In response to Dr Drew Gray’s letter on prisons (15 August), I don’t think what he’s saying is groundbreaking. In it, he asks “Do we actually want to reform criminals, or just lock them away so we don’t have to confront the causes of their offending?” Unfortunately the answer has historically been, and is very much still, the latter. Society has a habit of shying away from looking too deeply into the reasons behind criminality. Attitudes to people in prison are usually shaped by the mainstream media’s narrative. As Jung said, “Thinking is difficult, that’s why most people judge.”
Dr Gray isn’t the only person to believe that prison doesn’t work for the majority. But I wonder how he expects these changes to be made. Instigating any positive change from within is close to impossible. The excuse always given is that “it’s a security issue”. I was a nurse. I could only be kind, listen and do my job and even then I was fighting against a tide of judgment and apathy from colleagues. Personally I am not entirely convinced prisons were worse 200 years ago.
Systemic change won’t come from anywhere but the government, and should probably start with not abandoning the care of prisoners to the lowest bidder. Hiring proper staff and providing effective training, including ensuring a decent understanding of trauma and addiction, is essential.
Katie Haddon
Carshalton, London
Dr Gray has made the sweeping statement that prison does not work. However his assertion is based solely on prison’s role in rehabilitation, which is a complex issue and is not just the responsibility of prisons. Probation services, employers, family, friends and communities are all essential elements in helping to reduce reoffending.
In any civilised society, the prime purpose of any state-imposed punishment is to act as a deterrent; it could be argued that as only about 0.25% of the UK adult population are currently incarcerated, prison does work as a deterrent.
Stuart Harrington
Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset
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