UK Prisoners using PS3s to commit crime?
The Serious Organised Crime Agency has claimed that UK prisoners are using PS3s to organise crimes.
The claim appeared first in The Times and comes from SOCA director general Bill Hughes, who made the comment at a launch event for a new SOCA report.
"We know that one of the issues is that if you are locked up, how do you communicate with others? And we have been highlighting the fact it is not always with mobile telephones," he said.
"There is other technology used. People are using PlayStations to charge their mobile phones and are playing games interactively with others, so are able to communicate with them."
Hughes claims that organised criminals are using the chat and content creation features in PlayStation 3 games to connect to their criminal cohorts on the outside, organising all manner of illegal activities. "Communication is the name of the game and criminals are looking to exploit new technologies. Prisoners have rights and they have access to the Internet," he said.
Of course, the simple solution would be to just unplug the PlayStation 3 from the 'net, but according to the UK Prison Service that isn't needed as the comments are a load of rubbish. A spokesperson for the Prison Service insisted that convicts do not have access to wireless technology at all because of a previous decision - one which barred Prisons from allowing current games consoles into prisons. SOCA insists it has heard otherwise.
What's your opinion of the UK legal system? Should prisoners be allowed to play games? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
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Discuss in the forums ReplyThese days it seems like regular life, but with some slight restrictions on where you can go :/
The EU happened.
They call it "Human Rights"
I call it a joke.
got a friend who used to work in a womans prison and its its just bloody ridiculous. They get flat screen TVs, consoles, DVDs all sorts. They even do work within the prison get paid for it and can order stuff from ARGOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
They have more luxuries than people on the outside.
My friend talk to a few of them and they said they liked it inside, everything was paid for, all there friends were here and they dont have to do anything other than stay within the prison grounds. once out they said they would just rob someone, assault steal etc to get back inside !!!!!!!!!!!! cause life is better.
+1 human rights are a f***king JOKE. im ok with basic humans rights such as food, shelter and water etc. but not the crap they have added over the years.
Oh.. So breaking the law isn't a punishable offence?
And how is a PS3 a human right?
Last I checked human rights were mostly along the lines of living, freedom of speech etc.
When someone violates the law, they forfeit their right to general freedom - Why the **** should they be put in prison only to be given access to entertainment systems? Educational stuff I have no issue with - But why the hell do they get entertainment systems?
Why am I paying taxes for them to live better than homeless people because they scream human rights when someone takes their luxury items away when they break the law?
Edit: Wow, for a second there I thought you were behind the idea. Didn't mean to come off all asshole-y about it.
Availability of entertainment is not on the universal declaration of human rights.
I suppose the only (weak) argument is that boredom is torture... but tbh, If you can't do the time...
I am all for getting them to work hard, learning skills to help keep them from re-offending would be great. At the very least there should be a massive hamster wheel in each to help provide electricity for the prison block! (I am not 100% serious about the last suggestion!!)
So if they use the PS3 to plat GTA it would be ok... ;D
It is an indication of a greater problem, namely the overly-PC, nanny-state we live in where human-rights for criminals seems to be more important than the rights of their victims.
IMO, prison shouldn't be a place you want to go, it shouldn't be an easy life.
If they're over-crowded and understaffed, spend less on flatscreens and consoles and more on staff and new prisons.
Make the prisoners do work of some kind but not for luxuries, for the basics like food and water etc.
Everyone on the outside needs to work to feed themselves so why should the dregs of society be given them for free?
The whole thing sounds utterly retarded IMO.
Prison system is a joke.
If I were the victim of a serious crime, I would expect the perpetrator to be punished. Being sent to a nice fluffy building full of TVs and video games does not in my view constitute adequate punishment, notwithstanding that it imposes physical restrictions on movement.
And there is no deterrent effect if prison offers a better standard of living than the outside.
Access to the internet as an educational tool is in my view justifiable for prisoners, as it goes towards skills-building and rehabilitation. As such, they should have rationed, supervised access to basic computer facilities connected to the net by a heavily firewalled, monitored and filtered connection. Similarly, they should have access to libraries. I don't think prisoners should be denied all entertainment, so limited access to television in supervised common areas is justified (also occasional DVD screenings), as is access to recreational reading material. Similarly they should get basic sports facilities for relaxation and fitness. Beyond that, though, there is no justification for providing state of the art games consoles, expensive gym equipment etc.
now how is this any different to a normal person.
We go to work, come bk watch tele, entertain ourselves and go into our bedrooms and go to bed.
About the only difference prisoners have is that there are limited to the grounds of the prison which for most is fine as they wouldnt be going anywhere anyway.
on my daily routine i dont travel all over the place, i go to work, come home and entertain myself for a few hours and go to bed and do it all over again the next day. Granted my life isnt just this i get out sometimes lol.
so basically how is what i do on a daily basis any different than that of a prisoners except i have to work to do this and they dont.
The only 1 big issue is freedom i can go where ever i want if i choose to prisoners cant. so basically im working to be free.
OMG, there's somebody else out there with some common sense and sensible views. You'd got my vote for Prime Minister!
Why do I pay taxes to enable prisoners to play playstation 3's and watch TV, play pool and also get paid to do easy jobs. I cant even afford a playstation 3 myself, and cant afford a TV or TV licence at the moment.
It is a joke, and no one has the guts in politics to properly challenge it
Prison should, at worst, be a place for punishment. At best, it should be a place for rehabilitation... for preparing criminals in such a way that when they are released, they can become useful, productive members of society.
It shouldn't be somewhere where they can play console games and get unfettered internet access.
But hey, mclean007 basically sums it up perfectly.
A lot of you seemed to have missed this comment.
But that a side a lot of you seem to assume that the tax money is buying them these things. Most likely not. They do supply TVs and gym equipment. But if they were getting PS3's it was because they paid for them most likely. If you are working in a prison there isn't much you have to spend money on otherwise, so I would imagine that most prisoners have a nice savings.
It could be a clever strategy, get them all addicted to wow and they won't have time to commit crime lol
It was not always like this. This has only come about in the last 10 year (under Labour).
There are no deterents anymore in the UK. People will commit a crime and not care what happens to them cus they know that things will probably be better for them inside then outside.
You won't hear me say this much, but I agree with the US system. Prison is ment to be a punishment, not a holiday camp.
"Of course, the simple solution would be to just unplug the PlayStation 3 from the 'net, but according to the UK Prison Service that isn't needed as the comments are a load of rubbish. A spokesperson for the Prison Service insisted that convicts do not have access to wireless technology at all because of a previous decision - one which barred Prisons from allowing current games consoles into prisons. SOCA insists it has heard otherwise."
Idiots.
THEY EVEN GOT ****ING CURTAINS SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO SEE THE METAL BARS!!! It would lead to depression, the federal therapists explained.
So did their crimes to the relatives I'd say.
Give those people a 3x3m cell, a wooden board with pillow and blanket to sleep on, a toilet in their cell, a sink. Food [cheapest and worst possible] and water.
Would save us a lot of money and I think this might actually help re-socialising criminals. At least a bit more than what they "have to face" now in prison...
I think they consider that " cruel and unusual " nowadays. Shame really. Prison is a place for punishment and rehabilitation. If all they're doing is sitting around playing video games, the only job they'll be able to get when they get out will be as games journalists :D
what can i do to go there ?
xD
My friend calls the cells he works in Hotel Carlton, because its usually the same repeat offenders that keep returning so on their leaving he says that he'll keep the bed warm and the room ready for their return.
Its a sad fact that we treat them so well, we really should be working to educate the inmates with skills to gain a job, so their is no need for them to break the law. Give them something that makes their life seem more worthwhile, that they mean something to society, that they do something that makes them a better person and hopefully they wont re-offend.
Another side of me then thinks, but we are offering this to the lowest people, and we're not giving a similar service to people that havent offended. Its a touch choice.
Well SOCA has been recieveing negative Press, Insider Leaks and soon a damning report which according to more leaks will pillory an attitude of eternal intelligence gathering, rather than actually arresting anyone. This smells of a desparate attempt by PR types to spread the blame to the Prison Service.