France

Incarceration Nation

French prisons are becoming an embarrassment.

By Tracy McNicoll | NEWSWEEK

Published Aug 2, 2008

From the magazine issue dated Aug 11, 2008

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Discuss

Posted By: bentlyssportswear @ 08/08/2008 1:41:30 PM

Comment: Maybe its time for the French. Government to seriously look at the benefits of Restorative Justice and its effect on bludgeoning prison populations. This system can run parallel with the Retributive Justice system. Restorative Justice is founded on principles of non-violence, reconciliation, and forgiveness, unlike their present system based on Retribution.It is a (new ) approach based on (ancient)principles of spirituality. Restitution of the victim rather than punishment for the offender (in the retributive sense).Punishment can perpetuate the cycle of justice; forgiveness can stop the cycle of violence.
Posted By: bentlyssportswear @ 08/08/2008 1:37:38 PM

Comment: Maybe its time for the French. Government to seriously look at the benefits of Restorative Justice and its effect on bludgeoning prison populations. This system can run parallel with the Retributive Justice system. Restorative Justice is founded on principles of non-violence, reconciliation, and forgiveness, unlike their present system based on Retribution.It is a (new ) approach based on (ancient)principles of spirituality. Restitution of the victim rather than punishment for the offender (in the retributive sense).Punishment can perpetuate the cycle of justice; forgiveness can stop the cycle of violence.
Posted By: Jim Parker @ 08/08/2008 1:16:03 PM

Comment: People will always alter their state of consciousness, that will never change, we need to stop sending perfectly good tax-paying citizens to prison for smoking pot and doing other drugs and where they come out criminals instead of rehabililtated. We did not learn our lesson from prohibition i.e. gangsters, legalize and deal with the addictions the way we deal with alcholism.
Posted By: Jim Parker @ 08/08/2008 1:05:52 PM

Comment: People have altered their state consciousness for centuries and they are not going to stop now just because they get throwed in prisons, when are we going to get our heads out of our asses and change the drug laws in the world and quit sending tax paying citizens to prison for doing drugs where they come out real criminals because of what they learn in our over-crowded prisons. You would think we learned our lesson when we prohibited alchohol and started the gangster problem that we still have today because of illegal drugs. Legalize some drugs and just deal with the addictions the way we deal with alcholism. We take perfectly good tax-paying citizens and throw them in prison for smoking pot and let child molesters and violent criminals go free, what the the hell is wrong with us!
Posted By: cdugga @ 08/08/2008 10:39:44 AM

Comment: Overcrowded prisons are a major symptom of corrupt and or disfunctional government. I am curious who all these prisoners are. In the US it is reported that over 60% of the prison population is there for non-violent offenses like drug posession. What is wrong with our society that so many people seek escape in drug use? If good jobs were available here would there be as many people in prison? Like so many things nobody is addressing the root causes of the problems in this country and real solutions. The comments I've read here help to illustrate the ignorance chosen by the majority. "Drop them off on an island with bread and water". I agree that we need to have much stronger deterence for violent criminals in the form of elimination rather than long and expensive incarceration, but at the same time we should recognize that most people in prison are there because of a lack of oppurtunity to succeed. Many people if not most fail to recognize their own good fortune and the support that kept them from succumbing to a life of crime. This irresponsibilty is predisposed to influence from the most ignorant who claim unrealistic moronic solutions like "lock them all up and throw away the key" Yea, that will work and that's what is gonna happen. JEEZE!
Posted By: ReetPleet @ 08/06/2008 2:55:27 PM

Comment: American prisons hold no fear or threats to inmates. They like it there. The food is great, no rent is paid, health needs a covered, clothing cost are zero, ya aint got to work, you can generally kick it. Three hots and a cot-plus a punk in the bunk.
Posted By: ReetPleet @ 08/06/2008 2:51:34 PM

Comment: I was thinking more along the lines of the U.S. carving out a section of Montana and dropping all prisoners, including all the white collar criminals that languish in those country club prisons, all gang members, dealers, baby rapers, rapists, child molesters, and so forth and let them carve out their own society. Perhaps out of human compassion, we should give them some supplies to get going and some medical aid, but that's it!
Posted By: Yessemboss @ 08/06/2008 11:01:31 AM

Comment: Singapore has few people in prison. They boldly do what other great nations are afraid to do; they hang violent ourlaws and drug dealers. This bold and aggressive action against violent criminals has made violent crime, and even property crime, is very rare in Singapore. The French now realize they made a big mistake buy doing away with the blade. Now their streets are filled with murderous thugs of all kinds making France a place of danger.
Posted By: BillyJ193 @ 08/05/2008 10:09:07 PM

Comment: Unfortunately, all comments so far reflect the common ignorance and widespread inhumanity among the holier-than-thous. Would you like to know how to manage prisons without strife and reduce recidivism at the same time? Study Norway. The usual reaction of the "punishers" is akin to insanity. Continue or even exaggerate the present system and expect a different result. There, but for the grace of god.......
Posted By: BillyJ193 @ 08/05/2008 10:01:58 PM

Comment: There bur for the grace of god go I. Do you want learn about incarceration and the elimination of recidivism? Go to Norway. How many more centuries will it take before the underlying barbarism of our "civilized" societies stops being practiced in our prisons? Petty criminal in=hardened criminal out. It goes on and on year after year, and, like any other insanity, the perpetrators continue to expect a different result.
Posted By: NW Sux @ 08/05/2008 8:56:30 PM

Comment: Good comments. I agree with all of them. Unfortunately there are too many bleeding hearts. Prisoners should have little if any rights.
Posted By: Bill Edwards @ 08/05/2008 8:10:18 PM

Comment: There is a cure for overcrowding within the prison systems, and it's very simple one. Certainly I'd like to see Canada, my country, and the U.S. implement it.
Aquire one large island, and send all of the worst offenders there. Drop them in by helicopter with enough supplies to last a few months. That's it. Nothing more. They will never leave that island, dead or alive. Patrol around it 24/7. Attempted escapees are shot on site. No questions asked.
Repeat and heinous offenders deserve this. Make one mistake, fine. Here's your help to straighten your life out. Make repeated mistakes, and obviously your regard for society is nil. Now you get no help.
What will happen to the offenders sent to that island? I personally don't care, and I don't think many others do either.
As an educational tool, the existence of this place should deter many potential criminals from the outset. A prisoner already doing time, knowing that his/her next incarceration will be permanent placement on that island will most likely recognize the consequences of any further actions as sufficient motivation to turn over a brand new leaf.
What Sarkozy is doing deserves applause, not ridicule from a bunch of meely-mouthed do-gooders incessantly complaining, but offering no concrete, provable solutions. Any idiot can complain. The smart ones have solutions.
Is it a smart solution? Works for me, and if ever it's tried out, we'll know for sure.
Perhaps President Sarkozy should consider buying back those 3 islands off the coast of French Guyana, and opening the place up again.
- Posted By: nawawimohamad @ 08/06/2008 6:44:53 AM
  
  Comment: Bill Edwards, I suppose you are right. Good suggestion.
  - Posted By: Robextreme @ 08/08/2008 8:28:22 AM
    
    Comment: That has already been done before. It is called Australia.
Posted By: nawawimohamad @ 08/03/2008 12:40:39 AM

Comment: Prisoners go to prison as punishment and not going for a holiday, staying in a nice hotel sponsored by the government using tax-payers' money. It is the results of their own action because nobody is forcing them to do any of the wrong doings. They have been given the same chances and opportunities to be good human beings and yet they chose to be wrong.What about Rehabilitation? Money has already been spent for their upbringing from birth to the day they were imprisoned, that is fair and enough. Why should they be given (money spent on them) more money beacause they are criminals? By right they should pay for their crimes and pay back the money for their upbringing to society.

The question now is what compensation should be given to the victims of the crimes. The money spent on the criminals should be spent on the victims directly and not be paid to the government. Was has this not been highlighted? What are there so much compassion shown towards the criminals and nothing whatsoever to the victims? This is not justice!
- Posted By: Nica.wolfe @ 08/05/2008 1:15:05 PM
  
  Comment: I agree prison should not be pleasent it is not a vacation spot. All that need be required are meals,a bed and facilities. For this they should work if they need more space perhaps they should build. I am tired of working to pay for criminals that have better medical care than the average person. They are not even requires to work for that which they are given. If I do not work i do not eat, I do not have a place to live. If you feel bad for them donate your own money dont ask me to donate mine