Smoking to be Banned in Prisons

[Butts]

According to reports on BBC Breakfast this morning consideration is being given to the above in English and Welsh establishments.

What an excellent wheeze () for harmony behind bars as 80% of Prisoners smoke :-x Strangely that is inverse to the 20% of the general adult population who are partial to the weed.

As I understand it smoking is only permitted in cells which come in the smoking or non-smoking variety and not in the communal areas. Inmates are given a choice of room based on their habits...or should that be habit

You couldn't make it up :roll:

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Now how did I know that our very own tobacco expert on the website would be the first to report this..

 

[talltim]

Presumably prisons are a workplace (for the staff) and so smoking should already be illegal? (Is there some sort of exception for hotel rooms?)

 

[anme]

Prisons are exempt from the current legislation.

 

[michael769]

Sounds like a good way to deter crime....

 

[Oswyntail]

Sounds like a good way to deter crime....

...or help warders increase their earnings

 

[ainsworth74]

What are prisoners supposed to use as currency now? The impact on prison economies has not bee thought through me thinks!

 

[theblackwatch]

I was interested in the quote 80% of Prisoners smoke . Given that this is much higher than the number of smokers in the UK, does this mean that a smoker is more likely to be involved in criminal activity which results in a prison sentence than a non-smoker? Or is it that more people take up smoking while in prison?

 

[Johnuk123]

...or help warders increase their earnings

warders

Good grief, I can't believe anyone is using a term abolished 94 years ago.

Do you call Police officers Bow Street runners ?

 

[tony_mac]

, does this mean that a smoker is more likely to be involved in criminal activity which results in a prison sentence than a non-smoker?

Yes.
Both are statistically linked to socioeconomic factors (such as employment).

(Is there some sort of exception for hotel rooms?)

Yes.

The proposal is also to ban smoking outdoors in prison grounds (according to the BBC).

 

[Flamingo]

I'm sure I read something a while ago saying that the lack of fags might be a bigger deterrent than the prison sentence itself amongst a certain class of habitual offenders

 

[Harpers Tate]

"So, what are you going to do - arrest me for smoking, and throw me in jail?"

 

[Yew]

I would be worried that making people go cold turkey could aggrivate them, and put prison staff and other inmates at risk.

 

[Eagle]

I would be worried that making people go cold turkey could aggrivate them, and put prison staff and other inmates at risk.

They'll be allowed to use nicotine patches or gum, which should alleviate some of the withdrawal symptoms.

Not sure what the line on electric cigarettes is though.

 

[Harlesden]

According to reports on BBC Breakfast this morning consideration is being given to the above in English and Welsh establishments.

What an excellent wheeze () for harmony behind bars as 80% of Prisoners smoke :-x Strangely that is inverse to the 20% of the general adult population who are partial to the weed.

As I understand it smoking is only permitted in cells which come in the smoking or non-smoking variety and not in the communal areas. Inmates are given a choice of room based on their habits...or should that be habit

You couldn't make it up :roll:

Sorry Butts, I happen to know from personal experience that smoking inside a prison was forbidden in communal areas way back in 2003/4.
I would say that the idea of "smoking" cells and "non-smoking" cells is nothing more than a journalist's idea to jazz up a rather dull story. Prisons were way too overcrowded back in 2003/4 for such a ridiculous idea to work and they are even more overcrowded now.
I would hardly call a cell a room. Would you really be happy eating your dinner in a 8' x 8' confined space that happens to have a WC in the corner which raises the question in every inmate's mind - do you sh*t before your dinner or wait until after. On a weekend, (early bang up) your cell door will be already firmly locked until the next morning.

 

[Butts]

Sorry Butts, I happen to know from personal experience that smoking inside a prison was forbidden in communal areas way back in 2003/4.
I would say that the idea of "smoking" cells and "non-smoking" cells is nothing more than a journalist's idea to jazz up a rather dull story. Prisons were way too overcrowded back in 2003/4 for such a ridiculous idea to work and they are even more overcrowded now.
I would hardly call a cell a room. Would you really be happy eating your dinner in a 8' x 8' confined space that happens to have a WC in the corner which raises the question in every inmate's mind - do you sh*t before your dinner or wait until after. On a weekend, (early bang up) your cell door will be already firmly locked until the next morning.

Sorry Harlesden, but with regard to "Cells" there is actually a choice of smoking or non-smoking and as you correctly state smoking in communal areas was banned sometime ago. This is not fiction but reality.

Much as I hate to admit it in Australia and New Zealand the complete ban was introduced a number of years ago and the feared riots failed to materialise.

With regard to your dilemma you probably smoke before during and after your sh*t

 

[tbtc]

What are prisoners supposed to use as currency now? The impact on prison economies has not bee thought through me thinks!

Presumably since mobile phones became common, the old "phone cards" are no longer the currency that they once were?

I'm sure I read something a while ago saying that the lack of fags might be a bigger deterrent than the prison sentence itself amongst a certain class of habitual offenders

True.

It deters people from going to prison (however marginally), it avoids getting claims of passive smoking from prison staff, it costs the Government nothing, it improves public health, it plays to the Daily Mail brigade who think "prison is too soft" etc...

...seems to tick a lot of boxes for a politician.

 

[Butts]

I wonder if Old Peoples Homes and Mental Hospitals will be the next target as they are also exempt from the ban.

Incidentally a bit of a "smokescreen" seems to be in operation. There is all this talk of passive smoking dangers but very few (if any) cases coming before the Courts.

I'm sure Ash and the rest would be delighted if there was sufficient evidence about the link and would be heralding successful prosecutions

However this does not seem to be the case

 

[WillPS]

I wonder if Old Peoples Homes and Mental Hospitals will be the next target as they are also exempt from the ban.

Incidentally a bit of a "smokescreen" seems to be in operation. There is all this talk of passive smoking dangers but very few (if any) cases coming before the Courts.

I'm sure Ash and the rest would be delighted if there was sufficient evidence about the link and would be heralding successful prosecutions

However this does not seem to be the case

Who is supposed to be sued under such circumstances?

 

[Butts]

Who is supposed to be sued under such circumstances?

In theory those responsible for exposing the employee / resident / inmate to secondary smoke inhalation.

However there have been very few if any cases brought before the courts despite the "cast iron evidence" of the link.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The Saturday Independent had an editorial against the proposed ban on the basis there are more pressing issues requiring attention in the penal system.

Did any other papers comment for or against ?

There was an interesting aside about a prison governor who wanted to have a smokefree prison from 2007 , but the POA kyboshed the idea before it got off the starting blocks.

 

[yorksrob]

Sounds to me like a potential source of unnecessary aggravation for prison staff IMO.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Will the term "snout" go out of common prison usage if the proposal is carried through ?

 

[Butts]

Will the term "snout" go out of common prison usage if the proposal is carried through ?

Good question - perhaps they will be allowed e-cigarettes, I wonder what they will call them ?