The prison melt down begins
Violence fears as prisons fill up
The new Government's hardline stance on crime means more inmates may have to share cells, increasing the risk of prison violence. National talked tough on bail and parole during the election, but now concedes that a new prison might not be built soon enough to meet its tough-on-crime policies. Corrections Minister Judith Collins said she had received a commitment from the department's chief executive, Barry Matthews, to house any increased muster in existing prisons. Ms Collins would not go into details, but said double-bunking - housing two inmates in one cell - could be a solution.
Almost on schedule from my last prediction on this, we now get news that the prison population is already starting to back up. NationalACT are ramming changes in the bail and parole laws through Parliament over the holidays while the mainstream media are in Fiji in a misuse of urgency that we have not seen since 1998. No debate, no dissent, no questions of whether this medieval law and order policy should be warped by hate rather than reason and the consequences quickly follow. NationalACTs solution to the melt down is to introduce Dick Cheney’s private prison industry which only cares about profits not the rehabilitation of the prisoners. We are sowing the seeds to a bitter harvest when these violent and un-rehabilitated prisoners are released back into society, the sheer stupidity and futility of harsher sentences within a prison system that is not funded to rehabilitate is something each NZer who voted NationalACT will have to take responsibility for.
posted by Bomber @ 6:52 am
24 comments
24 Comments:
Yes, because the public prison system does such a great job of rehabilitating!
Oh and I don't think you quite understood the harsher sentences policy: The violent and un-rehabilitated prisoners are never going to be released back into society. So I'm not sure what bitter harvest could possibly be reaped there. People who would have suffered and died are still alive? Gosh, sounds awful.
This is terrible news for would-be victims who now have to go about their daily lives without being assaulted, raped, robbed, murdered etc. My heart bleeds for these prisoners it really does. And to top it off I must take responsibility for it for voting National. Oh well, I'll do my best to carry on.
"the sheer stupidity and futility of harsher sentences within a prison system that is not funded to rehabilitate is something each NZer who voted NationalACT will have to take responsibility for"
As long as you take responsibility for everyone who has been murdered, raped or seriously assualted by someone on parole....
Thats right sdm.
bomber has the blood of every person who has been murdered by a parolee in the last nine years.
using his logic.
I didn't vote for the system that saw those people murdered by a parolle in the last nine years, you on the other hand HAVE voted for a hard right regime that will only make the situation much worse.
Im sorry but the legacy of NZ's 'soft on violent crime' is that Nasty people have been released and reoffended. Did you not support that?
Why do you want people like William Bell ever getting out.
I have voted for a system in which Scum like Bell never get out.
Why not have the deterent of tougher sentences?
No scott, NZ has allowed hatred to warp social policy and this has been whipped up by your mates on the right and sadly condoned by labour. This new private system will worse than the old underfunded public system and all we'll have to feel good about it is your own sense of self-righteous vengeance.
So what do you suggest be done to Bell and co? Try and rehabilitate and cross our fingers and hope he doesnt do it again?
The facts speak for themselves. Norway has the lowest rate of violent re-offending. U.S. has the highest. Obviously U.S. is doing something wrong and Norway is doing something right. So, Scott, why is it so ideal that we follow the American model in this case?
You know what Scott, your sympathy seems to be very selective, but it always seems to be that way with you right wing nut bars. Whenever I mention prisoner rights there is an immediate scream of “what about victim rights” which is the exact same game you right wingers play whenever I mention Palestinian rights, you scream “what about Israel’s rights”. Let me be VERY clear on this point – I don’t think we do nearly enough for victims in this country, look at the appalling lack of support for rape victims and the fact only 1% of rapes result in a prosecution – that’s a system that needs help. I think as a compassionate society we have to do more for victims in terms of compensation and counseling services, but I also believe we need to be compassionate for everyone, and that includes prisoners. So you love all these new harsh new measures huh Scott, double bunking – Scott tell me where your sympathy was in Febuary last year when a middle class prisoner in for credit card fraud was raped by his cell mate because they were forced to double bunk – everyone in prison deserve the bash and a bit of rape do they Scott? These are the harsh new measures you are cheerleading Scott, it won’t just be the worst damaged individuals like Bell who face these harsh conditions, it’s anyone caught up in our prison system.
Prisons are just warehouses of the poor.
A failed concept England (temporarily) abandonded in the C18th/C19th with the more enlightened Transportation, an acknowledgement it was poor/slum conditions that made crime.
Transportation gave a new life and a better one. Once this was realised by the non-criminal classes, transportation was stopped to tidy up that dirty past and prisons once again became places of horror rather than enlightenment.
Next option really has to be Finlands open prisons, but in order that that is acceptable an ACC fund needs to be paid in reparation to victims then the Govt can attempt to regain any expenses from the criminal.
Locking people up is just a waste of time & 90% illiterate, says it all.
Michael
Sigh - you are both putting words in my mouth. My point is that "people" like Bell should never ever get out. And there should be no parole for violent offenders. Of course prisoners have rights - there is no way anyone, Bell or middle-class-fraud-guy should get raped in prison. And your comments on rape are very accurate.
And as for your palestinian comment, I fail to see the relevance?
Shouldn't you be running your 'successful' business SDM? You seem to be spending a lot of time pointlessly attacking Bomber these days. Do you really think your half baked arguments and vitriol will change his mind about anything?
What is with the crazy rightwing online vigilante thing?
So I am a crazy right wing vigilante because I never want Bell to get out?
Right
So I am a crazy right wing vigilante because I never want Bell to get out?
No you're a crazy right wing vigilante because you hang around Tumeke ready to pounce on Bombers every word at a moments notice. Seriously, how much time do you waste? Do you ever offer anything constructive? Seems to me like you just contort Bombers words around in some witless attempt to big yourself up.
so a vigilante is one who disagrees. How very clever of you...
And btw: I agree with some of what bomber says.....
so a vigilante is one who disagrees. How very clever of you...
No, only one that rants and raves like you do...
I still find it fascinating that you can take so much time out of your day running your supposedly successful business to troll around on an obviously left wing website. Do you really have nothing better to be doing?
Well actually im off work at the moment, doctors orders ya know, actually bored to bits so sitting on the net........
Well surely you must have some filing or something to do?!
Anyhow, I'm sure Bomber doesn't need Anons like me to fight his battles for him. Just though I'd express my displeasure at having to wade through your prattlings whilst I'm getting my daily dose of Leftie polemic.
With the increasing maori and PI populations, it's obvious our prison system population will increase.
Boo Hoo. My heart bleeds fucking custard. Who gives a shit if they have to share a cell it's not suppose to be a holiday camp like it is.They are worried that they wont have complete control over the remote and fights will break out. So what. I bet all the tea in China Bomber that if a tragic crime was committed against you or your family your attitude would change. Stop being so namby pamby.
As those exceptionally good documentary series "porridge" and "bad-girls" showed, the luxury of one person cells should not be applied in any properly considerate prison.
English cells were built in Victorian times for single occupancy. AFter the surge in prisoners that follwed the crime escallation of post WWII Socialist Governments it was decided to save money on new prisone by giveing the lasds a 'bunk-up' as well as a single bed, trippling the capacity of the prison stock at very little capital investment.
While the occasional problem still occurs from 'elistist' prisoners trying to subdue their cellmates propensity to breath in their presence, this has largely been eliminated by the need for a 2:1 majority for the action intended. Usually there is only one of the three off their head at any one time, and that one is quickly and easily subdued by the other two while waiting for the white-coats to respond to the alarm-bell (such response time has never exceeded 12 hours I am assured.
So there we have it. Money saved, bodies preserved, frustration levels controlled, and good old kiwi chat promoted. What more could a good socialist desire? (Oh yes. Sorry, they had to remove the Cell-TVs to get the extra bed in, but they made up for that by puttin a sixteen inch screen tv in the common area, behind the chicken wire and 2" steel mesh.)
Boo Hoo. My heart bleeds fucking custard. Who gives a shit if they have to share a cell it's not suppose to be a holiday camp like it is.They are worried that they wont have complete control over the remote and fights will break out. So what. I bet all the tea in China Bomber that if a tragic crime was committed against you or your family your attitude would change. Stop being so namby pamby.
And when you release these dehumanised prisoners who have been abused and locked up like rats in a cage beepee, what then, what happens when they come leave that environment more damaged than when they went in?
Observer I realize the above is your desperate and terribly up your own arsehole attempt at humor, but after writing off Tim's brilliantly funny Royal monologue you've proven yourself simply too dull for any wit at all, stick to the high horse wagging of your finger, at least you're good at that.
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