Jail reforms - a hung jury still out

Pat Booth

Relevant offers

OPINION: No surprise. Views from a specialist forensic psychiatrist quoted in this column - that tougher, longer sentences could actually cause more crime rather than deter it, that long-term jailing of fathers causes at-risk sons to offend more, and too many prisoners having serious mental health problems - predictably struck raw nerves among readers.

The verdict from a full mailbag: That community views on prison reform, punishment, causes and effects, are sharply split.

Two sample views:

From Bruce Torkington:

"We need to take a very long look at our attitudes towards crime and how we deal with lawbreakers in general. The research you mentioned clearly asks us to do just this and we could lead the world. We can't just keep building more jails. It will eventually become far too expensive.

"We should stop using the word punishment, as in crime and punishment. Replace it with something like correction. This attitude needs to change society-wide. No one is born bad. Antisocial behaviour is learned and can equally be unlearned.

"I'm not suggesting we go soft on criminals, instead be firm, be considerate of the real causes of crime and look at more creative solutions than just throwing people behind bars.

"Criminals need re-educating but they often have deep-seated mental disorders while not necessarily being clinically identified as having this or that condition. Many of these disorders can be treated with something as simple as dietary changes including large doses of vitamins. It has been done and its effects are enduring.

"We need greater emphasis on work and career development within prison. People who commit crimes should not simply be allowed to rest up for a few years at the taxpayer's expense while their attitudes 'inside' fester and worsen.

"Prison should be synonymous with work rather than punishment. Make them work, but also make that work fulfilling because without satisfaction people will hate work. Training would also classify as work. Clearly, such a process would have to be closely monitored to avoid abuse.

"I hear people yelling 'What about the victims'. Criminals should not simply be allowed to walk away from their past by sitting behind bars. Teach them accountability by building into their future some method for compensating their victims. Criminality is a disease first and foremost and should be recognised as such.

"Face-to-face sessions with victims should also be encouraged, as distasteful as many victims may consider the thought. At the right time, in the right setting, such sessions are very healing for both parties.

"There will be those who can't be changed, at least in the forseeable future, but I suggest they will be a minority and who knows what set of circumstances will eventually cause a person to rethink?

"Generally, we need to give criminals hope that if they are genuinely interested in changing, the opportunities will be there. Prisons need to become more humane, not by becoming more like holiday camps, rather by becoming more like special schools. Let's stop being tough and start being firm and intelligent.

"Not enough emphasis is given to prevention. My wife is an art therapist, dealing with potential criminals at a very early age. Criminal tendencies can be detected early and creative therapies turn the attention to constructive activities. They are very effective but of course we seem to have to wait until the criminal within surfaces before we start throwing money at the problem.

"These therapists have masters degrees, their systems are scientifically proven and they work. She works with children and kids change very fast. But funding for her group is really difficult to find. She works for not much more than a labourer's rate. We can find millions for sports stadiums but what about fixing society's problems before they occur?"

From James Burnett:

"I read that column with some alarm and partially reject the expert's views for a number of reasons. I don't doubt the figures quoted.

"The obvious alternative to lock-em-up is to allow them to continue to roam our streets and continue to commit more crime. Yes, one can implement bracelets that monitor but these are pretty unsuccessful.

"Parole has been a miserable failure - many crimes are committed by those on parole.

"But, worst of all, any solution that allows the criminal to go free means that more innocent people suffer due to additional crimes. Also, we are rewarding bad behaviour - the message is you can commit crime and get away with it.

"We need to change the rules around lock-em-up. When the at-risk boys visit their father in prison today, what do they see? That Dad is comfortable, happy, gets free food, free board and lodging, under-floor heating, free training, has access to radio, TV, the internet and games.

"And he gets time to spend with like-minded mates all day, every day. He's having a great time: A great stress-free environment! No bills to pay, no job to get up early to go to. Doesn't have to deal with unreasonable bosses and work hard to get a bit of money. Doesn't have to worry about how to pay the bills. Doesn't have to worry about a roof that is leaking or a car that needs repair.

"No wonder the at-risk kids see prison as not too bad.

"Take away the free facilities at prisons and make them more places of doom and gloom. Prisoners must be treated harshly as punishment for crimes committed. And any talk-back to prison guards is severely dealt with.

"Prisoners should be organised into work parties, both day and night, to produce goods to be sold, with proceeds to victims, not to the prisoners.

"Then when at-risk kids see a wide-eyed dad who hates prison and would do anything - just anything not to be there - the message is very loud and clear: Avoid prison - don't follow in dad's footsteps. It's best that this advice comes from dad himself.

"Rehabilitation is currently directed at the prisoner - another miserable failure as some 80 percent of prisoners reoffend in a short space of time. Change the way we do rehabilitation. There must be carrot and stick. My impression is it's all carrot. Talk to the social worker, talk to the psychologist. It's hopeless as a technique.

"When the major breadwinner (normally the father) is jailed, a case manager must spend time with the family regularly to stop other members of the family starting or continuing in crime. Crime often runs in families because of bad role models. Rehabilitation must be given to other members of the family as perceived necessary.

"Much crime is drug-related. If any family members are on drugs or involved in gangs then dramatic action is required. If they are willing to change, then a programme of action must be implemented.

"But if they are not willing to change then we have the tragic situation that it's only a question of time before they are caught for crime and end up in prison as well.

"People commit crime because they choose to do so. They know right from wrong and choose the wrong.

"At-risk boys and girls must be separated from each other and immediately be put into different boot camps for a year.

"Separate the genuine mentally ill from those who fake it. Treat the genuine cases in mental institutions but leave the fakers in prison. We absolutely must continue to lock-em-up for very long periods.

"Now is not the time to go soft because of experts."

Thank you for all the differing views on this topic.

To contact Pat Booth email offpat@snl.co.nz. All replies are open for publication unless marked not for publication. Because of the large numbers of responses it is not possible to answer all correspondence.