Criminals Could Fill Potholes And Clean Bins Under Government Plans

[naomi24]

//It comes as prisons across the country are struggling to deal with overcrowding after the number of offenders behind bars hit a new high.

A government source said: "With prisons so close to collapse, we are going to have to punish more offenders outside of prison.//

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqj7d1dwz1vo

 

So what will they be doing the rest of the time?

[Old_Geezer]

So enforced labour taking jobs the unemployed need ?

[barry1010]

We've had community service for many years. It must be 40 years since my grandmother's was decorated under such a scheme.

More prisons is what we need, not more convicted criminals let off

[New Judge]

I sometimes wonder where some politicians keep their brains.

It will never, ever work. 

1. The hand wringing brigade will immediately suggest that those subject to unpaid work,which is the normal preserve of working people, are being enslaved.

2. The trades unions will not hear of it. It will be taking work and jobs from their members.

3. How diligent do they suppose a criminal ordered to do unpaid work will be when fixing the country’s infrastructure?

4. As with all non-custodial sanctions, there has to be a back stop if those subject to them fail to comply. The only sanction that requires no compliance is prison. Er….er….
 

[barry1010]

They would be claiming compensation for injury, sick benefits and everything else they can think of

[naomi24]

Criminals who commit what are regarded as 'lesser' crimes now are spared prison so these are obviously people who, under the current system, would normally receive a custodial sentence.  I wonder how serious their crimes will have to be before they end up in jail?

[ladybirder]

What a nightmare!

[pastafreak]

This came to mind...

Actual chain gangs were seen as a "progressive penal reform movement". 

[naomi24]

At least they went back to jail at the end of the day, pasta.

[Hymie]

Many years ago I recall seeing a young woman undertaking this type of restitution in Los Angeles.  She was picking up litter along the roadside with a correctional officer overseeing her work.

 

I thought to myself how much is this costing the state to implement such a scheme.

[New Judge]

"I thought to myself how much is this costing the state to implement such a scheme."

The entire justice system costs shedloads of money.

It could cost a lot less than it does, but it would still cost a lot. The alternative is to impose no justice at all.

[pastafreak]

True Naomi. I'd like to think the government's plan would serve to instil a work ethic or sense of accomplishment in a small percentage...but I'm not holding my breath.

[sandyRoe]

It's time to think outside the box and consider what was formerly unmentionable, corporal punishment.

Twenty or more strokes with the birch for young offenders would see a massive reduction in much petty crime like shoplifting or riding e-bikes.

 

[barry1010]

When I was at school it was always the same boys that kept getting caned, they treated it like a badge of honour, worn with swagger.

It might put some off reoffending but I doubt it would make any real difference.  

[vulcan42]

" 3. How diligent do they suppose a criminal ordered to do unpaid work will be when fixing the country’s infrastructure?"

I remember reading about a similar scheme a few years ago when prisoners were sent out to plant bulbs on the outskirts of  local town. Come the spring and the first view visitors saw when entering the town was hundreds of daffodils spelling out swear and rude words.

[barry1010]

I must admit they do a good job of keeping the church graveyard clean and tidy.  

[Untitled]

the root cause of this is overcrowding in prisons. there is not enough prison space and so yeah in the short term at least they need another solution. that is a fact. 
 

why is there a shortage of prison spaces? because we didn't build enough or keep the ones we had in working order for some years. for generations we have been governed by people determined to make concessions to voters who have an ideological dislike of the public sector. as is so often the case our infrastructure is crumbling because we neglected to invest in keeping it good. 
 

now the same people who voted for all that slap their foreheads and marvel at how stupid the government is. the root cause of this had nothing to do with starmer. it was the tories. 

[Canary42]

If we must force criminals to do labour, bring back the treadmill.

 We could always design the treadmills as generators and feed the power into the grid - renewable energy. 

Extra time added to sentences for any time treadmill not working hard enough.

[straydog]

What an excellent idea Canary!  2 birds - 1 stone

[youngmafbog]

The elephant in the room of course is why we have so many foreign criminals in our prison system.  Deport them and that will clear out some space whist we build some more.

Of course if 2TK stopped imprisoning politcal prisoners then that may help too.

If we are to continue with mass immigration then the whole infrastructure needs to be upgraded, including prisons.  Problem is the advocates of open mass migration dont seem to get this. Very odd.

 

[10ClarionSt]

What people aren't told about is the large numbers of convicted people who are given community service but never turn up. It happens a lot and in many cases they are not pursued.