll see if I can find it.

PlayDadiFreyr

I don't think any of us disagree with those points. No one is saying those points are untrue. We're saying early release is the road to perdition and a failure to victims.

Are they releasing rapists and abusers? Thought it was just non-violent criminals

I've worked in prisoner rehabilitation relatively recently.

1. Prisons are absolutely dire at the moment and not a place where someone will improve or reform. I'd be thrilled to get out (I always was as someone who could leave freely).
2. However apparently jubilant they appear, leaving prison is usually a very difficult transition that seems almost purpose-built to drive offenders back to offending. The sudden release will put greater strain on support services and probation, with prisoners worse-prepared. Many will be homeless, jobless and without support, knowing only one way to support themselves.
3. The roots of most criminal behaviours are poverty and trauma. It's really not as simple as "they should know better/shouldn't do it again".

I have been the victim of crime, my sisters have been the victim of serious crimes. My uncle has been in prison. It doesn't make the above untrue.

So does mine.
And this isn't a debate. It's just kinda shit, really. And people like you need to give people like me room to be angry about it. Because you haven't had my lived experience. Your opinions and thoughts matter a great deal. Of course. But maybe on a thread like this, give a bit of space and comfort to those of us who are struggling with justice, and the lack of it, every day.

Not mentioned in the bits I’m quoting or referring to…so my point stands.

Exactly that. It's the media that have caused pain to the victims in this situation. They would otherwise have been oblivious to the celebrations (and I suspect the celebrations would have been much lower key if photographers have been there, encouraging them to play to the gallery)

If I were them I would celebrate it's understandable. The real issue is why they e been let out

Or maybe it’s just the early release itself. How about that?

Your issue isn’t the celebration, it’s the fact it was shown on TV. Different things.

there are no victimless crimes. None.

And i agree that it is distasteful of the media to have shown so many people celebrating leaving prison early. And i agree that it is outrageous that we don't have nearly enough support in place for victims of crime, especially sexual and violent crime.

But i also agree that there need to be robust systems in place to support ex-prisoners into work and somewhere to stay. I'm not talking about shooting them to the top of the housing list, and I'm talking about jobs that need to be done. But without this support the chances of reoffending are huge.

My sympathy to everyone here today who is a victim of one of these early releasers.

@Halloumiheaven dunno! I've got my opinion and you've got yours. Tough if they don't align!

There are "victimless" crimes which don't directly affect someone like an assault or breaking and entering

There are also, occasionally, actual innocent people in jail. Or people in the wrong place at the wrong time

Sometimes people go to jail for defending someone else

So tarring them all as "uncaring" is unfair

Happens all the time
Get charged for one crime
Discovered they did another
Police wait at the gates

Remember that many newspapers are Tory-owned. The Daily Mail probably bribed the prisoners with an offer they couldn't refuse, and bought the bubbly for them. The Daily Heil wants people to get angry over their cornflakes, it's why they exist. I'm surprised they didn't wait until tomorrow to have their big splash, so they could say "Friday 13th - a bad luck day for the law-abiding".

I don't see why they all had to be released on one day, though; unless of course, that is how the media spun it. And I suspect that lots of prisoners were released early under the Tories - the Tory-owned media just kept quiet about it.

You should probably read a couple of the heartfelt posts from victims and read those for some perspective on why it isn't just a case of shruggy shoulder's emoji for them.

Don't suppose they're the right sort of victim these days though huh? Only certain groups are allowed to be victims in 2024

Well it is what it is 🤷‍♀️