To say that prisons should be abolished altogether?

We need to build more prisons.

Do you know any prisoners? Why do you think they’re all sorry? they don’t say that at all, it’s just the cost of doing business for most of them.

I’m guessing the OP lives in a lovely leafy detached house somewhere the released prisoners are very unlikely to be living next door to…

I don't want anyone trying to rehabilitate the likes of Peter Sutcliffe, Levi Belfield, Rose West, Joanna Denehy etc. in the community. Some people cannot be rehabilitated and should never see the light of day again.

I find it hard to trust the so called skilled experts when we already see prisoners being released and reoffending. Didn't the 'skilled experts' want John Warboys released? No doubt some people like the OP would want him to be rehabilitated.

What a naive view. What do you think Peter Sutcliffe or Levi Bellfield would have done with themselves if they hadn’t been placed in jail?

Carried on murdering women of course. Why would you want that?

Totally agree with this.

Chris Daw KC wrote a book called 'Justice on Trial' where he advocates for just this approach. It makes a lot of sense.

I remember reading that the Norwegian prison system is based on the fact that virtually all prisoners will be released one day, and will be someone's neighbour - therefore from their first day in prison, the aim is to work towards their release day, and making them the best neighbour they can be.
Maybe that's why their recidivism rate is so much lower than ours? And why America, who is all about dehumanisation of prisoners, has such a high rate?

I Would like to see more done to rehabilitate criminals and to prevent crime before it happens.

I thought it a waste of tax money to send Jeffrey Archer to prison when he wasn’t a danger to the public. Other punishment should have been used. Should we use prison for crimes such as shoplifting,prostitution non payment of council tax or things like that, then no I think rehabilitation or help or education or something else would be better.

Do I think anyone ever thought that Myra Hindley, Ian Brady, the Wests or someone like Charles Bronson should have ever been realised then no that would be insane.

This is the mantra of the privileged. Who gives a shit about the people prisoners have harmed/abused/killed, as long as OP is able to bask in the righteous glow of their luxury beliefs.

Obviously prisons in the UK in their current form are failing inmates, but what they need is reform not abolition.

Are you bored OP, noticed you have not come back. Post is goady and stupid.

Absolutely not. Prisons are to keep us safe. The end.

We keep getting posts like this. Has some sixth form debating group discovered MN and looking for points to put forward?

The murder rate in El Salvador peaked in 2015 at about 106 murders per 100,000 population, in 2024 it was 1.9 per 100,000 people.

A country which prioritises the safety of it citizens over the "human rights" of it's criminals is not uncivilised.

Children can now go to school without fear of being kidnapped or murdered on their way there.

You can debate the ethics of the methods by which this staggering reduction in crime has been achieved and you can characterise it legalised violence, brutality and cruelty if you like but it has demonstrably resulted in less crime.

If someone punches you in the face and says sorry then punched you again and says sorry. Are they sorry?

I mean everyone’s who’s in jail says they are either sorry or innocent. A bloody lot if/when released do it again. Were they really sorry/innocent/rehabilitated. No, no and no.

Is this a journalist post? Trying to get the mummies all worked up on MN? They all read the same those kinds of posts. I don’t know why anyone responds in good faith.

Not all prisoners can be rehabilitated eg terrorists and pedophiles

Have you or your loved ones been a victim of a serious crime ?

Unless you're suggesting we hang people like the Southport murderer and Sara Sharif's 'father' (which I'd have NO issue with), then you ABVU...

Lucky you, op, to be unaware how dangerous people can be. Ignorance is bliss

Should more be done towards rehabilitation, and towards creating an environment where fewer people feel driven to to crime - yes

Should prisons be abolished - no because here's the thing - not everyone is fundamentally nice

Would you care to explain what you mean by 'community justice', OP?

That would have worked so well for Ian Brady or the Yorkshire Ripper….

You insult blue-haired climate activists with the comparison.

I agree. I’d add that all over this country ordinary, good people who try and do the right thing are having their lives ruined by feral, violent, anti-social neighbours. Such people make everyone’s life a misery. They are always involved in benefit fraud and low level, petty crime - usually drugs. And when they go to prison, it gives the neighbourhood a short and blessed break from their noise and intimidation. Unfortunately, their kids usually take over from where they’ve left off. I was woken up twice last night by the 18-year-old son of such a family. He drives round the estate in a boy racer car with an exhaust that screeches and explodes.

Frankly, after having so much of my life ruined by these sorts of families, I’d happily build an open air prison for the persistent offenders. Or some kind of housing estate for the most violent and anti-social people. If you can’t live in a civilised way you don’t belong in civilised society.

I think for a huge majority of crimes we would be better served using modern technology of tags/extreme curfews etc. Someone's life can be severely restricted and not fun whilst also being able to work/be in education/rehabilitation not be the massive cost to the tax payer that prisons are. But I think there would still need to be prisons for those who repeatedly don't comply or are a danger to others. The difference is I think if people are bad enough to be locked up then they mostly shouldn't be coming out again.
I think locking someone up for like 4 years is pointless. It takes them out of society for long enough they are probably going to really struggle to re integrate and live a useful life afterwards, but if they are genuinely a danger to others then 4 years is useless.
The % of prisoners who grew up in the care system is concerning and shows a system breakdown that needs fixing imo.

This feels like one of those threads which is actually a teenager’s attempt to get us to write their homework essay.

Further to @BeMoreAmandaland mentioning the Scandinavian model, there's an interesting BBC podcast exploring how some US prisons are experimenting with this model to reduce recidivism (as their current punitive model is shockingly ineffective at reducing reoffending or acting as a deterrent): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0k03vr1
As others have remarked, our prisons need to have the money to tackle the root causes of criminal behaviour (neglect, learning disabilities, head injuries, mental health problems...) for those who can he rehabilitated, and having a sense of hope for the future allows prisoners to work on finding a better path when they leave prison.