To think prisoners shouldn't be allowed to smoke?

[angelos02]

In the new today it said there is a pilot about to be done in some prisons to not allow prisoners to smoke. I think this is fair. People that haven't broken the law can't smoke at work, in pubs, cafes, shops etc so why should criminals be allowed?

And what about those awaiting trial? They haven't even been found guilty so it hardly seems right to inflict this on them.

Whoever thought this out didn't think it through enough.

And yes, winning the battle against illegal drugs in prison is much more important.

ilovesooty It is being proposed that they don't smoke. Not that they don't eat.

but smoking is not illegal

I think that these kind of decisions should be made by the experts that work with prisoners and not by MP's trying to win favour.

besides angelos have u never 'broken the law'? honestly?

How do prisoners afford to smoke? Surely they have no income?

My fil works in a Category D or E prison. I can't quite remember which. Anyway, it's an open prison, so they come and go as they please.

Sounds like Butlins to me.

friends send them money hermione or they can earn a few pounds inside i think

they have jobs in prison don't they are they also get an allowance to buy toilettries and whatnot

well some Prisoners will have jobs in prison

I think they get paid for helping in the kitchens and such.

burberryqueen I don't think I've broken the law. I cycled on the pavement the other day - does that count?

yes it does if you are on your high horse about 'law breakers'.

angelos02 cycling on the pavement is illegal.
www.ridingabike.co.uk/html/cycling_myths_busted.html#CP

Things that are not legal, that many people have nevertheless admitted to doing in these threads:

*having sex in some kind of public space
*recording the Top 40 off the radio onto a cassette
*illegal downloading
*speeding
*over-claiming on their insurance
*stealing something after their tenth birthday (age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales)

And many others.

Every piece of research and cross cultural study shows that tougher prisons don't work to rehabilitate the offender.

It depends on what basis the ban was bought in on, if it is imposing a healthy lifestyle on the prisoner then we ate entering dodgy ground, as where will it end?
Enforced healthy eating, exercise etc, then we will really be turning prisons into holiday/ spa breaks.

Smoking is an addiction and if we don't allow it then every smoker in prison will need an addiction counsellor and full addiction service, so where is the extra money going to come from for this?

A pilot scheme was done in YOI, completely different class of prisoner.

sounds like it's going to cost them a lot of extra money and work. I think NRT should be promoted, and easy to get on prescription, but otherwise I think the government have far bigger things to worry about than whether a few cons are lighting up or not. of all the things to concentrate on I the penal system, smoking seems like the least important. x

yabu - not everyone in prison is a serious rapest/murdered/burgler! some people are in for minor crimes and statictists state a huge percentage are woman with severe mh problems that should be in a hospital. they have already had their liberty/freedom taken. & btw prisoners work to earn money to buy their smokes. they are locked up for 23 hours a day if not working & this in itself can send people over the edge.

"Prisons struggle enough to get prisoners off drugs like heroin or cocaine or alcohol. Often prisoners have huge mental health problems as well. It is hard breaking addictions and sometimes prisoners respond better to rewards than punishments.

Some prisoners are very damaged people. They need to be shown compassion inorder to learn compassion. If you treat prisoners like animals then they are more likely to act like animals in the future."

This. A large proportion of people in prison are care leavers and/or have mental health issues.

I'm hiding this thread because it really bugs me when people who've never been in prison say they're not strict enough. I haven't either so I don't claim to know.

I work in a prison and wouldn't want this ban coming in. Smoking is still expensive inside and seeing prisoner in need of a smoke because they can't afford to buy any isn't nice. The prisoner's don't have gadgets in their cells, only a t.v. It's grim and dirty and smells. Not a holiday camp. It really pisses me off when people say this, usually someone who has no idea what they're even talking about.

An open prison is completly different in the fact that they are preparing the prisoner for life on the outside again.

Also, a pregnant officer will have no prisoner contact at all so that's not an issue.

You can smoke in your own home. Prisons and secure mental hospitals are effectively temporary homes.

And pragmatically, forcing mass nicotine withdrawal would cause a lot of problems.

What about no-smokers locked in a cell with a smoker for 15 hours? Apparently the answer is to open a window (according to the people being interviewed on R4 this morning). Why did we bother with a work place ban, when we could have just opened a few windows?

Just because they'd have to go cold turkey is no excuse, they have to give up drugs and alcohol. I think it should be banned, also sugar and caffeine, tv, etc. Let them spend their days working and their nights sleeping, reading and sport are nice pastimes!!!

With the amount of illegal drugs circulating around prisons and the horrific effects they have on people's lives, I'd say smoking is a lesser evil.

I wouldn't want to be an officer in charge of nicotine-withdrawn prisoners. Smoking has significant effects on many people's mental health.

yes they should be in shackles breaking rocks in the hot sun