Should Prisoners Have Internet Access

[Cricket]

Is having internet access a right or a privilege? Do you feel inmates should have limited, free, or no access to the internet at all? Should social networking websites do more to prevent inmates from posting information on their sites or should it be the prison system's responsibility to play big brother? http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...he.html?cat=17

Computers and prisoners are risky to mix, but computers are hardwired into the infrastructure of correctional facilities and operations, and few prisons are computer-free zones. There are three reasons further computerization is inevitable: http://www.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/ctt/col1196.html

The British government said Thursday that Facebook had removed the profiles of 30 U.K. inmates at its request after several incidents in which prisoners reportedly used the social networking site to organize crime or taunt others. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100211/...rs_on_facebook

Trulincs is the anachronism for the prison email system. (Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System (TRULINCS)) The idea is if inmates have limited access to internet communications with family and friends they will assimilate more easily into society upon release. http://desmoines.injuryboard.com/mis...oogleid=261724

So what are your thoughts? Is use of the Internet a right or a privilege? Should inmates have Internet access? Why do you feel that way?

[boxfiddler]

I tend to think the known guilty should get gruel and water once a day. Hand in hand, the unknown guilty shouldn't be in jail in the first place.
Justice is a hard task master. I think it's not likely to be found in existence at the corporate layer.

(Corporate in the largest sense of the word possible)

[Jim Gillum]

Can not accept any justification to allow inmates access to computers.....

They can write letters.(that can be censored) and call their attorneys on the phones that are provided in most modern jails for that purpose....

And to prepare to return to society.....70%+ will return to jail......

Some day the bleeding hearts will bleed out and some one will remember the victims....

So my official answer would be NO.....

[Allen Farlow]

Of course they should not have access to the internet, not ever, not even to study up for their lawsuits questioning the verdict.

They were found guilty by their peers and they were sentenced to prison to be punished, not to be caudled and loved. If they have trouble assimilating back into society once they are released, that's their problem and I consider it to be part of their punishment.

If they re-offend upon release, obviously they didn't learn their lesson, so send them back to rot.

If prison is so easy as to be scoffed at, what threats will we have left to prevent people from crossing the line? I don't rob banks or kill people because I figure I'll get caught and be sent to prison. That's enough of a deterrent to keep me in line.

I'm sure it works for others as well.

I don't think they should have cigarettes, free medical care or weight benches and weights, either.

Heck, I don't even get free medical care!

[Jim Gillum]

Money would be better spent in providing computers and net access to under privileged children......they are the future....

Criminals are no future....

[anonymously]

The UK have a problem with prisoners Facebook sites taunting their victims. We are looking at tightening rules on mobile phone usage (seems this is how they got their site) which is not allowed but does happen. I have no problem with prisoners having access to computers learning to use one might help with a job when they get out, just should not be connected to the internet.

[OhioQuotes]

Perhaps with heavy filtering. Educational sites might be fine. Social Network sites? No way!

[aimhigh]

I don't have any object if the inmates are using computers as long as it has no internet or they have to filter all the sites and all the site they access should be monitored.

[DocC]

Nope! They're there because they screwed up, and they're being punished. If they want to study something, use the prison library. If they want to watch a movie... Saturday night is typical. Most prisons use the galley area for the weekly movie.

Other than that, let 'em make little ones out of big ones, or stamp license plates, fix potholes or sew flags. Pay 'em for their work, and bill 'em for their keep.

[Al-Leyson]

Well, they should be given access to the internet. Because terrorists and other criminals who were not yet caught are using the internet for their own evil purposes, then why should the ones who are reforming inside jail should not be given internet access?

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by Al-Leyson

Well, they should be given access to the internet. Because terrorists and other criminals who were not yet caught are using the internet for their own evil purposes, then why should the ones who are reforming inside jail should not be given internet access?

With that same reasoning, since terrorist and other criminals are using weapons for their own evil purposes we should go ahead and give prisoners weapons too?

Or, since terrorist are able to travel worldwide for evil purposes, I guess we should go ahead and let criminals travel too?

Better yet, since terrorist and other criminals are free, I guess we might as well let prisoners be free.

[Jim Gillum]

We could set them free....in the everglades........gators need to eat too.....

[DocC]

I like the way you think, Jim!


@ Al-Leyson - if you really believe that prisoners in jail are reforming, then I think you haven't been paying much attention to what is going on around you in the world. The only thing that the vast majority of them are reforming, is their plan to escape capture, then next time around.

[Jim Gillum]

Ya know DocC they really do learn more in jail...about how to do crimes......been years since I saw stats....but around 70% recommit......

[Janedoe]

No internet, but maybe yes to computers. Maybe they can play games on their computers and stay away from more trouble within the prison. But, there are other ways to keep them occupied so lets just say no computer and no internet.

[Giselle]

Definitely no internet access or computer access, basically I tend to agree with DocC's post about using the prison library, working for their keep. I don't believe in brutality, but not a country club setting either.

[anonymously]

In the UK situation that Cricket sites it was in fact, as I stated, that the concern was not from authorised use, which is very limited indeed but was from illegal use of mobile phones or friends on the outside which caused the problem

British prisoners are banned from using social networking sites like Facebook. Britain — unlike many European countries — bars almost all inmates from access to the Internet, except for educational purposes under supervision. But authorities acknowledge that some have used smuggled mobile phones to update their pages, or have gotten friends on the outside to do it for them.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100211/...rs_on_facebook

I am glad on the whole that we take a view in the UK that we want to educate prisoners and try to encourage them to make something of their lives, rather than a habitual life of crime. So while there is an element of punishment in people being denied the benefit of their family home and protecting society, there is also elements of encouraging change and enabling that change to happen. Computers are an educational tool, and as in the UK where access to the internet is allowed it is strictly controlled.

People locked up with nothing to do and nothing to look forward to are a risk to themselves, other prisoners, the prison staff and ultimately to society.

[faye valentine]

Well, i guess with a deeper limitations, they can only access the Internet by communication by their loved ones and some friends. (Sometime around, its too risky for conversation). But i guess, with a proper limitations and usage of the internet they can use the Internet without any risk.

[drmike]

smuggled just to update their Facebook. That's pretty sad if you ask me.

Gotta admit I don't have a problem with computers and internet access when used to conjunction with legal research. The right of appeal is granted in most countries and limiting that right is not something I would agree with.

Have to admit though that I'm against the game playing and facebook updating though.

[Natural Elements]

Yes, but with limitations and under some conditions like good behavior.

By this I mean, they are motivated to stay out of trouble and for educational purposes only.