Are Prisons Too Tough?

No they are not tough at all they have rights they can wear their own clothing have game consoles in there too they get 3 meals a day kept warm I think they should have no human rights if you end up in prison you wear the prison own clothing they get the minimal on everything it's a punishment I know people who break the law because they have in easier inside

I am so torn on this one. Some of the crimes committed deserve the very harshest punishments but on the other hand I sometimes feel being locked up for many years we need to keep them entertained and well kept in order to maintain calm and stop riots etc. I feel education within the prison walls and censored tv should be implemented. They should only be subjected to non-violent non criminal type programmes and spend their days working and being educated alternately, possibly with some sort of reward system for passing exams: Time off sentences rather than the automatic halving of their time inside. I could write an article on this so will leave it there.

Absolutely not especially over here, they're too sweet and cushty for them imo

My OH used to work in prisons, My FIL still does. They would tell you wholeheartedly there not tough enough.

You must be joking, 3 meals day, TVs kettles ect.. in cells now, bring back the old school prison, we the toilet was a bucket and TV time was on the wing for an hour every other day if your lucky

Should have the old style of prisons, that they worked as road cleaning gangs, should have nothing like a TV or games machines. They are better off than OAPs with 3 meals a day. No worries about paying bills. I say bring back the death sentence and public flogging.

Many prisons are run by private companies and ultimately they just want to keep prisoners under control for as little money as possible so they can make a profit. As I've said before I would have two different types of prisons, one for non-violent offenders and they would be worked hard and utilised to pay back financially for their crimes even if that means working as slaves in the fields for years.

For violent offenders prisons would be horrific and if they ever riot they get shot on site and that is the end of it. We should never mix non-violent and violent offenders in my opinion.

No way I think the prison system is a joke, that’s why they can’t wait to go back, should be locked up without any comforts or tv etc. just educated read books nothing else. Do the crime do your time without any benefits!

I think it's hard to even be put into one at the moment and serve the time but no I don't believe they are tough at all. In fact some of them lead a very happy life and just want to go back in after serving some of their time.

No they are too soft most of them end up getting out and then after a few weeks they are back in some of them treat it like a hotel. A holiday the courts need to stop locking up people who have done silly things like haveing no TV licence or first time shop lifters and try and address the reason people have broken the law in the 1st place

Really prison need only be for the most serious cases like murders rapes GBH ect

Any sex offerds needs to have their bits cut off

Our prisons are not tough enough, hence the re-offending rate. They get it too easy and it's a luxury to some criminals. I think Donald trumps got the right idea wanting alcatraz opened for Americas worst prisoners!

Prison was supposed to be a punishment and it was supposed to be that bad that criminals wouldn't want to return.

I have no experience of prison, other than what I see on the television or in the newspapers, but other than some of the old prisons being a bit over crowded (which is probably more of a danger for the prison guards) they seem to have everything they need, 3 meals a day, clothes, laundry, television and radios, warm rooms etc, and yes I do understand very infrequently they are indoors 23/24 hours, but I wouldn't think it's that often, they are prisoners for a reason, they can earn money, get an education, which is more than lots of our old folk get and they probably get a better education than some children

If they don't want to serve the time, don't commit the crime

I’ve never been to prison (either as an inmate or visitor) so couldn’t really say tbh. The general consensus seems to be we are too soft in this country, not too tough.

Easy life.

Those that have been then they will know.

Agree UK prison is better than other countries.

I only went to the local cells at the local station and I can say you don't want to be there

Not tough enough, they get everything as stated above. I work with offenders released from prison on licence. Most of them just want to go back to prison because of how easy they have it. They get everything done for them.

They all claim mental health and act like they’re the victims. Our taxes are paying for them!

I think too many people have too much to say about a subject they have no real life experience of! That combined with the media painting out of context pictures of the UK prison service. Also with those comments being made behind a computer and not in person or in a discussion. I think those who are instantly anti ex-offenders are likely lacking any real life knowledge of such a subject. How would you feel if you read derogatory and uniformed comments and your loved one was serving time or was an ex offender; your father, mother, sister, brother, best friend etc? What if your loved one was innocent and branded for a terrible crime and they were the victim of the authorities? Rightly, or wrongly we are all humans, and yes some people have made stupid, or even terrible mistakes and they serve their time. But who knows what occurs behind closed doors and in the entirety of someone's life? There is also the level of crime from driving offences to the worst kind. But if you were well informed, you would know that more than 70% of people who are in jail suffer with mental health difficulties, and those are the people with an official diagnosis, read the report by UK parliament committees.parliament.uk/publications/7455/documents/78054/default/. People do not make unfounded comments about mental health in this century, as they used to. Just consider the huge link between mental health and convictions. But most importantly "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.”

I personally, don't consider all people to be human and that is a distinct set who commit unspeakable things at the highest of levels. But aside from that, there are people who can change, and they do. I am concerned at how ready society is to judge, point fingers, and throw away people for their past. It is understandable the issue of trust but people are far too unforgiving. There are people who do reflect upon their past actions and change to become better people. it is surprising reading many Victorian views during the year 2025! Prison is designed to take away your liberties during which time a sentence is served. NOT a persons human rights, as that is a direct violation of the term itself, discriminatory, and highly oppressive. The root of the cause is what needs addressing and real change. Happy reading

When you see how other countries treat their prisoners it's interesting to see ours are deemed to hard. I agree we are soft

Obviously the prisons are not tough enough otherwise people would not re-offend. They get in trouble to get back in as they are safer inside than out.

He couldn't be.

He's married

He'd have to divorce

Become a priest and then work up from there

The Orthodox Christians who are brothers and sisters of the Catholics, those priests can marry, actually.

And for Protestants... You have Anglican priests who are also married. Anglicans were once united with Catholics, then they split, yet they still have the same creed.

The stats for reoffending are a good indication of prison not being an effective system and from personal experience of knowing people who have done time, it's definitely not a sustainable option for punishment.

Corruption is rife by Inmates and Staff alike.