Inmates 'paid to play Scrabble'

[Ck]

Britain's most violent and dangerous inmates are being paid by the Prison Service to play Scrabble, learn guitar and look after fish tanks.

Criminals in the "jail within a jail" at Whitemoor high security prison in Cambridgeshire earn credits to do a range of "constructive activities".

Other occupations which attract the payments include playing ping-pong and other sports, going to the gym or library, cleaning, attending classes and seeing the psychologist or mental health nurse.

Inmates have to complete at least 30 minutes of an activity to win a payment. The scheme at Whitemoor's Close Supervision Centre was revealed in a report on jail segregation units by the Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers.

She said: "This was a positive initiative that placed a degree of responsibility on prisoners to structure their day and to sustain a pattern of constructive activity.

"Unstructured activities such as watching TV, PlayStation, radio, showering, chatting and playing pool would not be paid."

"This thematic inspection clearly charts the progress that has been made - some of it innovative - in dealing with prisoners in the most extreme forms of custody within our prison system; though it also points out the distance still to travel."

Inspectors said the system in general had problems with inadequate in-cell activity for men who spent considerable periods in solitary confinement.

They also highlighted a rising trend of prisons having to hold members of rival street gangs in separate units. The study said that the dangers of attacks between gangs was a "new management challenge" for jail bosses.

Prison Service director of high security prisons Peter Atherton said: "A schedule of constructive engagement is being pursued with all CSC prisoners, which is a key part of the underlying pro-active philosophy of these units."

(Source = Press association)

The credits are worth £1.10 a session and they can use the credits to buy approved items.

I'm so glad to hear that my taxes are being put to such good use!

[Claire]

Some of the "activities" described though CK are things that many of the inmates have had no experience of.

Don't you think that showing them alternative ways to spend their time is constructive?

[Time Meddler]

But why should we pay for it?

[Claire]

But why should we pay for it?

You're paying for them "doing the time" anyway Timey. Wouldn't you rather it was a constructive use of your taxes rather than a complete waste of money?

[Ck]

I don't see why they should be rewarded. I have to work hard to pay for things I have, I don't see why I should have to pay for theirs too.

[Claire]

I don't see why they should be rewarded. I have to work hard to pay for things I have, I don't see why I should have to pay for theirs too.

You're paying for it anyway.

I have to look at this from the perspective of an OH who works in Criminal Justice. There have been loads of examples I have personally seen where offenders lifes have been completely changed for the better because of positive intervention and "re-education". Basically a taught awareness of the "wider world".

My OH works with people who have three generations of their family who have been unemployed. Making them see that this isn't the only option and that there are other ways of living than the only way they've known is positive isn't it?

[Ck]

Yeah, I understand that. I begrudge funding them anyway but to pay them £1.10 for sitting on their guilty arses to read a book for half an hour on top of that really pisses me off.

[Claire]

So paying them the same amount to scratch their arse would be better?

[Ck]

So paying them the same amount to scratch their arse would be better?

What are you on about?

They don't get paid anything for doing nothing. If they got the credits anyway and they were taken off them unless they adhered to these new stupid ideals then that would be fine, but they are getting something extra.

[Claire]

Well they're learning that by working they get rewarded!