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I think that the difference between the mindset of the American penal system (from a British point of view) seems to be that in America you are in prison FOR pu
by ljf 11y ago
I think that the difference between the mindset of the American penal system (from a British point of view) seems to be that in America you are in prison FOR punishment. There seems to be an expectation that in prison you should endure additional hardship in the form of work and potentially rape (the USA is the only country in the world with a higher level of _reported_ male rape than female rape, due to the large number of prisoners and the abuse that occurs in there).
In the UK and Europe we see prison as THE punishment. Being deprived of your liberty and freedom is generally considered punishment enough. Some of the most successful prisons (in terms of re-offender rates) are in Denmark, where prisons are pretty damn comfortable and prisoners have many rights and access to support (and even the ability to leave the prison for periods of the day if they are trusted and to mix with prisoners of the opposite sex and civilians who choose to live in boarding available in prisons.
- tptacek 11y agoIt really seems like the distinction you're trying to draw between the UK and US prison systems is essentially based on an implied allegation that prison rape is condoned in the US. That's an egregiously inflammatory argument to make, one that essentially kneecaps the rest of the discussion. It's also false, and papers over the fact that rape is endemic in the UK penal system as well. It's too bad, because your second graf raises some interesting questions. In any case: this has nothing to do with the story we're commenting on.
- gadders 11y agoRape is not endemic in the UK prison system, certainly not to the same degree as in the US. Source: My wife's uncle that was a prison warder in Belmarsh, and people I have know who have been to prison.