Interesting..
Now this note must be prefaced by the fact that there are fewer than 100 jail cells available in the British prison system, and that some convicted prisoners are now serving their times in police station cells..
This has led to a series of early releases.. a system which has clearly not had the effect it was disigned to have..
One prisoner, serving 5 to 7 for the manslaughter of a girlfriend who spurned him (he beat her to death with a hammer), has just been convicted, after early release, of killing three children, and their mother's boyfriend, as they slept. He doused their house with gasoline, and set it alight. One of those was the 16 year old who had dumped him. The only reason the mother of this family survived, was because she was working night shift..
Now, a BBC report which will be aired this week, reveals a man, named Frank Parker, who has served 39 years for the rape and murder of a 10 year old girl, has already been released, and has already been seen befrending children, and taking pictures of a semi-naked teenager, whom he invited up to his hostel room..
Interesting that this BBC report twice reported to police that they were concerned about his bahavior, and it was after the second call that Parker was picked up, and returned to prison..
This lack of prison space in Britin is chronic.
But one woders how many spces are being taken up by those convicted of the crime of selling marijuana..
That drug alone, has as many serving sentences as do those who commit violent crimes.. and many current problems could be dealt with by a simple Act of Parliament, that being the de-criminalisation of cannabis, the legislated sale of that drug, and the realisation that, that drug is no more dangerous than alcohol..
Not to say, that alcohol can't even be a more anti-social drug when taken indiscriminately..
It baffles one, that the stigma placed upon the drug by the American Harry Anslinger decades ago, is still the benchmark..
We nees to empty cells.
Lets start with those who have committed the least harmful crimes..