Would you rather die than be locked up forever in prison?

[girlfriend44]

If you were given a life sentence today in prison wouldn't you rather die?

I would, I just could not see the point to life anymore?
What use would I be serving, and I wouldn't be able to stand it!

I'd rather die. I'm autistic and already feel like my middle class life is unbearable, so being surrounded by other humans would be enough to make me suicidal.

Yes, I value my freedom. It's telling that lifers are so desperate to get out, even though there is a threat on the outside.

I've worked in many prisons and always thought how much I would struggle with a life sentence.

However, you can make a meaningful life in prison and I think I would rather live in prison than die. (Though living with the crime id committed to warrant that sentence is something I might not be able to do - but putting that aside ...)

I have known life prisoners to completely fall apart and some have chosen to end their life. But if you can manage it, people I have seen have also managed to.lead very fulfilling lives - lots wrote books or study for a degree, help mother prisoners with education, develop physical fitness goals (marathon on a treadmill, weights in the gym goals etc..)

Some keep fighting for their freedom and a minority get it.

You just need to find meaning like you do in any context. Finding a purpose and a meaning is a human need.

It's a known phenomenon in Japan elderly committing crimes to go to prison and get looked after.

On the topic of thise who prefer prison life perhaps society needs to provide a way of living for these people that has the level of support they need without committing the crimes beforehand.

No. I have a family member who has been in prison and made friends with lifers. They were still able to live a meaningful life in prison, they got therapy and helped other offenders. I still visit one of the people from prison and she’s happy.

Yes they sit in their cells writing moaning letters.
Wayne Couzens complained his mum couldn't send him a 50th birthday present.
Sarah will never see another birthday present again, so why should he?

A British female prison I think I could make a life that was ok enough to keep living. It certainly wouldn’t be easy but good enough. A whole life tariff will mean a quite secluded life I think. But there would be access to education and work.

Some of the male prisons I’ve heard about sound terrifying. Not sure I’d last there.

Who is going to bring your children to visit you in prison if you have committed so heinous a crime that you got a whole life sentence?

@girlfriend44 you don't seem to want a genuine conversation about this issue. Your responses seem very angry about prison 'luxuries' but you haven't responded to the other posts about the social inequalities and trauma that many in the prison have experienced.

Is there an agenda for this post?

In the UK? Definitely live. Thailand/Mexico/Iran etc? Not sure.

I'd give it a go. If i knew I absolutely wasn't getting out, I think id like to try life without the outside stress of adult life - money, jobs, etc. If at any point I found the inside stressors too much (bullying, sexual harassment, public nudity) then I could just end it anyway.

Sorry to say but a lot of the ideas about prison life here are quite distorted. Yes you can "work" (although in many prisons there's not many options except cleaning, working in the kitchen or gardening) and the facilities can be modern and new etc. But the opportunities and activities are not as readily available as a lot of people seem to think. The loss of liberty, the loss of decision making over even the most simple things in your daily life, being torn away from loved ones, the isolation, the chronic boredom, the crushing effect on mental health and wellbeing etc are not balanced out by sporadic "education" classes, the occasional trip to the gym hall and having a TV in your room.

I say this as someone who has unfortunately spent time in prison and in answer to your question OP, I would rather die.

Most people would rather be alive than dead, this applies to most circumstances. Yes, even prison lifers. Yes, even people in totalitarian dictatorships. Yes, even slaves. Yes, even those who are poorer than you can imagine. Yes, even people with severe, life-limiting disabilities. Yes, even very old people who you imagine should be OK with dying. Et cetera.

Disingenuous theoretical conversations are always possible ("I'd rather be dead than live with X circumstance!") but the reality is that if you actually were in that circumstance, you'd prefer to stay alive. Which is why it's a bad idea to have theoretical discussions about the worthiness of another person's existence.

It'll be warmer than my house and I'll get 3 square meals per day. Sounds great!

Sounds like a lot of understandable anger you have.

I was wondering why you asked the question in your OP @girlfriend44

Is this a personal thing for you? Do you seek revenge against someone ?

Yes, in fact I’d probably top myself.

The thought of being locked up surrounded by the dregs of society for the rest of my life would be enough to push me over the edge and that’s without even taking the rest of the loss of freedom in to consideration.

No having been in many prisons through work, I couldn't do it. Though that's because I lead a privileged and comfortable life outside. Not everyone has that so it's all relative

You'd be surprised how many actually quite nice people with I credibly interesting lives there are in prison.

Of course, there are many people you wouldn't want to meet. But there are also people in prison who you can kind of see how they got there and although they may have committed a crime, some very serious, they do actually have some kind, human, i tweeting, loyal, empathic etc.. aspects to their personality. It isn't 'dregs' in prison. It's mainly traumatised people (often traumatised young men) with few life changes who have taught me many things over the last twenty years....

Oh my god the typos.

I'll try again...

You'd be surprised how many actually quite nice people with incredibly interesting lives there are in prison.

Of course, there are many people you wouldn't want to meet. But there are also people in prison who you can kind of see how they got there and although they may have committed a crime, some very serious, they do actually have some kind, human, interesting, loyal, empathic etc.. aspects to their personality. It isn't 'dregs' in prison. It's mainly traumatised people (often traumatised young men) with few life chances who have taught me many things over the last twenty years....

The question you’ve asked
And the one you actually meant are two different things.

Would I rather die than be in prison, it depends.
Which prison? In the UK, no
A ‘life’ sentence can be as little as 12 years depending upon the circumstances of the crime. If I was relatively young when I went in, there would be a good chance of release, And many years still to live

If I was in my 80s and never likely to get out, it is different but then I could end up in a care home and honestly, it wouldn’t be that different in some cases

People can live productive lives in prison and as others have said, many have had far more chaotic lives which led them there.

if you’ve lived a comfortable life in a 4 bed detached house in the country with lavish holidays and a big car, of course prison will be a culture shock

if you’ve been homeless, in the care system, drug dependant…. Prison is warmer, more comfortable and far more stable than most of those lives, it offers an opportunity to make changes.

But that’s irrelevant

You have no interest in whether the average mumsnetter would chose death over prison.

You have no idea what a prison is like beyond what you read in the papers. And the second someone tried to explain why it may be advantages to some you bought in the tax payer,

Then proceeded to state that if a murder victim doesn’t get any more birthdays, neither should their killer.
Thats your opinion and that’s fine.

Other feel there is hope in rehabilitation and that’s fine too

What you actually wanted to know is ‘Do you think murderers should be executed rather than sent to prison to be a drain on society’

And that, is an entirely different question
My answer is still no tho

Yes, I guess I can see that, although tbf the though of having to be in prison close proximity to anyone for the rest of my life would be an absolute nightmare for me,

My mum, probably.

No I would do a degree, learn a new skill, read all the books I never read, get to know myself better, work out, get healthier, write a book.. I would be ok.

I get that! My happy places are walking through dogs alone, running alone, or driving alone. None of which I could do in prison.

I would rather die and that’s why my biggest argument of being against the death penalty.

Some people cope well in prison but only because they have to.
And this usually has something to do with hope.

They will do things in prison like behave well, go gym, do higher education etc which helps their mindset/make the time go faster but ultimately they are always thinking about when they get out.

Most of the things they do in prison they have the mindset that it will help them for when they get out.
Just having that mindset can reduce self harm and suicidal thoughts.

If you have no hope and nothing to look forward to then what’s the point.

Prisons are not nice places.
You can have ‘luxuries’ such as an Xbox, gym, free accommodation and food, access to education etc but you are in still in prison where you have absolutely no say over your own life and have to live amongst people who have committed awful crimes, have severe MH issues or personality disorders, have very bad hygiene or are violent and aggressive etc.