Australia's Brutal Prison System

[Seth_Heinmann]

I wonder how may of you have ever been in prison, your experiences, what you learnt etc.

Did you know the most humane prison in the world is in Norway. Apparently, fights, stabbings and murder are virtually unknown inside their prisons. There is no screaming, no banging on steel doors, and prisoners have access to counselling services and social workers.

Rather, than sitting around doing nothing all day, prisoners have access to lots of activities and the prison guards actually complete a university degree on human rights, the law etc, to get the job.

Very different to Australian prisons. Check this article out http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/may/18/halden-most-humane-prison-in-world

 

[NickyJ]

That's very interesting. It seems like a nice idea, rehabilitating people like that. However jail would undoubtedly become much less of a deterrent in the first place so I'm not sure that this is such a great idea.

 

[psytaco]

^ I would say for all but the most brutal crimes jail is not a particularly big deterrent anyway. I am highly in favour of prison being used as a rehabilitative means, in all but the most serious of crimes (ie. cold hearted murder).

just on the title of the thread. By global standards Australian prisons are far from brutal. I am sure it is not fun and would be boring as shit, but unless you were in somewhere like Barwon prison or a similiar high security prison, I doubt you would run into much trouble at all, particularly not if you kept to yourself. Compare this to prisons in developing countries like in Asia, Latin America or India, where overcrowding and extreme brutality are the norm, or the US prison system which is really not much better, then I would pick Australian prisons any day of the week.

 

[cj]

That's very interesting. It seems like a nice idea, rehabilitating people like that. However jail would undoubtedly become much less of a deterrent in the first place so I'm not sure that this is such a great idea.

I disagree being locked away from your family and friends would still be hell even if it is like a decent hotel. If you want to talk about brutal prisons I believe the United States might take the prize.

 

[junkie skumbag]

^ I would say for all but the most brutal crimes jail is not a particularly big deterrent anyway. I am highly in favour of prison being used as a rehabilitative means, in all but the most serious of crimes (ie. cold hearted murder).

just on the title of the thread. By global standards Australian prisons are far from brutal. I am sure it is not fun and would be boring as shit, but unless you were in somewhere like Barwon prison or a similiar high security prison, I doubt you would run into much trouble at all, particularly not if you kept to yourself. Compare this to prisons in developing countries like in Asia, Latin America or India, where overcrowding and extreme brutality are the norm, or the US prison system which is really not much better, then I would pick Australian prisons any day of the week.

yeah i agree stick me in a aussie jail any day over a thai jail.

 

[laugh]

Australia could learn a lot from Scandinavia rather than sucking Americas HIV riddled dick!

 

[Busty St Clare]

I disagree being locked away from your family and friends would still be hell even if it is like a decent hotel. If you want to talk about brutal prisons I believe the United States might take the prize.

Might want to try South America, SE Asia or even the Middle East.

 

[Busty St Clare]

Australia could learn a lot from Scandinavia rather than sucking Americas HIV riddled dick!

The first thing Australians should learn is don't go to prison in the first place. I don't care what country they learn that from.

 

[laugh]

^ i agree haha they would be better off in the army or an OMCC

 

[infectedmushroom]

Umm...african prison anyone

Watch that doco on youtube of ross kemp meeting the numbers gang in south africa...

 

[Foreigner]

Russia has the worst ones. Sometimes they put more inmates in cells than there are beds, so they have to rotate who is standing and who lies down. They are given bread in soup in the worst ones, every single meal. Prisoners suffer from malnutrition unless they have family members who visit and bring them extra food. Guards beat up prisoners regularly just for the fun of it, and prison terms are long even for petty crimes. Some guys are serving 10 years just for petty theft!

The Russian prisons are awful but who's going to rebel when they are starving and in close quarters? American prisons are needlessly brutal, and not even in a way that is productive to deterring crime. Everyone divides by race and gang, and they are allowed to work out to build up muscle (and testosterone) which only makes them more aggressive. At the same time they cut things like education, counseling, and coursework from the prison systems. Honestly, what the hell is the point of American prisons other than for private corporations to profit, and to reinforce the crime rate?

People should not be sent to prison for victimless crimes. Prison should be reserved for people who are a genuine danger to society. That would mean less prisons and more money freed up to make the prisons we do have way more rehabilitating.

 

[Seth_Heinmann]

Some great feedback guys. It seems like many of the posts see prison as a place one goes to for punishment. I have always thought prison was the punishment for criminality, not the place to go FOR punishment. Though there are certainly worse jails then those in Australia, but surely taking the view that prisoners need punishment up and beyond simply restricting their movement to within the prison.

To me, the way we treat the people at the bottom of society is a reflection of society's morals and values. If we treat convicts as scum, then what is this saying about the values of society? In my view I'd like to see criminals taught positive ways to deal with their whatever made them become criminals (ie. rehabilitation). Rather than imprisoning a drug user for their illicit consumption (or for their illicit behaviour related to the need for money to supply the habit), for example, they should be provided with health treatment. This is rehabilitation without the burden of a gaol/jail sentence.

Whatever your views, surely most people what like to see criminals go on the straight and narrow once freed, rather than re-offend, back in gaol, get out, reoffend, back in jail... revolving door type thing? That's the way I see it anyway ...

 

[psytaco]

The first thing Australians should learn is don't go to prison in the first place. I don't care what country they learn that from.

sigh

you do realise that as a drug user you are considered a criminal. Hence, you can be arrested, prosecuted and potentially sent to jail.

 

[laugh]

Umm...african prison anyone

Watch that doco on youtube of ross kemp meeting the numbers gang in south africa...

yeh man i saw that n all they were doing was smoking crystal and eating alprazolam...it is a fun high but not every fucken day

 

[Busty St Clare]

Some great feedback guys. It seems like many of the posts see prison as a place one goes to for punishment. I have always thought prison was the punishment for criminality, not the place to go FOR punishment. Though there are certainly worse jails then those in Australia, but surely taking the view that prisoners need punishment up and beyond simply restricting their movement to within the prison.

To me, the way we treat the people at the bottom of society is a reflection of society's morals and values. If we treat convicts as scum, then what is this saying about the values of society? In my view I'd like to see criminals taught positive ways to deal with their whatever made them become criminals (ie. rehabilitation). Rather than imprisoning a drug user for their illicit consumption (or for their illicit behaviour related to the need for money to supply the habit), for example, they should be provided with health treatment. This is rehabilitation without the burden of a gaol/jail sentence.

Whatever your views, surely most people what like to see criminals go on the straight and narrow once freed, rather than re-offend, back in gaol, get out, reoffend, back in jail... revolving door type thing? That's the way I see it anyway ...

I see prison more as a deterrent. They best way to avoid living in a shit hole is not to be arrested in the first place. Some people refuse to be rehabilitated, why should these people be pandered to?

sigh

you do realise that as a drug user you are considered a criminal. Hence, you can be arrested, prosecuted and potentially sent to jail.

You do realise that not all drug users are considered a menace to society? I don't steal, get into fights, run around the streets causing a social disturbance or scream at my girlfriend while high at 3 am on a Sunday. My neighbours are happy to put up with the occasional smell of a spliff floating across the fence because they respect me and value me as an up standing member of our community. Police only use current drug laws as a tool to control undesirables. If they wanted to prosecute every person that committed a crime they would be a hell of a lot more efficient about it.

 

[Foreigner]

I see prison more as a deterrent. They best way to avoid living in a shit hole is not to be arrested in the first place. Some people refuse to be rehabilitated, why should these people be pandered to?

Some people are in jail for repeat possession, that's it. I would sort of agree with you if it weren't for the fact that there are too many unnecessary criminal laws on the books that send people to jail and ruin their lives for no good reason.

Most petty crimes could be dealt with via fine, community service, or much shorter jail terms. The three strikes law in the U.S. is a good example of something that's a complete waste of time and life.

 

[Busty St Clare]

I don't live in America.

 

[laugh]

how about that Hicks guy, the evidently innocent pseudo Terrorist tortured in Guantanamo...what a fucking joke...Julian Assange anyone?

We Americas cock and love it...when this disgraceful war on Oil & Poppy fields comes to an end we are going to end up with a whole heap of dickhead marines stationed in the NT.

If the amount of money spent on 'defence' and 'correction' ws spent on rehabilitation and poverty shit would hit the fan...maybe