Should Smoking Be Banned In Prisons?

I've got a BBC West Midlands live radio interview tonight with Stuart Ellis after 10pm about smoking being banned in UK prisons and whether UK prisons are too soft vis-a-vis my US jail experience.

Any thoughts on what to say please?

Here's the link if you want to listen shortly after 10pm UK time tonight: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/bbc_wm

Thanks,

Shaun Attwood
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3 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:01 PM

    On the Uk being too soft:

    From what you have written over the last few years, it's clear to me that being cut off from society and not in control of your day is pretty horrible without having to fear for your life/starve/endure bugs/heat and cold.

    Might be worth pointing out (if it is your experience) that when people are in those circumstances they react badly and take it out on others.

    I suspect there is enough incentive to not want to go back to prison without those things.
    Might be good to have some stats handy on the difference in recidivism between Arizona and some UK prisons.

    On smoking:

    As a non-smoker did you find everyone smoking a problem? I can see the govt withdrawing the right on the basis of:
    1. Not wanting to be sued by non-smoking inmates for lung cancer.
    2. Not wanting to have to pay the medical bills of long term smoking inmates.

    Having said that it seems somewhat pointless. If they want to look after the prison population, perhaps stop the drugs first and then worry about smoking. If they can't stop drugs that are illegal in society now, what's the point in trying to stop smoking.

    Maybe they should go all the way and make prison more like a health farm. Good food, no smoking, no alcohol, compulsory yoga, meditation, psychiatrist visits and reading lists. Early release if you participate and can pass an exam testing you on your reading list, get a tick from the psychitrist and you can achieve certain yoga positions.

    I'm sure you could come up with a programme!

    Gerald.

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  2. Jon1:35 AM

    thanks, Gerald

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  3. Unknown6:03 AM

    My answer will be yes. Since smoking is injurious to health, it should be banned in public as well as in prison.


    Electronic Cigarette

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