[Moleskins]

I would like to see convicted murderers having no access to the outside world, media, etc. And expected to do some form of work to earn their keep.

How are they going to get to the polling station if they have no access to the outside world and any work will be at the minimum wage which many on the outside are on.
Difference with the ones on the outside is they have to pay their bills.


Not my choice but the EU will have it that way, won't they.

[Bionic]

Just to make it clear why I closed the other thread, 175 views, but only 17 votes, The thread died of appathy, so 158 viewers couldn't care less either way . I suspect the same applies to politics.

I didn't vote but not because of appathy. I don't believe there is a clear cut answer and the voting only allowed for yes or no
Sally

[SteveHants]

I wouldnt have voted because I didn't agree with the premise "guilty beyond any doubt". Ergo, for me it was a straw poll anyway. I wouldn't have prisoners doing paid work, because all it leafs to is private companies cosying up to HM Govt for some cheap labour. Labour that were it not given to prisoners, would mean jobs for non crimnals outside of prison paid at the proper rate.

[YorkshireLass]

Shutting the other thread "because no one cares" smacks of petulance to me, and I hesitate to say that because I have no personal issues with anyone here.


I am crap at making black-and-white decisions; I much prefer to read and discuss and slowly draw to a conclusion. It was just getting interesting!


On the one hand, we as a civilised (!) society can and MUST be better than the hordes baying for blood.
On the other hand there are several people I would like to see strung up - but that is my own petty vengeance speaking.


Something fundamental needs to change in our attitude to crime and criminals. How often is the "bad boy" seen as exciting? I'd be more inclined to bring back the stocks than the gallows. A few buckets of fish heads might cure the casual yob of his/her swagger...

[bazzais]

'Caring' for or incarcerating people that break the (your extreme ideas of lawbreakers) law is the price we have to pay for not having anarchy in the streets.

You have to think that one day if you we did bring back capital punishment for breaking the law - they might just invent a law that you would break.

Law is supposed to be emotive - your not supposed to think of the cost - you cant just kill someone if they break the law - no-matter how hanous the crime - thats where law steps in and emotions step out.

[Bumblebear]

As someone with more than a bit of experience in the criminal justice system I can honestly say I think the law is an ass; HOWEVER I strongly believe that captial punishment has no place in a civilised society.  Now as for life meaning life......and sentences not meaning "out on licence" (read:go for a chat to your probation officer if you feel like it....).....that's a different ball park 

[Castle Farm]

Two comments on this being a civilised society. How civil is killing somebody?

[Beewyched]

I don't agree with hanging or pts in any manner for crime - BUT I do believe in "proper" sentencing & making sure there is some kind of "payback to society".
IMHO - Yes, MOST prisoners should have basic human rights & be given an opportunity to have a second chance, but not the ones that have caused intentional harm (murderers, rapists or paedophiles etc). 
Why can't prisoners be put on treadmills & produce "no/low carbon energy" to power the prison they are housed in & any extra sold back to the national grid to help pay for their keep?

[NormandyMary]

I believe that anyone who actually wants a return of the death penalty, should also be prepared to pull the lever to the trap door or push the button that starts off the lethal injection.
Now I KNOW that I wouldn't be able to do that, even if the convict was a beast. I cant even kill a chicken for goodness sake.
Its such an emotive subject and at times I have thought to myself "that b***ard should hang, but when the chips are down could I even be a jury member at the trial if I knew he/she would be sentenced to death. So I go back to my previous post on the other thread. Life means life, hard labour, no contact with the outside. (This for the most heinous crimes only though, otherwise its unworkable)

[JFDI]

Ruth Ellis certainly did kill her lover and her confession was undoubtedly true.  She should never have been hanged for it though.  This stuff gets complicated

[deepinthewoods]

this is all well and good but in reality,
there are, out there, people who are just plain evil. 
people who are too twisted and dark.
 murderous child rapists should be put to sleep.

[JFDI]

Trouble comes when villains have killed and haven't been caught.  No downside in killing again

Civilisation is a bit ragged round the edges.  The US approach to execution seems to be enormously crap.

[RUSTYME]

I am 100% against hanging , although i can understand family members of murder victims calling for the death penalty , but that  has nothing to do with justice .
Neither does demanding the death penalty while in the same breath asking " why should i pay to keep them ?" . 
A very small minority of the uk population are in prison , an even smaller amount commit murder .  The money collected in fines by revenue collecters , from speeding motorists , covers the cost of keeping the relatively few murderers in prison , and speeding motorists kill far more people every year than
murderers do .
 As i say , i am against the death penalty . However , if my life or that of any of my family , were in danger , i would be prepared to kill an attacker in self defence . If any of my family were taken by a murderer i would most likely want revenge , vengeance call it what you will , but i would still call for no death penalty .
It is an emotive subject and as i said before , as long as we are under the rule of the eu , one we have no say in .

[Bionic]

Why can't prisoners be put on treadmills & produce "no/low carbon energy" to power the prison they are housed in & any extra sold back to the national grid to help pay for their keep?

I like that idea 

[tizaala]

Rusty, I know where you're coming from on this issue, But to help you understand my point of view,  my grandfather attended the last public hanging in this country , he told me it was the the most awsome deterrent to the crime of murder, and had a profound effect on all who attended , and witnessed the event, If this was still in place young men would think twice before getting hold of guns and grenades and re-enacting the video games for real.
And just for the record , my old man was in No3 Royal Marine Commando ,Loffoten Raid and a lot of others he never talked about  He taught me well.