How violent is prison?

[Noodley]

I think people do not appreciate the level of violence which is commonplace in some peoples lives, many of whom end up in prison. Hardly surprising there may be violence there.

 

[srw]

It's absolutely true that society isn't really very violent - I don't remember the last time I even saw a fight. But I wouldn't be surprised to hear that prison is rather more violent than society as a whole. You've got young men who tend to be under-educated and under-imaginative, forced into close association with other young men, not given very much opportunity to stimulate their minds. It's more or less inevitable that violence will be part of their lives.

When I'm dictator we will send many fewer people to prison, especially for non-violent crime, and we will actually educate those we do. We will also educate those we sentence in other ways. Why not spend half of your community service doing something practical for society and the other half doing something of more use - discovering your brain?

 

[badkitty]

I grew up inside an open prison. (My Dad was staff). It was an interesting upbringing. Met some very fascinating people who'd done terrible things.
Apparently I wasn't keen on the playgroup run by inmates and would run scream when they tried to take my coat off. :-)

Being a teenage girl surrounded by prisoners got a bit tiresome though.That was probably what put me off sunbathing for life.

I don't think it was too violent then, there was the odd stabbing etc, but I don't think it was as bad as it's purported to be now, and it was an open prison at the time. Tis closed now though.