AIBU to wonder why we care so much about overcrowding of prisons?

[Ellie126]

Just that really. It’s prison. For people that have committed horrific crimes. Why are we giving it a second thought? Granted, I know some crimes are less ‘severe’ than others but they should still serve the sentence they were given. I can’t believe this is even a political issue right now!

if overcrowding is really issue, should capital punishment be given to the most SERIOUS offenders? For example for the two men that abused and assaulted that poor adopted boy. If they’re taking up space… that would solve the issue? They have no place in society and we certainly shouldn’t be worried if they feel cramped!!

Absolutely this.

There are not enough prisons full stop. It’s very difficult to get planning permission for new ones. This means that some people get let out early which doesn’t really serve justice.

NB some people are in prison on remand who haven’t been convicted of anything - they surely deserve to be treated reasonably because they haven’t been convicted if anything (yet) particularly given delays in the courts system may mean they are on remand for some time.

Yeah, exactly! Surely with technology / AI now the likelihood of ‘getting it wrong’ is very low.

You’d put someone’s life in the ‘hands’ of AI?

Exactly what about the humans rights of the person who was sexually assaulted.

But as long as crooks are comfy it’s all good.

Because overcrowding leads to violence in our prisons which I am sure you can understand is not a good thing?

What do you think it’s like for the prison officers? They get paid a pittance for what they do.

Thank you! I do understand to some extent and I am sorry that proson officers have to work in poor conditions but ultimately it is a prison and not a hotel. I’m not saying they should be treated worse than animals BUT the whole point of prison is that they lose any sort of ‘decent’ lifestyle. Also could making prisons ‘less crowded’ or ‘nicer’ might actually be incentive for them to re-offend? As they don’t have to do much for themselves in the outside world. Just playing devils advocate really

I've visited prisons and I can assure you that very few people would consider even the cushiest of them a "decent lifestyle".

And people who are going to reoffend won't be put off doing so because they think a prison is going to be overcrowded.

A large proportion of people in prison (probably a majority) are there because of addiction and/or mental health issues and some struggle to function on the outside. Rational thought processes about incentives/disincentives don't really come into it.

Prison should mean the deprivation of liberty, not deprivation of humanity and humane, comfortable conditions.

Yes I agree! Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t there different category of prisons though? So for petty crime (idk, burglary) you go to a low security prison? Sure, low security prisoners probably deserve to be treated reasonably as opposed to people in category A (I think it’s called!)

I couldn’t give a flying fuck about overcrowded prisons or the living conditions therein as long as the public are protected from dangerous criminals.

Cyanide capsules should be made freely available to criminals who find the living conditions intolerable. This would be a win-win. Fewer dangerous criminals, less expense to the taxpayer.

You are sadly mistaken @Ellie126 if you think AI is going to improve criminal justice because it has a nasty habit of hallucinating case law…..
www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/06/high-court-tells-uk-lawyers-to-urgently-stop-misuse-of-ai-in-legal-work

How many prisons have you spent time in?

Some homeless people are homeless because they have a criminal record and, as a result, are unable to find employment.

We, as a society, need to focus more on rehabilitation and job training rather then ‘punishment’. It’s the incarceration that is the punishment. Prisoners still deserve to be treated with dignity and consideration

I don't think many people care about overcrowding because of the wellbeing of inmates. It's expensive, it's a health and safety risk and it's poor working conditions for the staff.
I do care about the prisoners too, there are many prisoners that have learning difficulties, mental health issues and addiction issues that have led to their offending. Some would have been exploited from a young age. I do believe some will be innocent, I wouldn't trust a jury of random members of the public to make the right judgement. I know it goes through CPS which is a pretty high threshold but it can't be fool proof, nothing really is.

Personally none because I don’t go around commenting crimes.

A friends son ended up in one for stabbing and stealing mopeds.

Xbox, pool tables, mobile phones, he was loving life posting on tiktok. Got early release on tag.

First thing he did. Get a joint. Joyous.

is it? so nothing to do with public safety, nothing to do with rehabilitation, just them having a less nice life than they had before?

so if they were homeless and commited a crime, so you want them to sleep outside and not be fed cos it's arguably nicer to sleep inside and get regular food?

should we give rich prisoners a comparatively nicer life inside so their "change in lifestyle" is comparable?

if a woman kills her husband after years of DV do you want her to be regularly beaten so she doesn't think gosh isn't it nicer to not believe icing on fear of my life?

And rehabilitation

About 45% of prisoners reoffend within the first 12 months since being released. We should be working on stopping this.

Help for drug/alcohol addiction, training and education. Maybe tax breaks for companies who employ ex-prisoners.

Reducing crime for the rest of us

A civilised society would also care about the additional people who will be raped, murdered and abused because of letting these serious criminals out early.

No, they are held in in normal prisons. Lower security prisons eg cat D are those whose offences are not overly serious OR people whose offences were serious but they have reduced their risk and progressed through the system readying themselves for release.

Overcrowding isnt just about them not having the space to be comfortable. It is a stretch on all resources - staff cannot properly supervise too many, so they are locked up all day, which sounds like a great punishment until you realize the vast majority are getting out at some point and have spent their time high as a kite and making no changes. Crowded prisons increase drugs, violence and assaults against staff. They reduce rehabilitation and increase the chance of a high return rate. If squalor or harsh punishment was a deterrent, america or less civilized countries would have lower offending rates than Scandinavia, but the opposite is true

I've worked with offenders and inside prisons. I think this is highly doubtful.

OP, strongly recommend you listen to the 2024 Reith lectures - you may feel differently afterwards https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0025cmg

Would you like to be a prison officer, therapist, PE lead, teacher, cook or chef in an overcrowded and out of control prison? Or live close to that prison?

We probably need double the staff in prisons. Not more inmates. All hell wouod break loose and there'd be no hope of rehabilitating prisoners. We'd all pay the price.

Because we are a country that shows humanity, even to those who may not necessarily deserve it.

And, we understand how dangerous it could be for Prison Service staff if prisons are overcrowded.

Personally, I would build another prison, an absolutely huge one rather than release killers, rapists, violent people and paedophiles back into society.

I saw the videos he was posting. But 🤷🏻‍♀️

YANBU but I'm not a bleeding heart liberal.