Violent Offenders in open prisons....Is a tricky one !!

I see some violent offender with life sentences has absconded from an Open prison........The issue has become a political football and no doubts Joe public's shock at a Man like this being in one may lead to some tough policies on this sort of thing come election time...

But let's think about it.......Long sentences in a maximum security prison is bound to lead to institutionalisation.......A guy who has no contact with the outside World for ten or so years and is then let out to find a home, gain employment and try to integrate with people is bound to feel isolation......I imagine serious offenders feeling like cornered cats can pose a pretty big risk !!

Open prisons allow offenders to integrate slowly...Gives access to family.........Helps them with relocation problems and statistics show lead to a lesser chance of re-offending.....Bedding them in etc..

Just because one thuggish idiot abuses the deal doesn't mean politicians should do anything rash.....

I can understand the Public being concerned that this guy was in an open prison but he was due to be let out a short time down the road anyway....

To me If Violent offenders are to be released and in my opinion sentences should be harder........Then an open prison seems a good idea to me when nearing their expiry date..

Depends on how they behave in prison.

behave well and you get credit. Not a fan of long convictions for murderers tho I mean whats the point but thats another discussion.

ONETWOFOREVER wrote:Depends on how they behave in prison.

behave well and you get credit. Not a fan of long convictions for murderers tho I mean whats the point but thats another discussion.

WTF!

I can say no more.

All effort should be made to rehabilitate an offender if, in the long run, he or she is to be released.

To me there are two options;
1. Lock up violent offenders for life, or until they are considered too old or ill to be of any danger. Or;
2. Make rehabilitation the primary objective of any custodial sentence regardless of the political implications of treating violent offenders with humanity.

I heavily favour option 2. However, locking up violent offenders for long periods, without any real attempt to rehabilitate or prepare them for release, and then releasing them is utterly negligent.

The welfare of potential future victims should be a factor when sentencing. In fact, I believe it should be the main factor under consideration. It galls me to see rapists and murderers treated with such compassion, my instincts want them to be severely punished. However, not at the expense of a future victim.

If open prisons help to rehabilitate these people, then I am fully in favour of them.