Would you say the prison system in the UK is harsher than in the USA?

Question

What are your views about the prison system in the UK? Do they allow the death penalty. If not should they allow the death penalty? Should they make harsher punishments or lighten up on some? Do guards ever get killed and is there alot of gangs in the prisons?

Answer 1

I got 3 years when I was younger, and it was P1ss easy.

I couldnt believe it !

It isnt a punishment...... its just an Inconvenience.

Now days they can have TVs and Playstations and that is takin the P1ss.



I even used to have arguements with the other cons in my class.... saying how it should be toughened up.

They thought I was mad.... but I dont want some bloke who might have raped someone to find that the only real Inconvenience is being locked in a room at night.

Answer 2

I've only been to prison in England but from the stories you hear America's prisons seem worse. There is no death penalty here and there isn't much trouble by way of gangs. There are fights but normally just between a few people. Thing is though here you can end up in a hard prison just for something minor - not the way the have it over there where people only get sent to jail for minor stuff. I shared a cell with a lad who was in for armed robbery. I know there are loads of different prisons over there but the ones we see on TV seem pretty hardcore - but suppose they are the worse ones.

Answer 3

There is no death penalty in the UK, and all EU member states, and Council of Europe member states (even those not in the EU) have abolished the death penalty. The European Convention on Human Rights states that signaturies must abolish the death penalty and not reinstate it except in extreme national emergencies such as during a war on home territory.



There is little support for it here. A recent petition to Downing Street calling for its re-instatement attract fewer than 300 signatures (from 60 million people)



There is a push in Britain for community based sentencing where possible because the prison population is operating at maximum capacity. Many prisons are over crowded and are not the best conditions. It was decided after the riot at Strangeways Prison (now HMP Manchester) in the 1990s that prisoners should where possible have one cell each, and should have a flush toilet in the cell. The riot was caused because of over crowding and unsanitary conditions, and degrading treatment such as "slopping out" (going to the toilet in bucket in the cell in front of 4 other people and keeping the bucket in there over night can't be very nice)



My ex gfs brother recently went down and said it is a nasty experience, he is in one of Britain's imposing Victorian prisons. People attack each other, attempt suicide, take drugs, its infested with cockroaches.



I wouldn't want to go there

Answer 4

No way! It's common knowledge that prisons over here are comfortable, have luxuries such as tv, games consoles, gyms etc and it has been heard of that people actually don't want to leave! The justice system is too soft, people are committing knife and gun crimes daily and not scared of the legal system because they get a short sentence. I've been watching the american prison documentaries recently where people get locked up for 25 years for attempted murder! Over here life doesn't mean life and it should because at the moment things are REALLY bad. Not heard of guards being killed and yes definitely bring back the death penalty because I'm v.scared for my two sons when they get a bit older and want to go out and about. Teenagers are getting knifed to death on the streets daily and its frightening.

Answer 5

I have a pal on death row in San Quentin who writes regularly, and have done a combined 6-7yrs in U.K. prisons. Believe me from his real vivid description of life there and my experience here in various prison categories life here is a walk in the park in comparison. They receive nothing in the U.S., here at least the basic toiletries are provided free and one does not starve from a lack of decent food. We have in cell kettles and the makings for a weeks tea, and a t.v., the longer the sentence the more that is available. In the U.S. it's the opposite, as if a death sentence wasn't enough!

Answer 6

The prison system is only harder in the UK if they don't allow unlimited TV; conjugal visits; drugs; gang membership; free education; prisoners to attack guards; and unlimited appeals. Other than that, prison is the US is tough.

Answer 7

The Prison system in the Uk is a joke hun. Justice is seldom served & the criminals get off way to lightly.

Hard labour should be brought back, cracking boulders manually & for murders bring back the death penalty & for paedophiles castrate them.



Good Luck.X :-)

Answer 8

Prison in the UK is not nearly as brutal as in the US. There's no death penalty, few gangs, drugs or weapons, and few violent deaths. That doesn't mean it's not a tough experience, just that it's not inhumane.



We should definitely not reintroduce the death penalty. It's monstrous and inhumane, and doesn't even do much to reduce crime.

Answer 9

every prison in the world is harsher than u.s. prisons.the legal system in the u.s. is a joke.the sentence NEVER fits the crime.lawyers are reaping the harvest.when a lawyer gets someone off. and they repete a crime.the lawyer should do his time.now that makes sence.

Answer 10

the states is far better, reason being, they dont take no bullshit.